Oliver was the last of Henry H. & Sarah Jane (Young) Bell's children. His mother died when he was only two years old. Several months before his fifth birthday, his father married Louisa Driskell, and she helped raise him.
Some siblings were: Emanuel, William, Henrietta "Ettie," Manford, Marion, Irvin Monroe, Alvis F., & Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie,"
By the summer of 1900, he had left home and was working on a farm in Springfield, Missouri. In 1911 he was in Galena, KS, which is shown by various people who sent post cards to him. One was from his sister, Mary. The front of the card has a picture of a heart with the words, St. Valentine's Greeting.
"Mr. Oliver Bell
Gelena, Kan
hello brother i would like to see you tonight i wish you was here from Mary to Oliver so good by"
Oliver was back in Trail when the following article was published in the Ozark County News on December 1, 1911: "By this you may know Trail is not frozen to death. We have been having some nice weather & our people appreciate it. Oliver & Harrison Bell returned from Springfield last week. We were all glad to see them as they had been gone all of three weeks."
On March 30, 1912, Oliver and Alta Alice Moffis were married by Justice of Peace, G.F. Lawson. He was 30 years old, & she was 18. Their witnesses were Minnie and Albert Anderson, Alta's sister and brother-in-law.
Doyn Bell, the last of Oliver and Alta's children, said his father was working on the roof of a house on February 11, 1915, when he fell and broke his leg. His injury was so bad that his leg had to be amputated 11 days later. News about Oliver's accident was published in Ozark County Times on March 5, 1915: "Blanche - News has reached this place that O. A. Bell of Springfield, who had fallen from a housetop and fractured his right ankle, had to have his leg amputated just below the knee. Mr. Bell had many relatives and friends here who are sorry to learn of his sad misfortune."
Oliver recovered from the amputation and learned how to use a "peg leg" very efficiently. He & Alta returned to Ozark County and were living in Trail when he got a building contract. News about his transaction was published in the Ozark County Times on May 16, 1916: "Oliver Bell has the contract for building the new school house at Silver Shade."
On September 12, 1918, Alta and Oliver, age 36, were living in Trail, Missouri, when he registered for the WWI draft. His date of birth was recorded as October 21, 1881. The record shows that he was self-employed as a farmer. His physical description was medium height and build, brown eyes and hair. His nephews, James, Thomas, & Clarence Bell also registered for the draft.
Four years later, he was still in the construction business. This was shown by a news item in the Ozark County Times on June 11, 1920: "Trail - Oliver Bell is putting up the hall at Dora."
News about Oliver's new store appeared on October 7, 1921: "Dora News - Oliver Bell of Trail has his new store building almost completed. He will soon move his $8000 stock of goods." Descendants say that he was the postmaster at Trail for a period of time. It is very likely that the post office was in his store.
Oliver and Alta moved to California & were in San Jose for the birth of twin daughters, Vera and Violet, on November 23, 1925.
In 1955, Oliver & Alta moved to West Sacramento. About this time he was diagnosed with cerebral arteriosclerosis. During the next five years, his health steadily deteriorated.
On April 19, 1960, his condition worsened, and he was seen by his physician, Dr. W.P. Linnane. The following day, early on Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m., he died from a cerebral thrombosis. His death took place in their home at 850 South Pecan Avenue. He was 78 years old.
His death record has the distinction of being the only known record in existence, which shows his mother's maiden name. His son, Hurcel, was the informant on his death record, which provided the following information: Oliver Andrew Bell was born November 25, 1881, in Trail, Missouri; his father, Henry Bell, was born in Tennessee and his mother (first name left blank) Young, was born in Arkansas.
Edited from "The Family of James & Caroline Bell."
Some siblings were: Emanuel, William, Henrietta "Ettie," Manford, Marion, Irvin Monroe, Alvis F., & Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie,"
By the summer of 1900, he had left home and was working on a farm in Springfield, Missouri. In 1911 he was in Galena, KS, which is shown by various people who sent post cards to him. One was from his sister, Mary. The front of the card has a picture of a heart with the words, St. Valentine's Greeting.
"Mr. Oliver Bell
Gelena, Kan
hello brother i would like to see you tonight i wish you was here from Mary to Oliver so good by"
Oliver was back in Trail when the following article was published in the Ozark County News on December 1, 1911: "By this you may know Trail is not frozen to death. We have been having some nice weather & our people appreciate it. Oliver & Harrison Bell returned from Springfield last week. We were all glad to see them as they had been gone all of three weeks."
On March 30, 1912, Oliver and Alta Alice Moffis were married by Justice of Peace, G.F. Lawson. He was 30 years old, & she was 18. Their witnesses were Minnie and Albert Anderson, Alta's sister and brother-in-law.
Doyn Bell, the last of Oliver and Alta's children, said his father was working on the roof of a house on February 11, 1915, when he fell and broke his leg. His injury was so bad that his leg had to be amputated 11 days later. News about Oliver's accident was published in Ozark County Times on March 5, 1915: "Blanche - News has reached this place that O. A. Bell of Springfield, who had fallen from a housetop and fractured his right ankle, had to have his leg amputated just below the knee. Mr. Bell had many relatives and friends here who are sorry to learn of his sad misfortune."
Oliver recovered from the amputation and learned how to use a "peg leg" very efficiently. He & Alta returned to Ozark County and were living in Trail when he got a building contract. News about his transaction was published in the Ozark County Times on May 16, 1916: "Oliver Bell has the contract for building the new school house at Silver Shade."
On September 12, 1918, Alta and Oliver, age 36, were living in Trail, Missouri, when he registered for the WWI draft. His date of birth was recorded as October 21, 1881. The record shows that he was self-employed as a farmer. His physical description was medium height and build, brown eyes and hair. His nephews, James, Thomas, & Clarence Bell also registered for the draft.
Four years later, he was still in the construction business. This was shown by a news item in the Ozark County Times on June 11, 1920: "Trail - Oliver Bell is putting up the hall at Dora."
News about Oliver's new store appeared on October 7, 1921: "Dora News - Oliver Bell of Trail has his new store building almost completed. He will soon move his $8000 stock of goods." Descendants say that he was the postmaster at Trail for a period of time. It is very likely that the post office was in his store.
Oliver and Alta moved to California & were in San Jose for the birth of twin daughters, Vera and Violet, on November 23, 1925.
In 1955, Oliver & Alta moved to West Sacramento. About this time he was diagnosed with cerebral arteriosclerosis. During the next five years, his health steadily deteriorated.
On April 19, 1960, his condition worsened, and he was seen by his physician, Dr. W.P. Linnane. The following day, early on Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m., he died from a cerebral thrombosis. His death took place in their home at 850 South Pecan Avenue. He was 78 years old.
His death record has the distinction of being the only known record in existence, which shows his mother's maiden name. His son, Hurcel, was the informant on his death record, which provided the following information: Oliver Andrew Bell was born November 25, 1881, in Trail, Missouri; his father, Henry Bell, was born in Tennessee and his mother (first name left blank) Young, was born in Arkansas.
Edited from "The Family of James & Caroline Bell."
Oliver was the last of Henry H. & Sarah Jane (Young) Bell's children. His mother died when he was only two years old. Several months before his fifth birthday, his father married Louisa Driskell, and she helped raise him.
Some siblings were: Emanuel, William, Henrietta "Ettie," Manford, Marion, Irvin Monroe, Alvis F., & Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie,"
By the summer of 1900, he had left home and was working on a farm in Springfield, Missouri. In 1911 he was in Galena, KS, which is shown by various people who sent post cards to him. One was from his sister, Mary. The front of the card has a picture of a heart with the words, St. Valentine's Greeting.
"Mr. Oliver Bell
Gelena, Kan
hello brother i would like to see you tonight i wish you was here from Mary to Oliver so good by"
Oliver was back in Trail when the following article was published in the Ozark County News on December 1, 1911: "By this you may know Trail is not frozen to death. We have been having some nice weather & our people appreciate it. Oliver & Harrison Bell returned from Springfield last week. We were all glad to see them as they had been gone all of three weeks."
On March 30, 1912, Oliver and Alta Alice Moffis were married by Justice of Peace, G.F. Lawson. He was 30 years old, & she was 18. Their witnesses were Minnie and Albert Anderson, Alta's sister and brother-in-law.
Doyn Bell, the last of Oliver and Alta's children, said his father was working on the roof of a house on February 11, 1915, when he fell and broke his leg. His injury was so bad that his leg had to be amputated 11 days later. News about Oliver's accident was published in Ozark County Times on March 5, 1915: "Blanche - News has reached this place that O. A. Bell of Springfield, who had fallen from a housetop and fractured his right ankle, had to have his leg amputated just below the knee. Mr. Bell had many relatives and friends here who are sorry to learn of his sad misfortune."
Oliver recovered from the amputation and learned how to use a "peg leg" very efficiently. He & Alta returned to Ozark County and were living in Trail when he got a building contract. News about his transaction was published in the Ozark County Times on May 16, 1916: "Oliver Bell has the contract for building the new school house at Silver Shade."
On September 12, 1918, Alta and Oliver, age 36, were living in Trail, Missouri, when he registered for the WWI draft. His date of birth was recorded as October 21, 1881. The record shows that he was self-employed as a farmer. His physical description was medium height and build, brown eyes and hair. His nephews, James, Thomas, & Clarence Bell also registered for the draft.
Four years later, he was still in the construction business. This was shown by a news item in the Ozark County Times on June 11, 1920: "Trail - Oliver Bell is putting up the hall at Dora."
News about Oliver's new store appeared on October 7, 1921: "Dora News - Oliver Bell of Trail has his new store building almost completed. He will soon move his $8000 stock of goods." Descendants say that he was the postmaster at Trail for a period of time. It is very likely that the post office was in his store.
Oliver and Alta moved to California & were in San Jose for the birth of twin daughters, Vera and Violet, on November 23, 1925.
In 1955, Oliver & Alta moved to West Sacramento. About this time he was diagnosed with cerebral arteriosclerosis. During the next five years, his health steadily deteriorated.
On April 19, 1960, his condition worsened, and he was seen by his physician, Dr. W.P. Linnane. The following day, early on Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m., he died from a cerebral thrombosis. His death took place in their home at 850 South Pecan Avenue. He was 78 years old.
His death record has the distinction of being the only known record in existence, which shows his mother's maiden name. His son, Hurcel, was the informant on his death record, which provided the following information: Oliver Andrew Bell was born November 25, 1881, in Trail, Missouri; his father, Henry Bell, was born in Tennessee and his mother (first name left blank) Young, was born in Arkansas.
Edited from "The Family of James & Caroline Bell."
Some siblings were: Emanuel, William, Henrietta "Ettie," Manford, Marion, Irvin Monroe, Alvis F., & Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie,"
By the summer of 1900, he had left home and was working on a farm in Springfield, Missouri. In 1911 he was in Galena, KS, which is shown by various people who sent post cards to him. One was from his sister, Mary. The front of the card has a picture of a heart with the words, St. Valentine's Greeting.
"Mr. Oliver Bell
Gelena, Kan
hello brother i would like to see you tonight i wish you was here from Mary to Oliver so good by"
Oliver was back in Trail when the following article was published in the Ozark County News on December 1, 1911: "By this you may know Trail is not frozen to death. We have been having some nice weather & our people appreciate it. Oliver & Harrison Bell returned from Springfield last week. We were all glad to see them as they had been gone all of three weeks."
On March 30, 1912, Oliver and Alta Alice Moffis were married by Justice of Peace, G.F. Lawson. He was 30 years old, & she was 18. Their witnesses were Minnie and Albert Anderson, Alta's sister and brother-in-law.
Doyn Bell, the last of Oliver and Alta's children, said his father was working on the roof of a house on February 11, 1915, when he fell and broke his leg. His injury was so bad that his leg had to be amputated 11 days later. News about Oliver's accident was published in Ozark County Times on March 5, 1915: "Blanche - News has reached this place that O. A. Bell of Springfield, who had fallen from a housetop and fractured his right ankle, had to have his leg amputated just below the knee. Mr. Bell had many relatives and friends here who are sorry to learn of his sad misfortune."
Oliver recovered from the amputation and learned how to use a "peg leg" very efficiently. He & Alta returned to Ozark County and were living in Trail when he got a building contract. News about his transaction was published in the Ozark County Times on May 16, 1916: "Oliver Bell has the contract for building the new school house at Silver Shade."
On September 12, 1918, Alta and Oliver, age 36, were living in Trail, Missouri, when he registered for the WWI draft. His date of birth was recorded as October 21, 1881. The record shows that he was self-employed as a farmer. His physical description was medium height and build, brown eyes and hair. His nephews, James, Thomas, & Clarence Bell also registered for the draft.
Four years later, he was still in the construction business. This was shown by a news item in the Ozark County Times on June 11, 1920: "Trail - Oliver Bell is putting up the hall at Dora."
News about Oliver's new store appeared on October 7, 1921: "Dora News - Oliver Bell of Trail has his new store building almost completed. He will soon move his $8000 stock of goods." Descendants say that he was the postmaster at Trail for a period of time. It is very likely that the post office was in his store.
Oliver and Alta moved to California & were in San Jose for the birth of twin daughters, Vera and Violet, on November 23, 1925.
In 1955, Oliver & Alta moved to West Sacramento. About this time he was diagnosed with cerebral arteriosclerosis. During the next five years, his health steadily deteriorated.
On April 19, 1960, his condition worsened, and he was seen by his physician, Dr. W.P. Linnane. The following day, early on Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m., he died from a cerebral thrombosis. His death took place in their home at 850 South Pecan Avenue. He was 78 years old.
His death record has the distinction of being the only known record in existence, which shows his mother's maiden name. His son, Hurcel, was the informant on his death record, which provided the following information: Oliver Andrew Bell was born November 25, 1881, in Trail, Missouri; his father, Henry Bell, was born in Tennessee and his mother (first name left blank) Young, was born in Arkansas.
Edited from "The Family of James & Caroline Bell."
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