Monday, June 29, 2015

Great Grandpa Bell's Birthday




146 years ago today, June 29, Cicero C Bell was born in Kentucky.  He grew up in Wayne County with his Mother, Martha E. Bell and brother John and sister Laura.  They all lived in the household of his grandparents, John Silas and Rutha Bell.

At 22, he married Mittie Ramsey on March 17, 1891.  In 1892, their son Frank was born and in 1894 another son, George Oren, was born.  They moved to Smith County, Texas by 1897 and a daughter, Leavey was born in Texas.  Then in September of 1900, Mittie gave birth to another son, W. C., but she was sick with malaria.  She and the baby died the same day, and the little girl died one month later.  Cicero moved his boys back to Kentucky. 

On March 17, 1901, exactly ten years after his first marriage, he wed Allie Vickrey.  Allie was a widow with a two-year-old son, Bill. Cicero and Allie were the parents of four sons, Ben, Edd, Stan and Virgil.

Cicero farmed in Kentucky and Texas.  He tried running a general store in Somerset, Kentucky for a year.  He then worked in a railroad shop in Illinois for a short time, but not happy in Illinois he moved the family back to Kentucky.  They lived and farmed in the Ferguson vicinity of Pulaski county. 

A few years later he moved his family to Wellston, Oklahoma where one of Allie's sisters lived, and picked cotton for a living.  Cicero's sister lived in Jewell County, Kansas, so about 1910, they moved to Kansas.  Then in 1925, he moved across a state line for the final time and settled in Giltner, Nebraska.  His last years were spent living in Aurora.

About 1939, Cicero suffered a stroke which left him bedridden.  He died on April 4, 1944 at age 74.  He was survived by 7 grandsons, 8 granddaughters, two great-grandchildren.

From his obituary in the Aurora News-Register:  "He was a kind husband, father and friend.  The needs of his neighbor and friends were ever his dear concern.  His kind and gentle manner made him a peacemaker, and Jesus said, "Blessed are the peace-makers; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

This photo of his sons was taken at his funeral.






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