|
Elizabeth Bell was born to a slave mother and to Thomas Bell Jr. She had several white brothers and sisters, and enjoyed equal status with them. In fact, she was left one of the plantations in Thomas' will. | |||||||||||
| Her genealogy is known only as: | |||||||||||
| Thomas Bell (1754-1830) m: Mary Lasater (1755-1840) | | Thomas Bell Jr (1791-1860) m: Rebecca Hill in 1807 Issue: William Bell Delia Bell m: Bynum Mary Bell With unknown Slave woman: ELIZABETH BELL Eliza Bell Susan Bell Dorothy Bell Nancy Bell Joseph Bell Elijah Bell | |||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||
| The Will bequeaths slaves to: Joseph Bell ~ "a little Negro by the name Jim" Elijah Bell ~ "a little Negro by the name Orsborn" | |||||||||||
|
The daughters of Delia Bynum nee Bell, dcd.,
Sarah Jane and Julia Frances Bynum (His granddaughters)
Were bequeathed:
"Bent, Mill and her three children
"Marth and her two children, and their increase"
| |||||||||||
| The part of the will pertaining to Elizabeth Bell: | |||||||||||
|
3rd. "....The tract of Land whereon I now live, I reserve for a home for my Daughter Elizabeth, with all the rites (sic) and privileges pertaining to the premises So long as she remains single and wishes to remain thereon, also I give her one Years Provisions for herself and as many of my white family that may think it proper to remain with her, and after the marriage, removal or Death of my daughter Elizabeth as aforesaid, I give and bequeath said Tract of Land to my Youngest son Elijah which I give unto him and his heirs forever. | |||||||||||
|
I give and bequeath to my Daughters; Mary, Elizabeth, Eliza,
sousan (sic) Dorothy and Nancy all my lands that I own in the
county of Chatham that I have not heretofore disposed of Except
for 1/2 acre hereafter named.
All of which I direct to be sold....and the proceeds to be equally divided between them. I also give to my Daughter(s) Elizabeth, Eliza, Rebeca (sic), Sousan (sic), Dorothy and Nancy, Two thousand dollars each, also to my daughter Mary, Five hundred.... " Thomas Bell Jr died in 1860. The remaining slaves, not listed, were divided between all of his heirs, thus giving Elizabeth slaves of her own. The 1/2 acre of land contained the Family Burial plot. When Elizabeth died, she was buried outside of the walls of the cemetery. When The Army Corp of Engineers wanted to move the graves to higher ground: "Black relatives of Elizabeth Bell came and removed her remains, taking them to an unknown location." (Quoted from Marcia Hearst Smith, in a 1994 telephone interview.) This removal happened circa 1974. |
Copyright 1994-2011 Kelley Ward
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED