The Benjamin Bell Family Home Page
Benjamin Bell’s Will
In the name of God Amen, I Benjamin Bell of the County of Montgomery and state of North Carolina being of sound and perfect mind and memory and being sensible of the uncertainty of human life and desirous whenever it may please the Almighty to take me from time to leave my temporal affairs in such a situation as to be most comfortable and advantageous to my family, do hereby make ordain and publish this as my last will and testament in manner and form as follows, (to whit.)
1st. Item-I lend unto my beloved wife Elizabeth Bell during her natural life and widowhood all my lands and improvements thereon and also my personal and other property, except what money I may have on hand or such as may be due to me, for her support and for the support of the family. And it is hereby further declared to be my will and desire that after the death my said wife all the above lands and personal property lent to her as above stated shall be equally divided between all my children including the children of my deceased son Charles Bell, so as to allow or give to them to be equally divided among them that part or distributive share that would have fallen to him as his share as provided for in this item of my will and in further explanation of my meaning and intention in this part of my will in making a distribution among my children, it is my will and desire that such property as I have given off to any of my children heretofore for this commendation or advancement should be included in their said distributive shares so as to make their part equal to the other shares including the same.
2nd Item -It is hereby further declared to be my will and desire that my executors herein named shall pay debts out of the money which may be due to me as that I may have on hand and that the balance of these said moneys shall be equally divided between my wife Elisabeth Bell and all my children allowing to the children of Charles Bell his part of the same in the same manner as his share of the other property is disposed of to them in the Item.
3 rd. -It is hereby further declared to be my will and desire that as I have given all my property, the money except, to my wife during her lifetime that if there should be anything made by the use of the same more than may be necessary for her support and the support of the family she shall be allowed to afford out of such income or profit such reasonable assistance to my son Wiley Bell as she may think reasonable and proper in consequence of his blindness and that the balance shall be divided as the money mentioned in the s 2nd.
4th Item I hereby nominate and appoint my son Benjamin Bell and George Kurt executors to this my last Will and Testament with full power to carry the same into effect as witness my hand and seal this the 14 day of April 1837.
Attest
/s/ to Edmund Deberry Benjamin Bell (Seal)
Tombstone of Benjamin Bell
Buried Prospect Church Cemetery Montgomery County, North Carolina
Descendants of Benjamin Bell, Sr.
Generation No. 1
1. BENJAMIN1 BELL, SR. was born 25 Oct 1760 in Montgomery Co. , North Carolina, and died 09 Feb 1843 in Montgomery Co. , North Carolina. He married ELIZABETH LEDBETTER 24 Feb 1788 in Stanley, Co., North Carolina, daughter of CHARLES LEDBETTER and MARY RANDALL. She was born 14 Jun 1767 in Stanly Co. , North Carolina, and died Feb 1843 in Montgomery Co. , North Carolina.
More About BENJAMIN BELL, SR.:
Census: 1843, Buried at Prospect Church, Mont. Co., N.C.
More About ELIZABETH LEDBETTER:
Census: 1843, Buried At Prospect Church, Mont. Co., N.C.
More About BENJAMIN BELL and ELIZABETH LEDBETTER:
Marriage: 24 Feb 1788, Stanley, Co., North Carolina
Children of BENJAMIN BELL and ELIZABETH LEDBETTER are:
i. CHARLES2 BELL, b. Montgomery County, North Carolina; d. 1837, Montgomery County, North Carolina.
ii. REV. BENJAMIN BELL JR., b. Montgomery County, North Carolina; d. 27 Jun 1838, Montgomery County, North Carolina; m. MARTHA D. MAY, Oct 1837, Montgomery County, North Carolina.
More About REV. JR. and MARTHA MAY:
Marriage: Oct 1837, Montgomery County, North Carolina
iii. IDA BELL, b. 1790, Montgomery County, North Carolina; d. Mississippi.
2. iv. FRANCES R. BELL, b. 1794, Montgomery County, North Carolina; d. 05 Sep 1866, Stanly Co., North Carolina.
v. ELIZABETH BELL, b. Abt. 1800, Montgomery County, North Carolina; m. EMSLEY HARRIS.
3. vi. WILEY S. BELL, b. Abt. 1804, Montgomery County, North Carolina; d. 03 Jan 1867, Montgomery County, North Carolina.
4. vii. JONATHAN CHRISTIAN BELL, b. 18 Mar 1808, Montgomery County, North Carolina; d. 28 May 1901, Standley Co., North Carolina.
5. viii. NANCY JANE BELL, b. 11 Mar 1809, Montgomery Co., North Carolina; d. 01 Nov 1902, Rye, Cleveland Co., Arkansas.
ix. HENRY BELL, b. 1810, Montgomery County, North Carolina; d. 1847.
Generation No. 2
2. FRANCES R.2 BELL (BENJAMIN1) was born 1794 in Montgomery County, North Carolina, and died 05 Sep 1866 in Standley Co., North Carolina. She married GEORGE KIRK.
More About FRANCES R. BELL:
Census: 1860, Stanly, North Carolina, page30
Children of FRANCES BELL and GEORGE KIRK are:
i. WILLIAM MARTIN3 KIRK.
ii. DANIAL C. KIRT, b. Abt. 1819.
iii. ELIZA GILES KIRK, b. 14 Mar 1821, Montgomery County, North Carolina; d. 28 Sep 1897, Stanly Co., North Carolina; m. NOAH SHAVER, 06 May 1851; b. 13 Jul 1831, Stanly Co., North Carolina; d. 03 Jul 1863, Gettysburg, Penn..
More About ELIZA GILES KIRK:
Census: 1860, Stanly, North Carolina, page 30
More About NOAH SHAVER:
Individual Note: Died in The Battle of Gettysburg
Military service: Pirvate, Company 1, 55th North Carolina Infantry
Occupation: Farmer
Religion: Methodist
More About NOAH SHAVER and ELIZA KIRK:
Marriage: 06 May 1851
iv. MARY ANN KIRK.
3. WILEY S.2 BELL (BENJAMIN1) was born Abt. 1804 in Montgomery County, North Carolina, and died 03 Jan 1867 in Montgomery County, North Carolina. He married JANE JACKSON. She was born 19 Nov 1798 in North Carolina, and died 25 Sep 1873.
More About JANE JACKSON:
Census: 1850, Montgomery, North Carolina, Page 147
Children of WILEY BELL and JANE JACKSON are:
i. SARAH ANN3 BELL, b. 13 Apr 1833, Montgomery County, North Carolina.
More About SARAH ANN BELL:
Census: 1850, Montgomery, North Carolina, Page 147
ii. JAMES J. BELL, b. Abt. 1832, Montgomery County, North Carolina.
More About JAMES J. BELL:
Census: 1850, Montgomery, North Carolina, Page 147
iii. JUDITH MATILDA BELL, b. 02 Oct 1839, Montgomery County, North Carolina; d. 22 Jan 1887.
More About JUDITH MATILDA BELL:
Census: 1850, Montgomery, North Carolina, Page 147
4. JONATHAN CHRISTIAN2 BELL (BENJAMIN1) was born 18 Mar 1808 in Montgomery County, North Carolina, and died 28 May 1901 in Stanly Co., North Carolina. He married (1) MARTHA W. SMITH. She was born 01 Oct 1818, and died 17 Jan 1855. He married (2) ALICE W.. She died 1884 in Standley Co., North Carolina.
More About JONATHAN CHRISTIAN BELL:
Census: 1850, Freemans, Stanly, North Carolina, page 11
More About MARTHA W. SMITH:
Census: 1850, Freemans, Stanly, North Carolina, page 11
Children of JONATHAN BELL and MARTHA SMITH are:
i. FREDONIA3 BELL, b. 25 Jan 1837, North Carolina; d. 09 Apr 1850.
ii. ROBERT S BELL, b. 20 Jul 1839, North Carolina; d. 10 Apr 1850.
iii. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BELL, b. 06 Jun 1841, North Carolina; d. 17 Oct 1919.
iv. MARTHA M. BELL, b. 09 May 1844, North Carolina; d. 24 May 1861.
v. LAURA J. BELL, b. 16 Mar 1847, Stanly Co., North Carolina; d. 26 Jan 1930.
vi. JONATHAN BELL, b. 18 Oct 1849, Stanly Co., North Carolina; d. 27 Mar 1850.
vii. HENRY LEDBETTER BELL, b. 02 Jun 1852, Stanly Co., North Carolina; d. 20 Jun 1927, Stanly Co., North Carolina; m. MARY ANN HILLIARD; b. 02 Mar 1856, Stanly Co., North Carolina; d. 07 Aug 1925, Stanly Co., North Carolina.
More About MARY ANN HILLIARD:
Burial: Stony Hill Methodist Church Cemetery
5. NANCY JANE2 BELL (BENJAMIN1) was born 11 Mar 1809 in Montgomery Co., North Carolina, and died 01 Nov 1902 in Rye, Cleveland Co., Arkansas. She met HENRY HARTWELL REYNOLDS 1832 in Montgomery Co., North Carolina, son of HENRY REYNOLDS and LUECRESSY WEBB. He was born 30 Jul 1809 in Montgomery Co., North Carolina, and died 24 Nov 1887 in Rye, Cleveland Co., Arkansas.
More About NANCY JANE BELL:
Burial: Union Cemetery Rye., Arkansas
Record 1: 1902, Buried at Union Cemetery, Rye , Ar.
More About HENRY HARTWELL REYNOLDS:
Burial: Union Cemetery Rye., Arkansas
Census: 1810, Montgomery County, North Carolina, Captian Chappell Township
Census 2: 1830, Montgomery County, North Carolina, East of Pee Dee And Yadkin Rivers
Census 3: 1840, Marshall County, Mississippi, Page 16
Census 4: 1860, Drew, Co., page 211
Individual Note: 1880, Census Drew County, Clear Creek T. S.
Individual Note 2: Appears on tax records in Bradley, Co., in the eigthteen fifties
Record 1: 1810 Census of Montgomery County enumerates Henry as Runnels
More About HENRY REYNOLDS and NANCY BELL:
Unknown-Begin: 1832, Montgomery Co., North Carolina
Children of NANCY BELL and HENRY REYNOLDS are:
6. i. HARTWELL STAIN3 REYNOLDS, b. 1832, North Carolina; d. Abt. 1862, Franklin County, Arkansas.
7. ii. BENJAMIN BELL REYNOLDS, b. 1833, North Carolina; d. 1882, Cleveland Co., Arkansas.
8. iii. JAMES RICHARDSON REYNOLDS, b. 1836, North Carolina; d. Bet. 1857 - 1860, Rye, Cleveland Co., Ar..
9. iv. ELIZABETH LEDBETTER REYNOLDS, b. 04 May 1838, North Carolina; d. 29 Jan 1914, Warren, Ar..
10. v. HENRY LEDBETTER REYNOLDS, b. 30 Jul 1841, Holly Springs, Mississippi; d. 01 Mar 1902, Rye, Cleveland Co., Ar..
11. vi. NEUMAN CARVASSO REYNOLDS, b. 22 Jul 1844, Marshall County, Mississippi; d. 04 Aug 1919, Rye, Cleveland, Co. , Ar..
12. vii. LUCRECIA JANE REYNOLDS, b. 16 May 1846, Marshall, County, Mississippi; d. 14 Mar 1883, Rye, Bradley, Co., Ar.
13. viii. GARDENCIA MCPHERSON REYNOLDS, b. 20 Sep 1848, Rye, Bradley, Co., Ar.; d. 05 Aug 1916, Warren, Bradley Co., Ar..
14. ix. FRANCIS RANDALL REYNOLDS, b. 26 Jan 1851, Drew, County, Arkansas; d. 22 Sep 1934, Hot Springs, County.
Posted by Robert Reynolds
We welcome your comments boreyed@yahoo.com
2013-2003-copyright The information posted on the Reynolds' Archives may be used for non-commercial, historical, and genealogical purposes. It can be freely downloaded by researchers and those interested in our family history. It can not be used otherwise without my written permission. When using this material, make mention of this web site as your reference and the source notes found on each home page.