Duncan Bell

Notes:

Darrel Bell, in a fact sheet he submitted to the "Migrations" website, wrote that "Upon departing their ancestral home in Duplin County, North Carolina in 1829, Duncan (Bell) travelled with his two sisters, Perthena and Elizabeth to Decatur County, Georgia. Duncan and his brother-in-law, Reuben Morgan, later relocated to Lowndes County where they settled near present day Quitman, Brooks County, Georgia. In 1850 Duncan Bell is enumerated in Lafayette County, Florida. It is assumed that Duncan died in late 1860 of 1861 in Lafayette County.

He served in the military 1838 3rd Seminole War in MADISON COUNTY, FLORIDA. served with the East Florida Mounted Volunteers.[It is stated in muster rolls that he rode his own "bay horse."]

Duncan was the youngest [or next to youngest] of three brothers and two sisters, of Hezekiah Bell and Martha Baggett. There's not much recorded on him before 1829. However, he is found as a witness on several documents, wiils, etc. He probaly married in his late twenty's or early thirty's. His oldest documented child, George, was born in 1828. However, there is no documents naming the mother of his seven children.

His children by his unknown first wife were:
George b. ca. 1828 Sampson Co, NC
Abraham/Abram b. 15 Aug 1830 Decatur Co, GA CSA, 5th Georgia Infantry, later County Coroner for Lafayette Co, FL
Martha b. 1833 prob. Georgia
Patrick b. 1835 Georgia
Duncan Bell, Jr. b. 1837 Georgia CSA died of disease on 25 Apr 1863 in Tullahoma, Tennessee Military Hospital
Lydia b. 25 Oct 1842 Florida
Enoch Bell Sr. b. 1841 Fl


However, he did remarry late in life. On August 8, 1855 he married Nancy T. Shortridge, there were no issue of this marriage.

In 1829, he along with his two sisters and their husbands are found selling their holdings in North Carolina. He is found on the 1830 Census for Decatur County, georgia. Duncan Bell served with Captain Livingston's Co. 2 Reg't East Florida Vols. He joined June 16, 1837 and according to the muster of October 8, 1837, he was still present. It was also noted that he rode a Bay horse. In 1840, Duncan was found on the Census of 1840 for Lowndes County, georgia. In 1850, Duncan was on the 1850 Census for Madison County, Florida. H was listed with six children, with the oldest, George living with his nephew Glission Williams.

Duncan was commissioned Justice of the Peace, July 5, 1852, by Governor Thomas Brown, for the 11th district of Madison County, Florida. During the same year he also appointed the Clerks of Election for Bell's District of Madison County, Florida. This was found on Election Return dated October 4, 1852.

With Duncan's early life still a mystery, he did leave a sound legacy for his children and other descendants to build upon. Each of his children built a strong relationship with their community. They were the Pioneers that helped build this Nation and State to what it is today.

Source: http://www.rootsweb.com/~fllafaye/Family_History/family1.htm

Duncan married Nancy T. Shortridge on 8 Aug 1855 in Madison County, Florida. Nancy was born about 1810; died on 10 Sep 1885. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]