Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/283

 BELL.

BELL.

BELL, Charles Keith, representative, -n-as born at Chattanooga, Tenn., April 18, 1853. He received a comnion-school education and was admitted to the bar in 1874. The same year he removed to Texas, locating at Hamilton. In 1880 he was elected district attorney ; in 1884, state senator; in 1888, district judge; in 1892 he was elected as a Democratic representative to the 53d Congress, and in 1894 was re-elected to the 54th Congress.

BELL, Clark, lawyer, was born at Rodman, N. Y., March 13, 1833. He was educated at Franklin academy, admitted to the bar in 1853, practised in Hammondsport and Bath, N. Y.. and in 1864 removed to New York city, where he was engaged as a corporation lawyer, notably for the Union Pacific railway. After 1870 he devoted his special attention to medical jurisprudence, and published a number of pamphlets on that subject: "The Coroner System and its Needed Reforms" (1881); "Suicide and Legislation" (1883); "The Rights of the Insane" (1888); " Madness and Crime " (1884) ; " ShaU we Hang the Insane who Commit Homicide?" (1885), and •• Classification of Mental Diseases as a Basis of Insanity" (1886). "Medico-Legal Studies" 6 vols. He founded the Medico-Legal Journal in 1888 ; became president of the Medico-Legal so- ciety, and was a delegate of the U.S. government to the International Medical congress at Paris in 1900.

BELL, Henry Haywood, naval officer, was born in North Carolina about 1808. He was ap- pointed midshipman in the U.S. navy in 1823. Served on the Grampus in Cuban waters protect- ing American commerce, and while commanding the San Jacinto of the East India squadron in 1856, participated in the capture of the four bar- rier forts on the Canton river, China. He was promoted captain and at the outbreak of the Civil war became fleet captain of the Western Gulf squadron commanding a division of the fleet at the capture of New Orleans, and took formal possession of that city. He was present at the taking of Port Hudson, and was promoted to the rank of commodore July 16, 1863. commanding the Western Gulf blockading squadron until 1864. He was placed in charge of the Asiatic squadron in 1865, and July 35, 1865, was made rear-admiral. He was retired at his own request April 13, 1867. While awaiting his successor. Rear -Admiral Rowan, he put out in a boat from the Hartford with Lieutenant Reed and thirteen men, to pro- ceed up the Osaka river, Japan, in pursuit of a piratical craft. Owing to the existence of a dan- gerous sand-bar, at the mouth of the river, the boat was overturned, and the admiral, with Lieutenant Reed and ten of the men, was drowned, Jan. 11, 1868.

BELL, Hiram Parks, representative, was born in Jackson county, Ga., Jan. 37, 1837. After receiving an academic education he taught school for two years, studied law, and in 1849, after his admission to the bar, established himself as a law- yer at Gumming, Ga. He was a member of the Georgia state convention of 1861, and opposed the secession ordinance. He entered the Confederate army, resigning his seat in the state senate to do so, and rendered gallant and meritorious services, for which he was promoted colonel. He was dangerously wounded at the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Miss., Dec, 1862, and resigned from the army soon afterward. In 1864 he was elected a representative to the 3d Confederate States con- gress, and in 1873 he was elected to the 48d U. S. Congress, and in 1876 to the 45th Congress. He served as delegate to a number of Democratic con- ventions, and took a prominent part in both na- tional and state politics.

BELL, James, senator, was born at Frances- town, Hillsborough county, N. H., Nov. 18, 1804, son of Samuel Bell, governor of New Hampshire. He was graduated at Bowdoin coUege in 1833, studied law with his brother, Samuel Dana, and at Litchfield, Conn., was admitted to the bar in 1835, and practised his profession at Gibnanton, Exeter, and GiKord, N. H. He served a term in the state house of representatives in 1846, was a member of the state constitutional convention, 1850, and received the Whig nomination for gov- ernor of the state in 1854, and again in 1855, but failed of an election; was elected U. S. senator in 1855, holding his seat until his death, which occurred at Laconia, N. H., May 26, 1857.

BELL, John, statesman, was born near Nash- ville, Tenn., Feb. 15, 1797. He was graduated from Cumberland coUege in 1814, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in Williamson county when nineteen years old. He settled in the practice of law at Franklin, interested himself in local and state politics, and evinced such marked ability that in 1817 he was elected to the state legislature, although he had not yet reached his majority. At the conclusion of his term of service he refused a renomination, removed to Nashville, where he entered into partnership with Judge Crabb, and established a considerable busi- ness. His ability both as speaker and writer brought him prominently before the people in 1826 as a candidate for representative to the 20th Congress. His political opponent was Felix Grundy, a man of popular gifts, of great aptness in public speech, and a particular favorite of An- drew Jackson. Mr. Bell, after a twelve months' canvass, was elected, and was successively re- elected to the six following con.gresses. He was a conservative, and opposed the radical propo- sitions of both Andrew Jackson and John C.