Biography - Adam Bell
Adam H. Bell, farmer, P.O. Hillsboro, was born in New York, September 26, 1831. Frederick Bell, his father, was born in New York, in the town of Warren, Herkimer County, October 10, 1800; was a tanner and currier by occupation, and emigrated to this State in 1856, and went to farming in this township. He died February 15, 1880. Elizabeth Voorhies, his mother, was born in German Flat, Herkimer Co., N.Y., March 31, 1802. She died in this State in 1878, and was the mother of three children, the subject being the youngest of the family. He was raised in the town of Chaumont, Jefferson County; was educated in an academy of his native state, and at the age of twenty years, he commenced civil engineering, which he followed successfully in different parts of the United States until 1856. He came to Montgomery County, IL., and commenced farming, his first purchase of land being eighty acres, and has added to that until he has accumulated 300 acres of good, tillable land. He has quite a neat cottage, and good barn with all necessary outbuildings, and was married in New York, March 12, 1857, to Miss Lana Fox. Levi M. Fox, her father, was born in Chester, Washington Co., N.Y., May 7, 1809. Her mother, Cynthia M. (Jerome) Fox, was born in Paris, Oneida Co., N.Y., February 6, 1804. The wife of subject was born January 22, 1832, and she has a family of four children. The names are as follows: Franklin J., born July 9, 1859, Frederick Meade, born August 12, 1860, Harry, born March 17, 1870; Cora Grace, born November 5, 1871. He is a member of the Masonic order, and is quite a public spirited man, encouraging all public improvements that he thinks best for the county at large. He has held the office of County Surveyor one term, 1860-61. He gave general satisfaction, but found it did not pay to neglect his farm for the benefit he received from the office.
Extracted 19 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, page