John R. Bell

John R. Bell was an American military officer who served as provisional secretary and interim Governor of East Florida between July and August, 1821.

For the British trade union leader, see John R. Bell (trade unionist).

Biography

John R. Bell joined to American Army in his youth, place where he stressed, obtaining the commandant and Captain titles.

John R. Bell moved to East Florida, where he was commander of American troops at St. Augustine and provisional secretary.[1]

Eventually, Bell become in a temporary agent to the Seminoles. So, in early 1822, he informed that about 22,000 Amerindians, and 5,000 slaves in possession of them lived in Florida, and that most of them came from places outside Florida. According to him, they had entered the territory fleeing from the Creek War, so they lacked any valid acclamation (in the U.S. view) to Florida.[2] John R. Bell said to Secretary of War John C. Calhoun in a letter he had gone to government warehouses for collecting provisions that would be required for fight against the Seminoles, who were going to return to the place to finish its destruction, according to the same Seminoles had declared.[3]

On 11 July 1821, Bell was appointed acting governor of West Florida, office he maintained until 20 August 1821.[4]

References
  1. The East Florida Coffee Land Expedition of 1821: Plantations or a Bonapartist Kingdom of the Indies?. Posted by Canter Brown Jr. Retrieved on July 15, 2014, to 1:21pm. Page 6.
  2. Missall, John and Mary Lou Missall. 2004. The Seminole Wars: America's Longest Indian Conflict. University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-2715-2. P. 55.
  3. Black Seminoles, Maroons & Freedom Seekers in Florida.
  4. Been Cohhon. U.S. States F-K.
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