Samuel Newell Bell

Samuel Newell Bell (March 25, 1829 – February 8, 1889) was an American lawyer, politician and businessman. He served as a United States Representative from New Hampshire in the 1870s.

Samuel Newell Bell
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1871 – March 4, 1873
Preceded by	Aaron F. Stevens
Succeeded by	Austin F. Pike
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1875 – March 4, 1877
Preceded by	Austin F. Pike
Succeeded by	James F. Briggs
Personal details
Born	March 25, 1829 Chester, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died	February 8, 1889 (aged 59) North Woodstock, New Hampshire, U.S.
Resting place	Valley Cemetery, Manchester, New Hampshire
Citizenship	US
Political party	Democratic
Relations	Samuel Bell James Bell
Alma mater	Phillips Academy Dartmouth College
Profession	Lawyer Politician Businessman

Early life

Born in Chester, New Hampshire to Samual Dana Bell and Mary H. (Healey) Bell, he attended local schools in Francestown, New Hampshire and Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.[1] After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1847,[2] he studied law in the office of his father and was admitted to the bar in 1849.[3] He began the practice of law in Meredith, New Hampshire.[4]

Career

Elected as a Democratic candidate to the Forty-second Congress, Bell was a United States Representative for the second district of New Hampshire. He served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1872 to the Forty-third Congress, but was elected to the Forty-fourth Congress, serving from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877.[5][6] He was not a candidate for reelection in 1876.

After leaving Congress, Bell resumed the practice of law in Meredith. He was also involved in real estate and was one of the founders of the New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company. He served as director and vice-president of the company from 1881 until his death.[7] Bell served as president of several railroads, including the Portsmouth and Concord Railroad, the Suncook Valley Railroad, the Pemigewasset Valley Railroad and the Franconia Notch Railroad.[8]

He was appointed chief justice of the New Hampshire Superior Court by Governor Ezekiel A. Straw and later by Governor James A. Weston but declined to accept the appointment both times,[9][10][11] and retired from public life.

Death

Bell died while on a visit in North Woodstock on February 8, 1889 (age 59 years, 320 days). He is interred in Valley Cemetery in Manchester, New Hampshire.[12]

Personal life

Bell was the grandson of Samuel Bell, the 14th Governor of New Hampshire,[13] and the nephew of James Bell, United States Senator.[14]

References

1. Bell, Charles Henry (1893). The bench and bar of New Hampshire: including biographical notices of deceased judges of the highest court, and lawyers of the province and state, and a list of names of those now living. Houghton, Mifflin and company. p. 199.
2. D. Appleton & Company (1875). https://books.google.com/books?id=7k4KAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA599. D. Appleton & Company. p. 599. External link in |title= (help)
3. Samuel Newell Bell. The International Insurance Encyclopedia. 1910. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
4. By United States. Government Printing Office (1918). U.S. G.P.O. By United States. Government Printing Office. p. 470.
5. Herringshaw, Thomas William (1909). Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States; Illustrated with Three Thousand Vignette Portraits. American Publishers' Association. p. 295. samuel newell bell US Representative 1871.
6. W.R. Benjamin (1893). The Collector, Issues 73-82. W.R. Benjamin. p. 102.
7. Armstrong, David W. (1910). International Insurance Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Theory and Practice of Al Branches of Insurance Throughout the World and from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. American encyclopedic library assoc. p. 60.
8. Bell, Charles Henry (1893). The bench and bar of New Hampshire: including biographical notices of deceased judges of the highest court, and lawyers of the province and state, and a list of names of those now living. Houghton, Mifflin and company. p. 199. samuel newell bell died North Woodstock, New Hampshire.
9. Armstrong, David W. (1910). International Insurance Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Theory and Practice of Al Branches of Insurance Throughout the World and from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. American encyclopedic library assoc. p. 60.
10. "Samuel Newell Bell". 2014 Ancestry.com. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
11. United States. Congress (1913). A Biographical Congressional Directory: With an Outline History of the National Congress, 1774-1911 : the Continental Congress, September 5, 1774 - October 21, 1788, the United States Congress, from the First to the Sixty-second Congress, March 4, 1789 - March 3, L9ll. Government Printing Office. p. 470. samuel newell bell died North Woodstock, New Hampshire.
12. Spencer, Thomas E. (1998). Where They're Buried: A Directory Containing More Than Twenty Thousand Names of Notable Persons Buried in American Cemeteries, with Listings of Many Prominent People who Were Cremated. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 221. ISBN 9780806348230.
13. "BELL, Samuel, (1770 - 1850)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
14. "BELL, James, (1804 - 1857)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 21, 2014.

External links

• United States Congress. "Samuel Newell Bell (id: B000346)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.