Person:Peter Bell (15)

On tombstone at State Cemetery, Austin, TX: Peter Hansbrough Bell Born at Culpeper, VA May 18, 1812; died at Littleton, NC; March 8, 1898. His wife, Ella Reeves Eaon Dickens, died at Littleton, NC; July 16, 1897, age 82. Erected by the state of Texas.

(The above information doesn't match that supplied by JWH, below)

321. PETER HANSBROUGH BELL: (246 Amelia) Born March 11, 1810; attended primary schools in Maryland and Virginia; started his career in Petersburg, Virginia; moved to Texas in 1836, and at once enlisted under General Sam Houston; participated in the Battle of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836. In 1839, he became Inspector General of the Army of Texas. He served in the Mexican War as a Captain of Texas Volunteer Rangers; in 1848-49, he was Colonel of a Texas Volunteer Regiment under General Zachary Taylor at Monterey, Mexico; won disitnction at the Battle of Buena Vista, and marched on foot from Velasco to Brazoria. He was elected Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. In 1849, he was elected the third Governor of the State of Texas, but resigned before the end of his second term to take a seat in the United States Congress. At the end of his second term in Congress, he moved to North Carolina. He was an ardent "Union Man" and spoke in Austin, Texas, in November 1860. In 1891, the Texas Legislature voted him land and a liberal pension in recognition of his valuable services to the State. In 1938, a bronze statue of him was erected in Belton Texas, in connection with the Texas Centennial Celebration. In 1857, Governor Bell married Ella Eaton, daughter of General William Eaton of North Carolina. They had no children For further information on Governor Bell and the Bell Family, see Section 6, Chapter V.

"It is related of the late Governor Bell, of Texas, that when in Congress, he delivered a speech which was liberally interspersed with quotations from Scripture. An intimate friend, who knew the Governor's usual talk and conversation were not such as to recommend him for Sunday School work, twitted him upon his affected familiarity with the Bible, and offered to bet $10.00 that he couldn't recite the Lord's Prayer. Bell accepted the bet and, assuming a devotional air, recited with unction that familiar nursery prayer, beginning ‘Now I lay me down to sleep.' When he concluded, his friend handed over the money saying, ‘ I did not believe it was in you.'"

1. ↑ John W. Hansborough. History and Genealogy of the Hansborough - Hansbrough Family. (Name: Name: 1981, John W. Hansborough;;)
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   On tombstone at State Cemetery, Austin, TX: Peter Hansbrough Bell Born at Culpeper, VA May 18, 1812; died at Littleton, NC; March 8, 1898. His wife, Ella Reeves Eaton Dickens, died at Littleton, NC; July 16, 1897, age 82. Erected by the stat e of Texas.