John Franklin Bell, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Dallas Bell, was born
     May 28, 1876, at Maryville, Missouri. He married Maude Belle Angell on Dec
     27, 1903, and took his bride to live on the Maryville farm given him by
     his grandfather Bell. Maude was the daughter of David and Ella (Phillips)
     Angell. She was born May 6, 1886, in Greenwood Co., Kansas. Dick, Ella,
     Franklin (ded in infancy), Florence, and Charles were born in Missouri.
          In 1911 Frank bought a farm near Afton, Oklahoma. He built a house
     and barn and moved his family there. Here Ollie, Mary, James, Margie, Elmer
     and Pearl were born. All the family went throught the 1918 flu epidemic,
     but escaped unscathed while some neighbors were buried before they'd even
     heard of their illness.
          Because of Frank's health they sold the farm in 1920 and moved to 
     Barber Co., near Lasswell, making the trip in 2 days by train. Frank rode 
     in a box car with the livestock, while Maude and the children came by coach.
     They settled on the Mark place, which is now owned by their grandson, Frank
     Gene Bell. Their last child, Harley Glen, was born there. In 1927 they
     moved to the Lasswell ranch, whis is now owned by their son Ollie. All the
     children attended Eagle School and Union Chapel. The majority of the children
     graduated from Medicine Lodge High School. Elmer, Harley, Ollie, and Pearl 
     served in the Army in World War II. Pearl received a medical discharge and
     died in 1946.
          Dick became a carpenter. He married Alice Giles. She died in 1931, and
     he in 1972. Ella married Chick Howell, and they farmed at Cunningham until 
     his death in 1971. She now resides at the Indian Hills Lodge. Florence and 
     Elam Moomau were married; he became a Colonel in the Kansas Highway Patrol.
     He died at Laqwrence in 1969. She still makes her home there. Charles married 
     Margaret Watson. She passed away in 1935. He later married Alpha Kenny Lytle. 
     She died in 1977. Charles still farms in Eagle Township. Ollie married the 
     former Wilma Austin, and they live on the home place. Mary married Francis 
     Frederick, who was employed at Champlin Oil Co. He passed away in 1966. Mary 
     and Margie both nurse at the local hospital. Margie is married to George Reed,
     who works for Eagle Township. James married Fern Funk, and they farm near 
     Nashville, Kans. Elmer is married to Berenice Harding Packard. He is an oil 
     pumper at Kinsley. Harley married Ella Funk. They live in Medicine Lodge where
     he is an oil pumper.
          Frank died in 1944. Maude remained on the farm until 1959 when she moved
     to Medicine Lodge. She died in 1976 and was buried beside Frank and Pearl in 
     Highland Cemetery.
          "Although Grandma Bell was soft-spoken and gentle, she was a piller of
     strength and courage to her family. She lived her Christian faith daily, and
     that faith sustained her during the long days of waiting for four of her
     children to return during World War II. She always looked forward to family
     dinners and fellowship.
               
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 101 
     Submitted by: Ollie and Wilma Bell