BELL AND MINTON FAMILIES
Written by Pallie Hood
Joseph Leroy Bell was born Oct. 28, 1855 in Mississippi. His father, whose name was Gaines, we think, died when Joseph Leroy was 5 years old. His father was a soldier during the Civil War and died with Pneumonia following measles. His mother, Pachie Anna Stashie Bell was notified about his illness, and went to see him,on the train. When she arrived he was already dead.
During the War she and her sister, whose husband was also a soldier, were living together. Once some Union soldiers came by and were pulling shingles off their smoke house to get to their meat. The women took their shotguns and ran them off. This sister also died, and after the War was over, his mother married this sister's husband whose name was Spencer Scott. They had two daughters, Betty Scott and Jennie Scott.
Joseph Leroy Bell had little education. His step-father was not kind to him. He was made to work hard as a small child and was poorly clothed. The family moved from Mississippi to East Texas near Center Hill and Honey Grove.
Santha Rosa Lee Minton was born Dec. 20, 1860 in Florence, Alabama. She had two sisters, Siner (or Sina) Minton and Munzie Minton. Their family came to Center Hill Texas near Honey Grove from Alabama. All we know is that their father died when the three girls were small children. He was found hanging in the barn from suicide. Their mother, Sally Sharp Minton, raised them alone and made a living for them.
Joseph Leroy Bell and Santha Rosa Lee Minton were married Feb. 28, 1878. Their children and their birthdates were:
Gaines Irvin Bell
Nov. 30, 1878
Charlie Lawrence Bell
Nov. 20, 1880
Ada Heslope Bell
Jan. 21, 1882
Robert Lee Bell Nov.
3, 1883
Elmer Frank Bell May
4, 1886
Hulit Oscar Bell
Mar. 8, 1888
Roxey Lena Bell
Feb. 11, 1890
Santha Rosa Lee died at the age of 32, August 10, 1892 with dropsy disease leaving her husband with seven young children. Ada, 10 years of age, the oldest daughter, helped take care of Lena, the baby, and the small children. Also Santha's mother, Sally Minton, helped the family.
On August 8, 1893, Joseph Leroy Bell married Lelia Annie Overstreet (born July 23, 1855). Two daughters were born to this union. They were:
Lily Price Bell
July 30, 1898
Fannie Mae Bell
June 4, 1901
Lily Price Bell was born in Texas. They moved to Oklahoma in 1899 and Fannie Mae Bell was born in Oklahoma near Nida in Johnston County. They later bought a farm near Caddo, Oklahoma and lived there until after all the children were married.
Some time in the 1920s Joseph Leroy's health was bad and they had to sell the farm. They bought a house in Caddo, Bryan County, where they lived for several years. About 1930 they sold their house and went to live in Durant, Oklahoma with their daughter, Fannie Mae and her husband, Roy Springer and family, Joseph Leroy Bell died at age 76. Lelia Overstreet Bell died at age 76.
Joseph Leroy Bell's sisters:
Betty Scott married a Sessions, and their children were Aline,
Marie and Spencer.
Jennie Scott married and had twin girls, Flora and Floy.
There was also a son, Marvin, who committed suicide when a young man.
Santha Rosa Lee Minton Bell's sister Sinna (or Siner) Minton (born 11-9-1871) married John Overstreet, brother of Lelia, and they had three children: Kinbrough, Earl and Morris. They lived at Caddo, Oklahoma. Her mother, Sally Sharp Minton (Grandma Minton), lived with them until she died at the age of 92. Morris Overstreet married Laudie and they lived in Durant,Okla. Morris was an accountant, and was also Mayor of Durant at one time.
Children of Joseph Leroy Bell and Santha Rosa Lee Minton Bell:
Gaines Irvin Bell married Minnie Overstreet, sister of
Lelia and John Overstreet. Their children were Oberia and Winston. They also raised Dean
Overstreet, daughter of Bob Overstreet, Minnie's brother. Gaines was a farmer, rancher and
trader. They lived in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Charlie Lawrence Bell Married Ethel Rogers and their
children were Dee, Santha, Larue, Mary, Mazell, Lawrence Jennie, C. L. and John. Charlie
was a farmer, cotton gin owner and merchant.
Ada Heslope Bell married John Hood Feb. 18, 1902. He was
a farmer and rancher. They lived at Nida and Mill Creek, Oklahoma. Their Children were:
Dennis Robert , Lucille Josephine , Jonnie Bell , Ada Kathleen , Mary Lena , Pallie
Mildred, Santha (lived 1 wk.), Lois Cassandra
Robert Lee (Bob) Bell married Minnie, and their children
were Jessie Lee, Caroll and Wilma. Bob was a law officer and a guard at the Oklahoma State
Penitentiary at McAlester, Oklahoma.
Elmer Frank Bell married Rosie and their children were
Frank, Jessie, Maggie and Juanita. Elmer was a farmer and service station operator. They
lived in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Hulit Oscar Bell married Maud and had a daughter, Dora.
He worked as a farmer and general laborer.
Roxey Lena Bell married Lee Jones. He was a farmer and
they lived at Mill Creek and Coweta, Oklahoma. Their children were: Edith Juanita, Ruby
Ada, Letha Maxine
Children of Joseph Leroy Bell and Lelia Overstreet Bell:
Lily Price Bell married Cliff Covey and their children
were two sons, Lautha Ray and Cortell. They live in California.
Fannie Mae Bell married Roy Springer and their children
were Wendell, W. O., and Anna Lou. Roy worked for a wholesale grocery company. They lived
in Durant, Oklahoma.
The following is general information about the "Minton" name. it came from a newspaper clipping.
MINTON This is an English place name acquired from once having lived at Minton, a parish in Shropshire. This place was spelled Munetune in the 1086 Domesday Book and Muneton in 1212. The first element is derived from the Welsh word MYNYDD "mountain" and the last element is from the Old English word TUN "enclosure, homestead, village." The sense is "homestead by the mountain."
John de (of) Minton lived in Northumberland in 1169. Peter de Minton lived in Shropshire around 1280. Samuel Minton and Ann Grimsley were married in St. George's Church, London, 1744. Francis Minton and Lucy Coleman were married in the same church in 1796.
David Minton arrived in Virginia in 1637 under the sponsorship of Bridges Freeman of James City County.
There were three families of the name in North Carolina in 1790 census records.
The 1884 edition of Burke's General Armor describes the arms. The glossary on page xxviii might aid in drawing your own.