Emma Bell
(Source Unknown)
Miss Emma Bell was born November 19, 1854 in Indiana County, Pennsylvania and died April 18, 1920 at the home of her sister, Mrs. Lizzie Rhinley, in Baldwin City, aged 65 years, 4 months and 18 days.
When but two years old, she was brought by her parents to Douglas County, Kansas and has resided the greater part of her life in the vicinity of Black Jack and Baldwin.
About the year 1884, she joined the Methodist church at Baldwin City and was from that time on ever known as a conscientious Christian woman. Her life was that of the Martha type. Her greatest pleasures therein were found in serving others.
To live a lifetime in a community and be able to claim every man, woman, and child in that community as a friend is a consummation devoutly to be wished. But certainly, Aunt Emma could justly make such a claim.
The deceased is survived by four sisters and three brothers and a host of young friends, nieces, nephews and the children of friends and associates, each of whom has been the recipient of her generosity in the way of kindly remembrances at Christmas times or upon birthday occasions.
The sisters are Mrs. Martha Kenedy and Mrs. Maggie Goodman, Lyndon, Kansas, Mrs. Lizzie Rhinley, Baldwin; and Mrs. Ida Van Tries of Wellsville, Kansas. The brothers are O. C. Bell, Lyndon, Kansas; Lem Bell, Pueblo, Colorado and Henry Bell of this vicinity.
Perhaps the chief diversion of her life came in the early nineties when Oklahoma was opened up for settlement and that never to be forgotten race was made for a home in the ‘land of promise.’ She made the race and succeeded in securing a fine quarter of land about 15 miles southwest of Arkansas City which she owned at the time of her death and upon which she lived for a few years.
