From Proud Heritage, Volume II by DCPA. This hardcover book is available online.
Baxter Manton Bell was a native of Tennessee. He was born 9 January 1823, the twelfth of sixteen children. Not much is known of Baxter’s early years. He married 21 February 1842 to Sarah E. Haun. Baxter came to Texas around 1858. He brought a daughter and two little boys with him. It is not known if Sarah came to Texas or if she had died earlier.
He settled in the community now known as Wylie, and established himself as a fine cabinet maker. He soon met the Spurgin family and married Rachael Spurgin in June 1859. But a long marriage was not for Baxter and Rachael. After giving birth to a son, whom they named Samuel Houston, Rachael contracted typhoid fever and died. Shortly after, Baxter did as many had done before him in those days of our forefathers, he married Rachael’s sister, Louisa. This union was blessed with five children, two daughters and three sons. Unfortunately, one of the girls, a twin to William, died shortly after birth.
Being from Tennessee, during the Civil War, some of his immediate family and relations joined the Union and others joined the Confederacy. He did not believe in slavery; so, with great reluctance, he joined the Confederacy.
Baxter was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Samuel Spurgin and William Spurgin, Baxter’s father-in-law and brother-in-law, were early circuit riders for the North Texas Conference and Samuel was instrumental in establishing the Camp Creek Meeting Ground in Millwood in 1865.
Baxter decided to leave Collin County, in 1870, purchased 320 acres from the Benjamin Dye grant and moved his family to Dallas County. The property lay west of an area which became known as Garland.
Baxter’s home sat back in the field from the wagon trail that is now Shiloh Road. He farmed and continued to work at carpentry and later operated a mule powered cotton gin on the banks of Duck Creek.
Louisa died in 1875, leaving the upbringing of her small sons to Baxter, aided by their daughter, Lizzie, who was 14 at the time of her mother’s death. Baxter died in 1880, and the boys lived with Lizzie, who was married by this time.
Baxter and Louisa are buried in the Knights of Pythias Cemetery on Miller Road in Garland. Two children, Lizzie and William Baxter, chose to live in Garland and raised their families there.
By June LaRoe and Glenn Williams, Garland, Texas
