Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	13	Feb 18, 1870 - Jan 14, 1873	12th (1) (2) (3)	Radical Republican	Bellville / Austin		Austin, Fort Bend, Wharton

(1) 12th Legislature, 1st C.S. - Drawing for Terms of Office, 5/2/1870, pp. 51-52. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(2) 12th Legislature, Provisional Session - Election contest investigation found John G. Bell was duly and legally elected, 2/18/1870, p. 30. Senate Journal.
(3) Party affiliation, Radical. Roster of members, 12th Legislature, 1870. Texas Almanac for . . . and Emigrant's Guide to Texas.

Biographical Notes and Resources top

Biographical Sketches

• Mention in essay "John P. Osterhout," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Vol 90, July 1986-April 1987, p. 135, crediting Texas State Historical Association. "Austin County's state senator, John G. Bell, characterized as a "mild Radical" by the Countryman, was a close friend of Osterhout's." Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).

Other Resources

• John G. Bell, voter registration 7/19/1867 in Bellville, Austin County, birthplace Florida, in state 12 years, in county 12 years. Ancestry.com.
• Census of 1860, J.G. Bell, Bellville, Austin County, age 37, born circa 1823 in Florida, hotel keeper, in household with P. Bell.
  Census of 1870, John G. Bell, Austin County, age 50, born circa 1820 in Florida, Keeping Hotel.
  Census of 1880 - J.G. Bell Sr., Austin County, age 60, born circa 1820 in Florida. FamilySearch. 1860 1870
• J.G. Bell, born 5/2/1820 in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida, death date 9/17/1895, burial in Oak Knoll Cemetery, Bellville, Austin County, Texas. Find a Grave.
• Delegate to Constitutional Convention, 1868. Included in "List of Delegates to the Reconstruction Convention, As Announced in Special order No. 213, Dated Headquarters Fifth Military District, New Orleans, LA., April 13th, 1868." Journal of the Reconstruction Convention, Which Met at Austin, Texas, June 1, A.D., 1868 (1870), pp 533-534. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.

Committee Information top

12th Adjourned - 1871 Counties and County Boundaries (Chair)  Internal Improvements   Roads, Bridges and Ferries (Chair)  Stock and Stock Raising

12th R.S. - 1871 Counties and County Boundaries (Chair)  Internal Improvements   Roads, Bridges and Ferries (Chair)  Stock and Stock Raising

12th 1st C.S. - 1870 Counties and County Boundaries (Chair)  Internal Improvements   Penitentiary (Chair)  Roads, Bridges and Ferries (Chair)  Stock and Stock Raising