"William Bell was born in Rankin County, August 12th 1838; attended school
at Mississippi College; worked five years in a drug store in Clinton; served
four years in the Army of Virginia, in the Twenty-fourth North Carolina
regiment of Infantry; returend to Mississippi in April, 1865; professed
Christ and was baptized by J.A. Hackett at Jerusalem Church in Scott County,

in the summer of 1865; was married in February 1866, to Miss Amanda E.
Beeman, of Leake county; united later with New Hope Chruch, Madison; still
later became one of the founders of Mt. Pisgah Church, in the success of
which he was a principal factor and leading member to his death, which
occurred July 26th, 1902.

He was Treasurer of Central Association for a number of years; also a member
of the Board of Supervisors of Hinds county.  He leaves a wife, four sons,
three daughters and many friends to lament his loss."