Bell, Henry T.

Birth

Henry T. Bell was born in Westerlo, Albany County, NY in February 1844. His parents were William J. Bell (B. abt 1806) and his wife Margaret and in 1850 they were living with their children in Westerlo where William was a blacksmith. Henry was one of their younger children.

Marriage & Children

On July 3, 1865, after he returned from the Civil War, Henry T. Bell, who was born and lived in Westerlo, married Charlotte Sornberger (B. abt 1847) of Wester, NY at the Gays Hotel in Coxsackie, NY. They had a son named Ernest Bell (B. abt 1867). Their marriage was apparently short lived as Charlotte can be found in the 1870 US Census in Westerlo with her young son, where she was recorded as "widowed".

In about 1873, Henry married a woman named Hannah (B. Oct 1850,D. >1920). They had two daughters:

• Carrie Bell (B. 1875, NY, D.>1900)
• Gertrude Bell (B. Sept 1885 Wis, D.>1910)

Occupation

At the time of his enlistment in the Civil War, he was working as a farmer.

Military Service

Residence:	Westerlo, Albany Co., NY
Place of Birth:	Albany Co., NY
Date of Birth:	1844
Marital Status:	Married
Occupation:	Farmer
Term of Enlistment:	3 years
Bounty Received:	$50.00
Enlistment Date:	9 Aug 1862
Enlistment Place:	Westerlo, NY
Enlistment Rank:	Private
State Served:	New York
Regiment:	7th Regiment NY Heavy Artillery
Company:	Company K
Wounded on:	1 Oct 1864 at Petersburg or June 15, 1864
Muster Out Date:	16 Jun 1865
Muster Out Place:	Albany, NY

Additional Remarks: He enlisted at the age of 21. He served in Co K of 7th HA with over 50 other Westerlo residents. He"was in all the engagements of the Army of the Potomac from May 15, 1864 till about the 15 of Sept 1864 then he received a wound in his left cheek while on Picket before Petersburg. Discharged 1865. P.O. Address South Westerlo, N.Y Albany Co." He was wounded in the left cheek and neck. He filed for his invalid pension on Nov 18, 1867 and later his widow Hannah filed on Feb 18, (year illegible) from Wisconsin. Born in Westerlo, NY in 1844, Age 21 years, Farmer, Blue eyes, Light hair, Light complexion, 5'7" tall.

Sources Used: Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of NY for the year 1898; Keating, Robert, Carnival of Blood: The Civil War Ordeal of the Seventh New York Heavy Artillery, Published by Butternut and Blue, Baltimore, Md 1998; Town and City Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War; "Historian Recalls Day of Sadness 122 Years Ago" Altamont Enterprise Thursday June 19, 1986 page 19; Civil War Pension Index, www.ancestry.com; 1865 census, Westerlo, Albany Co., NY

Life

Henry returned from the Civil War with injuries to his cheek and neck, and as a result he filed for a Civil War pension in 1867. Literally two weeks after he mustered out he married Charlotte Sornberger, who must have been his sweetheart. Within two years, they had a son Ernest Bell. Unfortunately their marriage did not survive, and by 1870 they were separated. In the 1870 Census, Charlotte, who was recorded as a widow, was living in Westerlo with her young son Ernest and a relative Alexander Sorenberger (B. 1826) and his wife Susan. Note: Alexander's name was incorrectly interpreted as Sawenberger in the 1870 US Census. Henry has not been found in this census. In 1873 in NY, Henry married a woman named Hannah and two years later they had a daughter Carrie Bell. After her birth in 1875, they moved to Monroe County, Wisconsin. In 1880 they were living in Angelo, Monroe co, Wisconsin with Henry's son Ernest and Henry was working as a farmer. In addition Henry's father William Bell was living with them. He was recorded as "Welcome Bell" father at age 75 yrs. In September of 1885, Henry and Hannah had their second child Gertrude. Henry was not recorded in the 1890 US Veterans Census. In 1900 and 1910, they were recorded living in Sparta, Monroe County, Wisconsin in a house they owned without a mortgage. In 1900, Henry was working as a house carpenter. By 1910, Henry was unemployed but living on his Civil War pension, and their daughter Gertrude, who was age 23, was working as a milliner.

Death

Henry T. Bell died February 12, 1915 in Sparta, Monroe Co, Wisconsin.

Additional Media

Town and City Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War

Formal name: Complete Record Relating to Officers, Soldiers, and Seamen Composing the Quotas of Troops Furnished to the United States..in the War of the Rebellion The registers provide military service data and personal biographical information regarding the men furnished by each town or city during the Civil War.

Sources