The Bell Family

Matthew grew up living on his father's farm for much of his early life. After some interactions with the Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Matthew was baptized a member of the Church in 1849. After his baptism, Matthew married Jane Metcalfe, whom he had known for many years.

In Jan 1852, Matthew and Jane left England to live with the Saints in Utah. After some stops at Santo Domingo and Cuba, the ship reached the Mississippi River to go to New Orleans, Louisiana, on March 13, 1852. The Bell family joined the John Tidwell Company on June 4, 1852 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Sep 25, 1852.

Soon after their arrival, the Bell family moved to Grantsville, Utah where their first child was born. The Bell family with the William Pool family, who Matthew became acquainted with in Grantsville, moved to Richmond in 1860.