Matthew Francis Bell

Matthew Francis Bell was born May 14, 1829 in Walden, England to Robert and Isabella Rider Bell.

Early Life

Matthew grew up living on his fathers 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, who he know for many years. They were married Nov 26, 1851 in Settle, England.

Travel West

In Jan of 1852, Matthew and Jane left England to live with the Saints in Utah. The travel was ruff, as much of the time people were seasick and work on the ship was tedious. After some stops from Santo Domingo and Cuba, the ship reached the Mississippi River to go to New Orleans, Louisiana. The ship became stuck in mud, making the ship and tugboat unable to move for seven days. The captain purchased a steam tug to get them unstuck and get them to New Orleans on March 13, 1852.

After arriving to New Orleans, they left to St. Louis, then to Churchville, Missouri. They made their way to Keokuk, Iowa where they waited to cross the plains. They joined the John Tidwell Compony and had many challenges crossing. The compony reached Salt Lake City, Utah Sep 25, 1852, an eight month crossing ordeal.

Life in the Salt Lake Area

Soon after their arrival, the Bell family moved to Grantsville, Utah where their first child was born. They are among one of the first settlers of Grantsville, and helped to build the fort, and protect his family and others from angry Native Americans. While here, Matthew was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Matthew participated in many affairs in war, including the Utah War. The Bell family lived in Grantsville until 1860.

Life in Richmond

The Bell family, along with the William Pool family who Matthew became acquainted with in Grantsville, moved to Richmond in 1860. They moved into the Richmond Fort, living on the northwestern part of the fort. Like his time in Grantsville, Matthew participated in protecting his family and the settlement from angry Native Americans.

While in Richmond, Matthew participated in the education reform in the 1870's, becoming a school trustee teaching high school, principally reading, writing, geography, and math. The most interesting part of this is Matthew had no education previous to this.

As civic duties, Matthew served in the Utah Northern Railroad that was constructed in 1872. Matthew served as City Treasurer of Richmond, and was president of the local agricultural and stock raising society.

Practice of Polygamy

While in the work of constucting the St. George Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ, he became aquanted with John Long of Beaver, Utah. Matthew set up a time to marry John's sister, Elizabeth Deseret Lang in Salt Lake City on May 31, 1875, entering in the practice of polygamy. They would have eight children together, where Elizabeth would have her own home near Matthew's and Jane's.

Nearly a decade later, On Feb 28, 1889, Matthew was arrested and sentenced to the Utah Territorial Prison in Sugarhouse, Utah for six months of "unlawful co-habitation." He was released July 27, 1889 with a $41.50 fine.

Epilogue