Clarence Deshong Bell (February 4, 1914 – July 26, 2002) was an American politician who served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania's 9th Senatorial district from 1960 until his death in 2002. He also served as a member of the

Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...

from 1954 to 1959. Bell is the longest-serving state senator in Pennsylvania history.

Early life and education

Bell was born in

Upland, Pennsylvania Upland is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Upland is governed by an elected seven-member borough council. The population was 3,239 at the 2010 census, up from 2,974 at the 2000 census. Geography Upland is located in s ...

on February 4, 1914, to Samuel R. and Belle (Hanna) Bell. Bell graduated from

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the e ...

in 1935. He graduated from

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...

in 1938 and received a doctorate in law from Harvard Law School in 1970. Bell also studied at the

US Army Command and General Staff College The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...

Personal life

Bell was a Major General in the

Pennsylvania National Guard The Pennsylvania National Guard is one of the oldest and largest National Guards in the United States Department of Defense. It traces its roots to 1747 when Benjamin Franklin established the Associators in Philadelphia. With more than 18,000 per ...

and served during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Bell served for 38 years in the Army and reserves. Bell is interred at the

Chester Rural Cemetery Chester Rural Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery founded in March 1863 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Some of the first burials were American Civil War, Civil War soldiers, both Union Army, Union and Confederate States Army, Confederate, who died at ...

Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area (also known as the Delaware Valley) on the western bank of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. ...

Clarence D Bell Grave in Chester Rural Cemetery

References

External links

* official PA Senate profile (archived) {{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Clarence 1914 births 2002 deaths United States Army personnel of World War II Burials at Chester Rural Cemetery Harvard Law School alumni Republican Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Republican Party Pennsylvania state senators Politicians from Delaware County, Pennsylvania Swarthmore College alumni United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni Military personnel from Pennsylvania 20th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly