Samuel Newell Bell (March 25, 1829 – February 8, 1889) was an American lawyer, politician and businessman. He served as a

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

in the 1870s.

Early life

Born in

Chester, New Hampshire Chester is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,232 at the 2020 census, up from 4,768 at the 2010 census. It was home to the now defunct Chester College (formerly White Pines College). History From ' ...

to Samuel Dana Bell and Mary H. (Healey) Bell, he attended local schools in

Francestown, New Hampshire Francestown is a New England town, town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,610 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The village of Francestown (CDP), New Hampshi ...

and

Phillips Academy Phillips Academy (also known as PA, Phillips Academy Andover, or simply Andover) is a Private school, private, Mixed-sex education, co-educational college-preparatory school for Boarding school, boarding and Day school, day students located in ...

Andover, Massachusetts Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was Settler, settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in ''Encyclopedia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed. ...

. After graduating from

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College ( ) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the America ...

in 1847, he studied law in the office of his father and was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1849. He began the practice of law in

Meredith, New Hampshire Meredith is a New England town, town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,662 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Meredith is situated in the state's Lakes Region (New Hampshire), Lakes Region and serve ...

Career

Elected as a Democratic candidate to the Forty-second Congress, Bell was a United States Representative for the second district of New Hampshire. He served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1872 to the Forty-third Congress, but was elected to the Forty-fourth Congress, serving from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1876. After leaving Congress, Bell resumed the practice of law in Meredith. He was also involved in real estate and was one of the founders of the New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company. He served as director and vice-president of the company from 1881 until his death. Bell served as president of several railroads, including the

Portsmouth and Concord Railroad The Portsmouth and Concord Railroad (later the Concord and Portsmouth Railroad) was a railroad in New Hampshire (United States) that existed under various names from 1845 to 1945. History and construction By 1845 the state of New Hampshire had ...

, the

Suncook Valley Railroad The Suncook Valley Railroad was a short-line railroad in the United States, originating in Suncook, New Hampshire, and terminating in Barnstead, New Hampshire. After a long period of operation by lessees, it was operated as an independent railro ...

, the

Pemigewasset Valley Railroad The Pemigewasset Valley Railroad was a railroad connecting Plymouth to North Woodstock, New Hampshire, United States. Funded by the Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad The Concord and Montreal Railroad was a railroad incorporated in 1889 out ...

and the Franconia Notch Railroad. He was appointed chief justice of the

New Hampshire Superior Court The New Hampshire Superior Court is the statewide court of general jurisdiction which provides jury trials in civil and criminal cases. There are 11 locations of the Superior Court, one for each county and two in Hillsborough County. Jurisdicti ...

by Governor Ezekiel A. Straw and later by Governor James A. Weston but declined to accept the appointment both times, and retired from public life.

Death

Bell died while on a visit in North Woodstock on February 8, 1889 (age 59 years, 320 days). He is

interred Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and object ...

in Valley Cemetery in

Manchester, New Hampshire Manchester is the List of municipalities in New Hampshire, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Located on the banks of the Merrimack River, it had a population of 115,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Manches ...

Personal life

Bell was the grandson of Samuel Bell, the 14th

Governor of New Hampshire The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The governor is elected during the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along w ...

, and the nephew of James Bell, United States Senator.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Samuel Newell 1829 births 1889 deaths People from Chester, New Hampshire American people of Scotch-Irish descent Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire People from Meredith, New Hampshire Phillips Academy alumni Dartmouth College alumni 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives