Alexander H. Bell, of Carlinville, is known and honored as a lawyer who has risen to eminence among the members of the bar of this county through personal merit and devotion to his profession. He is a native born citizen of this State; Troy, Madison County, his birthplace, and October 29, 1853, the date of his birth. He is the son of Thomas H. Bell, who was born at Cambridge, Dorchester County, Md., where also his father is thought to have been born and passed his life. The latter, Robert Bell, was a merchant and planter, his plantation being worked by slaves.
Thomas H. Bell was reared and educated in his native county, and early in life he learned the trade of a coach maker, which he followed in Maryland until 1851, when he came to Illinois. Ever since that time he has made his home in Troy, Madison County, except a period of five years in which he lived in Jerseyville, Ill. He has carried on the business of manufacturing carriages and wagons until the present time. His wife, whose maiden name was Julia Hubbard, was also born near Cambridge, Md. They reared two children – Alexander H., of this sketch, and Angie, who married Truman K. Gore, of Carlinville.
In the public schools of Troy and Jerseyville our subject gained the preliminaries of a good education. In 1870 he entered Blackburn University, attending until the fall of 1873, when he left for a time to teach school, being thus engaged in Greene County the ensuing winter of 1873-74, and the following summer he worked on a farm. In the fall he returned to his studies at Blackburn and was graduated in the Class of ‘75. Immediately after leaving the university he commenced the study of law with Hon. Charles A. Walker, and the next winter again gave his attention to the teacher’s profession, filling the position of Principal of the Medora schools. In the spring of 1876 he resumed his legal studies with Mr. Walker and in June, 1877, was admitted to the bar. In September, of the same year he formed a partnership with W. E. P. Anderson, which connection has continued since that time.
In December, 1877, Mr. Bell and Miss Flora G. Mounts were united in marriage, and of their wedded life two children have been born, who are named Bessie and Robert H. Mrs. Bell is a native of Carlinville, and a daughter of Leander and Elizabeth (Davis) Mounts. For her parental history see sketch of William L. Mounts.
Mr. Bell’s fellow-citizens have called him to positions in the line of his profession. In 1878 he was chosen City Attorney. In 1880 he was elected State’s Attorney for Macoupin County. Socially he is a prominent member of the Masonic order in this section of the country, being identified with the Mt. Nebo Lodge No. 76, and with Macoupin Chapter, No. 187, R.A.M., in which he has filled various offices. He is at present District Deputy Grand Master of the Twenty-second Masonic district, including Macoupin, Jersey, Greene and Calhoun Counties. Politically he is a Democrat, and cast his first vote for Samuel J. Tilden for President in 1876.