John Calvin Bell (1869-1933)

John Calvin Bell & Fronie Wheat Wedding Portrait November 14, 1894

John Calvin Bell

Mountain View Cemetery Fresno, California

F9 John Calvin Bell, born August 1, 1869, died December 18, 1933; married November 14, 1894 Fronie Wheat, in the First Baptist Church, Stockton, California by Rev. Roy Paliner. Fronie Wheat was born May 29, 1862 in Selma, Merced County, California, died December 14, 1945 in Fresno, California.

In 1893, John Calvin Bell moved to Fresno, California and eventually became a very wealthy rancher. He died iof a sudden heart attack on December 18, 1933. No children.

Source: William Steven Bell Family Bible - Births Deaths Marriages

The Selma Irrigator
[date unknown]

Bell-Wheat

Two more of Selma's young people have left California and gone into the state of matrimony.

Their friends have been expecting their departure for some time but their vigilance was of no avail. Miss Wheat had been visiting friends in San Jose and other places for several months and Mr. Bell had no difficulty in eluding the public eye and meeting her at Stockton where they were married in the First Baptist church by Rev. Roy Palmer at 3 p.m. on Wednesday November 14, 1894.

Only a few of the intimate friends and relatives of the contracting parties were present to witness the ceremony.

The newly married couple will make a short trip to San Francisco and other points after which they will retire to Selma to make their future home.

The bride is well known in Selma as one of our most popular young ladies while the groom, although not so widely known is equally admired and respected by all who are acquainted with him.

The Irrigator extends congratulations and will join their other friends in welcoming them back to Selma.

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The Fresno Bee
December 20, 1933

BELL--In Fresno. December 18, 1933. John C. Bell. aged 64 years, a native of Pennsylvania; beloved husband of Fronie Bell of Fresno; brother of Mrs. W. Young of Grove City, Pa. and cousin of William H. Love of Fresno. Friends are invited to attend the funeral services to be held in the chapel of the Lisle Funeral Home. L. Street at Calaveras, Thursday afternoon, December 12 1933, at 2 o'clock. Rev. D. L. Moffet officiating. Interment Mountain View Cemetery. Please omit flowers.

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The Fresno Morning Republican
December 20, 1933

Funeral Rites To-morrow for John C. Bell, 64

Funeral services for John C. Bell, 64, who died Monday in a local hospital, will be conducted by Rev. D. L. Moffet at 2 P. M. tomorrow in the chapel of J. N. Lisle. Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery.

He came to Fresno County forty years ago from Pennsylvania. For about a year he was associated in agricultural work near Selma with James M. Leslie, an old friend of his family.

He later purchased twenty acres between Kingsburg and Selma which he farmed for twelve years before acquiring a ranch four miles west of Kearny Park.

He is survived by his widow who was Miss Fronie Wheat of Selma before their marriage; three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Nellie Hall, Mrs. Rosa Hall and Mrs. Leona Myers of Fresno; two brothers-in-law, William Wheat of Fresno and Irving Wheat of Monterey. He also leaves a cousin, W. J. Love, formerly of Pennsylvania.

He was born in Greenfield, Pa.

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The Fresno Bee
December 15, 1945

BELL FUNERAL SET

Funeral services for Mrs. Fronie Bell, 83, who died yesterday in a local hospital after a short illness, will be conducted Monday morning at 11:30 o'clock in the chapel in the Lisle Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Mountain View Cemetery.

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The Fresno Bee
December 16, 1945

BELL--In Fresno, December 14, 1945. Fronie Bell, a native of Merced County, California. aged 83 years. Loving sister of Mrs. Nellie Hall, Mrs. Rosa Hall, Mrs. Leona Myers of Fresno. Friends are invited to attend the funeral services to be held in the chapel of the Lisle Funeral Home, L and Calaveras Streets on Monday morning, December 17th, at eleven-thirty o'clock. Interment Mountain View Cemetery.
(Selma and Merced Papers Please Copy)

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The Fresno Bee
December 21, 1945

Leaves $10,000 Estate

J. M. Huless has filed a petition for letters testamentary in the estate of Fronie E. Bell who Died December 14 leaving an estate valued in excess of $10,000. Under the will, the following bequeaths are made:

Three hundred dollars to the Westminster Presbyterian Church, $100 each to Rose and Nellie Hall, sisters; $1,000 to a brother Irving J. Wheat Jr.; a ranch to Irving J. Wheat, Jr. a nephew; $500 to Pearl Wheat, a niece; $300 to David Barnes, a stranger; one sixth of the estate to Clara Young a sister in law, a similar amount to Lois and Herbert Bell, niece and nephew, and the remaining going to Wheat and his son and his sisters.