Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSSurrey County, Virginia, later Sussex County. Not far from the home andplantation of the Bells lived the Burwells, another prominent Virginia family,and the Bells and Burwells: were for years the most distinctive and aristocraticfamilies in that section of Virginia. Sussex County -continued to be the homeof most of the members of the Bell family until Charles Grandy Bell, Sr.,father of the Georgia merchant, moved to Florida.Charles Grandy Bell, Sr., was a native of Virginia and was one of twins,his brother Joseph dying in young manhood. About 1845 he located in Madison County. Florida, Pie early saw the great opportunity for development inFlorida and lived there unt'il his death a short time before the Civil war.Charles Grandy Bell, Sr., married Nancy Walker. She was horn in JeffersonCounty, Florida, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Padget Walker, and shedied in 1888 at the age of fifty-seven. She was long a faithful member of theBaptist Church. Her parents were both natives of South Carolina, wherethey married, and about 1828 they removed to Florida. James Walker was alarge planter and slave owner in Florida and died at the age of eighty-four.His father, Joel Walker, was a native of South Carolina, and also a planter.Charles G. Bell, Sr., and wife had four children: Lucretia Elizabeth, whomarried John S. Wraters and had six children; Charles G.; James Walker,who died at the age of fifty-three, leaving four children; and Jessie Clifford,who died when eleven years of age.Charles Grandy Bell obtained his early education in the public schools ofJefferson County, Florida, where he lived as a hoy and then went to Poughkeepsie,New York, and completed a course of study at Eastland's BusinessCollege. After graduating there in 1879 he secured employment with the wellknown dry g'oods establishment of Lord and Taylor at New York City. Duringthe two years he was in New York City he gained a thorough and systematicbusiness training, and then followed his inclinations by returning to the Southar j -ocitjng in frig jot with the City of Savannah where he has continuously"esident since 1881. In 1886 he entered the employ of Butler andbrevets. This firm comprised Robert M. Butler and Hendry I). Stevens. SinceMr. Bell became a partner under the firm title of Butler, Stevens and Bellthe business has become recognized throughout the South and on many foreignmercantile exchanges because of its integrity and its great resources for handling cotton and cotton products.In 1897 the firm of Butler, Stevens and Bell organized the Suwanee Fertilizer Company. Mr. Bell was the leader in this enterprise, and in additionto other duties he assumed the entire management of the new undertaking.For six years he conducted its affairs very successfully, and by that time thebusiness had so increased and expanded that it was necessary to merge itsinterests with the Mutual Fertilizer Corporation of Savannah. Mr. Bell andhis firm have extensive interests in the Savannah Oil and Fertilizer Company,one of the largest in the South, with plants at Valdosta, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama, and also at Savannah. For eight years Mr. Bell has beena member of the board of directors of the Georgia Fertilizer and Oil Company,is also a director in the Mutual Fertilizer Company and the Alabama ChemicalCompany of Montgomery, Alabama. It was largely due. to him that this extensive Alabama corporation was promoted and organized. Mr. Bell also hasextensive cotton interests in Southeastern Georgia,In those business circles of Savannah where integrity and financial geniusare recognized as essential virtues, Mr. Bell stands very high. lie is vicepresident of-the Savannah Bank and Trust Company, an institution thatthoroughly reflects Savannah's strong financial position. As a member ofthe sinking fund commission of the city he has a place of trust and greatimportance, since it is the duty of this commission to retire at the most advantageous time each year a certain number of securities representing thebonded indebtedness of the city. His prominence as a financier is not greater