403:, was among her best productions. It was a thrilling story in real life; the facts having been given her by her nephew, Luther Blair, who came from the south to the old home to die, that he might be laid in the family burial ground. This manuscript was lost on its way to the publisher. Every effort possible was made by the author to find it, but without avail. Some ten years later, a book was published which Mrs. Smith claimed was her lost manuscript. So slight were the changes made that she had no doubt of establishing her claim as the right author. To her great surprise it was claimed by the publisher as a story written expressly for him. Being in feeble health at the time, and finding that to secure her work it must be at the expense of a lawsuit, her physicians and friends advised her not to press her claims further, as the expense of a suit would be far more than she could realize out of the book. The loss of this work, which she had spent so much time in compiling, was always a great disappointment to her, and for many years she did not give up the idea that she would some day produce the story again in substance, if not in detail.
339:"John taught me how to row, fish and shoot at the mark, for the Indians were still unfriendly, and he said it might be necessary for me to help him defend our cabin from straggling redskins. Notwithstanding all the danger that surrounded us we were very happy. Our time was spent much on the water, our boat being built to carry two; and with rifle for duck shooting and our fishing rods, with a well filled lunch basket, the summer days passed with seldom a cloud; but the winter proved a hard one even for that climate, and we decided to return to
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504:, and through her influence many children were adopted. The long trial of the noted Hull baby case proved Smith's strength of character for truth, being offered many times money by the unscrupulous Carrie E. Hull if Smith would return to the home and persuade the home to give up the case. Great excitement prevailed, not only at Leavenworth, but all through the State of Kansas.
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286:. During the later part of her career, she devoted herself to painting, receiving pupils when she was well advanced in age. She had an ardent interest in tracing and recording her genealogical relations and left a valuable collection of family matters which her daughter, Mrs. Jennie J. Goodwin, completed.
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Now widowed, Mrs. Bell took her young son and returned to her father's home, remaining until after the birth of a daughter some months later. During those months, she was kept from knowing the cause of her husband's death. On the night of his death, all books belonging to his store had been stolen,
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She felt she could not be a burden to her parents, who generously offered herself and children a home. Teaching was out of the question at least at that moment. She decided to write to support herself and children as she had been praised from home papers for short articles written in earlier days.
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Her later life was spent with her daughters, with an occasional visit to relatives, always leaving in their homes some tokens of her artwork. She completed the Blair genealogy record to her father's family for the Blair genealogy (being compiled by order of Wm. Blair of
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At
Ashland, she met John Johnston Bell, a merchant, who she married at the close of her school year in 1836. Mr. Bell was the son of William Bell and Hannah Johnston Bell, grandson of Colonel Robert Johnston and Hephzibah Tyler Bell Johnston, (fourth wife) of
335:, and persuaded his three nephews, Charles, John and Robert Bell, to join him in his new enterprise. In a short time, all three families were living in their own cabins. In referring to those days of frontier life, Mrs. Bell said:â
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In the summer of 1847, she married Daniel Smith, a wealthy farmer who was widowed with three children. While shouldering the responsibilities associated with a large farm, she continued to write, being a regular contributor to the
318:
At the age of 14, she commenced teaching at a school 5 miles (8.0 km) from her new home, going to and from her school on horseback, through the forest, guided by marked trees. She went on to be a teacher in the academy at
439:, which she accepted, still carrying on her art work at her home. Long hours of teaching brought on a severe illness; and in 1865, she was persuaded to give up her college work, and take a much needed rest with her children.
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Mary
Perkins Blair married (1) at Rochester, Ohio, in 1836, John Johnston Bell (Newbury, Vermont, June 19, 1808 â May 1841), a son of William Bell and grandson of Colonel Robert Johnston of Newbury. She married (2) at
465:, to paint for him a geological panorama, 100 by 9 feet (30.5 m à 2.7 m). This was one of her greatest painting achievements. During the years of 1872 and 1873, much of her time was spent in art work.
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During her years of farm life, many fleeing slaves found shelter at the Smith farm house. Two daughters were born during these years. In speaking of her farm life to a friend after Mr. Smith's death; she said,â
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early in the coming autumn. The journey was taken by team in company with some friends, who like ourselves, thought a home in a more civilized country preferable to all the wild lands of
Wisconsin."
411:"I did not realize how much those years of labor had taken out of my life until they were closed, and I again canvassed the different avenues open to me for the support of myself and family."
511:. While there, she painted from nature some pieces in oil and pastel, which added much to her collection of fine arts. Her paintings brought her a fair price, and as she would often say,â
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where her daughters attended school, paying a portion of her expenses by taking boarders. The price of board however, was too small to meet the necessary expenses of a large family.
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532:. The compiling of the family record was left to her daughter, Mrs. Goodwin, with the request that there should be no partiality shown in the record of her family.
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During these years of her widowhood, she not only wrote, but also painted, which brought pleasure, praise and substantial support in later years.
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leaving the business in such a condition that the family feared there would be little, if anything, was left for Mrs. Bell.
236:; August 3, 1818 â December 9, 1894) was a 19th-century American educator, social reformer, and writer. Active in the early
431:, where her son and daughter then lived, and remained a year. Finding the place too small for her work, she located in
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as well as serving as president of the Kansas state W.C.T.U. For many years, she was the matron and solicitor for the
17:
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Home for
Friendless Women and Children, which was in Scarmooth. She did much towards aiding the sufferers during the
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of 1861, after which the south had withdrawn their support, and the college was forced to close its doors in 1869.
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after her second marriage, on a farm in the northwest part of the town which was once known as a depot of the
298:. Her parents were Luther Blair (1777â1851) and Emblem (nÊe Perkins) Blair (1778â1852). She had 10 siblings.
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On leaving the home, much of her time was given to philanthropic work. In 1886, Smith spent some months in
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Kansas established its W.C.T.U. in
September, 1878, at a temperance meeting held in Bismarck Grove near
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484:. Smith was elected president at the first convention and she presided at the second convention, where
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928:. Vol. 6. National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. 1895. pp. 633â34.
331:. In 1837, Major Charles Johnston, of Newbury, Vermont, secured a large tract of government land in
854:
A Brief
History of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union: Outline Course of Study for Local Unions
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Bell was prominent among the temperance crusade workers of Ohio, in 1843, 1844, 1845 and 1846.
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movement, 1873, for many years, Smith was a prominent activist in the prohibition campaign in
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378:, a paper devoted to woman's suffrage, a cause she was ever ready to defend and uphold.
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488:, a Quaker preacher, was elected her successor. In this role, Smith also had charge of
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before he became a merchant. His sudden death occurred soon after, in May, 1841.
892:
Lineage Book of the
Charter Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution
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515:"I never saw the time that I could not help the needy who came in my way."
268:, by which fugitive slaves made their way to Canada before the end of the
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496:. In 1880, she was elected superintendent of temperance headquarters at
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477:, and was an active worker during the grasshopper raid in that state.
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500:. In 1887, she was elected matron of the Home of the Friendless at
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
894:. Vol. 3. Daughters of the American Revolution. p. 25.
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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Writing as "Mrs. M. B. Smith", she was the author of the popular
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Goodwin, Jennie J. B.; Smith, Mary
Perkins Blair-Bell (1899).
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In
Memoriam of Mary Perkins Blair Bell and Smith, 1818â1894
549:, February 27, 1799 â 1879), son of Joel and Nancy Smith.
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In 1867, she accepted the position as fine art teacher in
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In 1874 and 1875, she was connected with the schools in
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On the return to Ohio, Mr. Bell was elected sheriff of
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Presidents of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union
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415:For some years, the widow remained in her home at
294:Mary Perkins Blair was born on August 3, 1818, in
393:, 1860). In 1863, the American Tract Society, of
282:. Amongst her printed writings was a book called
582:Amanda Smith, born in Wellington, March 4, 1854,
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450:. The college was supported principally by the
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260:in Kansas. She resided quite a long while in
134:My Uncle's Family, or Ten Months at the South
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688:. D. Clapp & son. 1900. pp. 10â11.
989:Daughters of the American Revolution people
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571:Children of Mary P. Bell and Daniel Smith:
832:. American Reform Tract and Book Society.
808:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
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857:(3 ed.). Union Signal. p. 21.
244:, as the organizer and president of the
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196: 1847; died 1879)
175: 1836; died 1841)
16:For other people named Mary Smith, see
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593:Mary Perkins Blair Bell Smith died in
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391:American Reform Tract and Book Society
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301:In 1832, she and her family moved to
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888:"Mrs. Mary Perkins Bell Smith. 2066"
588:Daughters of the American Revolution
401:Ellen Grant, or Who Was the Murderer
979:19th-century American women writers
586:Smith was a charter member of the
246:Woman's Christian Temperance Union
148:Woman's Christian Temperance Union
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851:Katharine Lent Stevenson (1907).
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556:George Washington Bell, born in
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685:The Blair Family of New England
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563:Jennie Johnston Bell, born in
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974:19th-century American writers
790:. Minneapolis. pp. 1â.
524:) by Miss Emily Leavitt of
18:Mary Smith (disambiguation)
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547:Sandisfield, Massachusetts
258:grasshopper plague of 1874
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1019:Oskaloosa College faculty
994:American social reformers
925:American Monthly Magazine
826:Mrs. M. B. Smith (1860).
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575:Mary M. Smith, born in
454:until the start of the
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296:Becket, Massachusetts
60:Becket, Massachusetts
727:www.familysearch.org
723:"Mary Perkins Blair"
640:The tramp's daughter
597:, December 9, 1894.
448:St. Joseph, Missouri
444:Patee Female College
349:Ashland County, Ohio
266:Underground Railroad
119:Patee Female College
595:Kansas City, Kansas
567:, December 19, 1841
502:Leavenworth, Kansas
272:. Gray wrote for a
79:Kansas City, Kansas
650:Were they married?
475:Hutchinson, Kansas
262:Wellington, Kansas
162:John Johnston Bell
46:Mary Perkins Blair
620:A terrible tangle
614:On the quicksands
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254:Kansas City
143:President,
87:Occupations
948:Categories
838:1141949630
657:References
590:(D.A.R.).
509:California
395:Cincinnati
290:Early life
52:1818-08-03
804:cite book
732:5 January
645:Two wives
635:Poor Nell
456:civil war
333:Wisconsin
270:Civil War
107:Employers
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863:11591475
796:11047204
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376:The Lily
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368:Advocate
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309:Career
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242:Kansas
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99:author
81:, U.S.
62:, U.S.
452:south
234:Smith
226:Blair
192:(
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930:OCLC
896:OCLC
859:OCLC
834:OCLC
810:link
792:OCLC
734:2023
690:OCLC
492:and
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314:Ohio
230:Bell
68:Died
42:Born
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
