Mr. C.S. BellSource: The Leader, Lexington, Kentucky, February 12, 1905 CHARLES S. BELLFATHER OF LEXINGTON’S BEAUTIFUL CEMETERYLife and Life Work of a Well Known and Useful Citizen__________ By W.H. POLK One of the best known, most highly respected and useful citizens Lexington has ever had is Mr. Charles S. Bell, Sr., superintendent of the Lexington cemetery since its foundation in 1849, a period of fifty-five years at this writing. In fact, Mr. Bell can be truthfully denominated the father of Lexington’s beautiful cemetery, for it is virtually his creation, his life work. From the period of its founding until the present time his hands and brain have been constantly employed in its upbuilding and beautification. Starting out with the definite idea of a park system, Mr. Bell has kept that purpose constantly in view. One of the most difficult takes that he encountered was that of clearing away the enclosures around graves or lots, and it took fifty years of steady effort on his part to get rid of the last of such enclosures. Owners of lots were loth to remove these enclosures, for one reason or another, and the length of time it required to attain his purpose shows how difficult it was to persuade the more obstinate lot owners to comply. Lexington’s “City of the Dead” is now the most beautiful one in the United States, and it was the first to inaugurate the park system, although it has been claimed that Spring Grove Cemetery at Cincinnati was the pioneer. Visitors from everywhere all declare that the Lexington cemetery is the most beautiful one they ever saw. Inasmuch as Mr. Bell has given more than a half century of his life to the upbuilding of our beautiful cemetery, and now, at the advanced age of 81, sits sightless, awaiting the time when he, too, shall lie down to rest in the bosom of his own creation, it is meet that those who are not already acquainted with the simplicity and nobleness of his character should know something about him and his career. With this object in view, the writer called on him a few days ago and enjoyed a pleasant chat of an hour with him.
Lafayette’s TreeIntroductory to the conversation, the writer asked him concerning “Lafayette’s tree,” of which he had heard some years ago. Pointing to the room next to the hall, on the east side, Mr. Bell said: “That is my bed room, and beneath the floor is the stump of the big oak tree under which Lafayette stood and spoke to a great concourse of our citizens when he visited Lexington in May, 1825. As you know, his visit was a great event, and people came from everywhere to see him. Among the features of the celebration during his visit was a great barbeque here in ‘Ater’s Woods’ as this was called. It belonged to William Ater, who was a partner with Thomas E. Boswell, the firm having a big twine and bagging factory down there by the spring. Ater lived in the old brick house right on the railroad, where Mr. George W. Ranck was killed. These woods were famous for their fine forest trees and the plentifulness of game in them, particularly squirrels. “As I said, one of the features of the occasion was a big barbeque held here, and under a big oak tree that stood where that room is, Lafayette stood and addressed the multitude. After the speaking the military boys commenced shooting at a mark posted on this tree, and Mr. Ater told me that he thought the death of the tree some time after was due to the amount of lead the boys of the militia fired into it. Anyhow, the tree died and was cut down, and when I bought the lot of Mr. Ater he pointed to the stump and told me that it was the stump of the tree that Lafayette stood under and spoke on that occasion. Therefore, I have no doubt of the fact, because he owned the land and tree at that time. “While the speaking took place here the barbeque proper was over the knoll there, on the west side of the Catholic cemetery. They dug long trenches over which they roasted the beeves, sheep and hogs. There were also long tables, on which the food was served. I have often seen those trenches and only recently have they been leveled. There was a well just beyond the west fence of the Catholic cemetery, now filled up, and the concourse of people extended from out present cemetery down to the well. When Thomas E. Boswell and William Ater were in business they made a great deal of money and owned all the land from Irishtown and the Frankfort road across to the Georgetown road. It took in the present Catholic and Lexington cemeteries and extended nearly to Sandersville. What is now Forrest Hill and the property of John Lee, now the north part of our cemetery, or later called ‘Lee’s woods’ was a part of their tract. When Ater & Boswell dissolved partnership Boswell took all the lands north of this Leestown road and Ater all on the south side. Then this side came to be called ‘Ater’s Woods’ and the other side ‘Boswell’s Woods.’ “The first Lexington cemetery tract of forty acres was purchased from Col. Boswell, and he was one of the liberal subscribers to the fund to found a cemetery. “Yes, I came in charge of the cemetery at its founding,
and have been constantly with it ever since. I worked from the start with the
definite view of forming it on the park system, and at last succeeded in getting
rid of the fences around graves and lots in order that the grounds could be
better attended to and kept in better shape.” The Story of His LifeWhen asked for the story of his life before coming to Lexington, Mr. Bell modestly replied, apparently with some reluctance to speaking of himself: “I was born August 14, 1823, in Dumfriesshire, in the south of Scotland, and near the historic little town of Dumfries. My father was real estate agent, or collector of rents, for Sir William Jordan, the great naturalist, who had an extensive estate. At 14 years of age I went to serve an apprenticeship at gardening, where I staid eighteen months. I then was employed as assistant to the gardener of Drumlanrig Castle. Queen Victoria was expected to arrive and be entertained there, and they were making great preparations for the event. I continued at Drumlangrig for two years, learning all I could about horticulture and gardening. I next went to Liverpool, and was employed in Skirving’s nurseries, then the largest in the world. I had excellent letters from former employe[r]s, and when I presented them, the manager looked at me and said, ‘Young man, you can have work, but you will have to wait your turn at promotion. There are just one hundred on the list ahead of you.’ But that did not deter me. I quietly went to work, attended strictly to my duties, and was soon promoted. There I learned a great deal more about horticulture. “But that same restless spirit which had been pointing
‘Sandy’ to the New World beyond the Atlantic from its first colonization, was in
my breast, and I made up my mind to go to America. Day after day I could see the
big ships spread their white sails at the Liverpool docks and glide out past
Hollyhead into the Channel, bound for the ‘land of freedom.’ And as they sank
from sight in the distance, my heart still followed them in their journeys.
Watching them thus, day after day, carrying away to America thousands of hopeful
and happy emigrants, the desire to emigrate myself became steadily stronger. Sails for America“Embarking at Liverpool in June, 1842, in a sailing ship, I reached New York on July 6th. I staid there for several months. I obtained a job at Poughkeepsie and staid there a year. I then returned to New York and worked for Mr. Vanderbilt and other wealthy men who had handsome homes and grounds. I also worked on Long Island. I then determined to go to New Orleans and sailed for that port, where I arrived in due time. But I soon left there and went up the Sound to Mobile, where I secured employment. I learned them there how to make hot beds, a branch of gardening they knew little about. I made quite a reputation there as a ‘canny Scot’ by saving a big crop of potatoes from a heavy frost that killed all the other potato crops. A man had in a big field in a pine clearing. All over the field were pine stumps, full of pitch. I put Negroes to work to split the dry stumps and set them on fire. A pall of smoke hung over the field, dissipated the frost and saved the crop. The owner sold his potatoes for a big price and gave me the credit for it. “From Mobile I returned to New Orleans and was employed in a floral store opposite the St. Charles Hotel. Gen. Jackson always stopped at the St. Charles and I often saw him come out, stand on the sidewalk and talk to people. I never talked to him myself. He generally wore a tall plug hat and while talking to people, would sometimes take it off and put it under his arm. He was tall, straight, had a firm countenance, and looked every inch a warrior. “But the spirit of unrest was still in me, and I
determined to leave New Orleans. Taking a boat, I landed at Cincinnati, where I
received employment. Marries Descendant of John Bunyan “In the course of time I was married at Chillicothe, O.,
to Miss Margaret E. Smith, daughter of William Smith of that place, also a
Scotchman, and a lineal descendant of John Bunyan. While residing at Cincinnati,
Mr. Henry Duncan, one of Lexington’s wealthiest citizens, to whom I had been
recommended, came to see me and employed me to come here and take charge of his
green houses at his fine home on the Maysville Pike, now called the ‘Hamilton
Place. Gets Acquainted With Mr. Beck “While employed at Mr. Duncan’s I first met James B.
Beck. He came out to see about getting some white pine trees to plant on his
place, now known as the old Dr. Herr place on the Nicholasville Pike, beyond the
State College. The place is now owned by Waller Rodes, ex-Sheriff and banker.
Mr. Beck built that residence. While seeing about the trees, and noticing that I
was a Scotchman, he inquired what part of the land of Burns I came from. I told
him and we found that we were raised within a few miles of each other. We
afterwards became great friends and were such up to the time of his death. Takes Charge of Cemetery“While I was engaged at Mr. Duncan’s, in 1849, the project of a cemetery for Lexington was put on foot at a meeting in January of that year. Mr. Henry Duncan, Sr., was one of its active and earnest promoters and a liberal subscriber. The sum of $12,000 was raised, $7,000 of which was used to purchase forty acres of ground in Boswell’s woods. “I was chosen as superintendent and took charge and here
I have been ever since, laboring along lines of my own to make for our people a
model ‘City of the Dead.’ Many of those who had been interred in Maxwell’s grave
yard, on Bolivar Street; in the Presbyterian cemetery, on North Limestone; in
the old Episcopal cemetery on Third street, and in various other burying grounds
were exhumed and reinterred in the new cemetery. Many, however, whose kinsmen
had moved away, or whose relatives did not bother themselves about transferring
their remains, were left in the old burying grounds, and it is sad to hear how
their resting places have been desecrated and their tombstones swept away by the
march of greed and the growing disregard for sacred things. We talk abut the
heathen Chinese and Japanese, but those people are noted for the deep reverence
they have ever felt for the tombs of their dead. We could well imitate their
reverence for the bones of their ancestors by respecting the last resting places
of our dead. A Vast Army of Sleepers“In the fifty-five years that I have had charge of this cemetery, there have been buried in it over fifteen thousand people, truly a great army, and, at my age, of course it will not be long until I will be added to the list. Sooner or later we must all lie down to sleep our last sleep, and I look forward to that end with resignation. I have striven to the best of my ability to meet and fulfill the duties of life, and look forward with resignation to the time when I shall be called away and laid to rest with those who have preceded me. In the closing days of my life, afflicted as I am, I can only sit here and enjoy the companionship of my family and friends. My life work is done, and I greatly enjoy visits from friends, talking over old times with them, and I still feel great interest in the present. “I don’t like to talk much about myself, but as you have drawn me out, in your request the story of my life and how I came to Lexington and assumed charge of your cemetery.” As the shadows from the tall trees just across the road fell athwart the porch and into the doorway of the hall, the writer arose, shook the hand of the kindly old gentleman whose deeply interesting narrative he had just listened to with absorbing interest and bade him goodby with the wish that many more years might yet be vouchsafed to him before the “trumpet call of Eternity” shall summon him to join the thousands whom he has tenderly laid to rest amid the tears and griefs of sorrowing friends and kinsmen. And when that summons shall at last come to him, from out the hearts of thousands of our people, who have so long known and respected the modest, kindly old gentleman, the father of Lexington’s beautiful “City of the Dead” will go up a tender benediction and prayer. Well has he done his life work, and long after that life is ended future generations will remember him as the founder of the most beautiful cemetery in the United States. Mr. Bell is a fine example of what an industrious, upright and honorable poor man can accomplish in America. His life has not only been characterized by sterling integrity, usefulness and success in his chosen profession, elements peculiarly characteristic of his race, but he has raised and educated a family of four sons and one daughter, all of whom are highly respected and enterprising citizens, the sons all residing here, and the daughter, the wife of one of the wealthiest citizens of Texas, Mr. T.V. Munson, of Sherman. His son, George K. Bell, is agent for the Adams Express Company; John M. is cashier of the First National Bank; William S. is the well known florist; Charles S., Jr., is located at Memphis, Tenn., in the fruit business. All are, like their father, highly respected citizens and men of sterling integrity. transcribed by pb January 2005
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