Died: 1887 in Seattle
The city that would become Seattle was barely started when the Monticello Convention was held in November 1852. Nevertheless, several men who would become prominent founders of Washington's largest city made the arduous trip to Monticello to help form a new territory north of the Columbia River.
Among those Seattle founders was William Nathaniel Bell. His legacy includes founding Belltown, the Seattle neighborhood that lies from Puget Sound to present-day Yale Avenue and between Pine Street and East Denny Way. That was part of BellŐs 320-acre land claim.
His journey west had begun in Edwardsville, Illinois, where he sold his farm and stock for $1,350 to join a wagon train bound for Oregon. He prepared for the trip by hewing out seven long strips of hickory for the wagon roof. The canvas covering extended far out in front and back of his wagon to protect his wife, Sarah Ann, and their four daughters.
The Bells arrived in Portland on October 15, 1851, only to discover that desirable land had been taken. He then met Arthur Denny and John Low, who had traveled together from Illinois and wanted to seek out land north of the Columbia River.
Bell decided to join them. The families boarded the "Exact", a two-masted craft. The party consisted of Arthur and Mary Ann Denny, John and Lydia Low, Carson and Mary Boren, C.C. Terry and the Bells. They disembarked at Alki Point (now West Seattle) on November 13, 1851. The "Exact", also carrying gold prospectors, headed on to the Queen Charlotte Islands.
In January 1852, still seeking homesteads, Bell, Boren, Denny and his son David explored the large bay to the northeast of Alki Point. They sought a deep harbor and abundant timber. They tested the depth with a horseshoe tied to a thin rope. Finding just the right spot at what is now downtown Seattle, they returned on February 12, 1852, to stake their claims.
Then early in March, William symbolically took possession of his claim by felling a tree, cutting it into lengths, notching the ends and laying down a four-sided cabin "foundation". He actually started building the cabin on April 3, 1852.
Sarah suffered from tuberculosis, so Bell moved his family to Napa, California in 1856, hoping the warmer climate would restore her health. But she Sarah died shortly thereafter.
Bell kept his property in Seattle, but did not return permanently until 1872 with a new wife, Lucy Gamble, a younger sister of his first wife.
Bell donated property for a church and a block of land on the waterfront for a barrel factory that was a major step in SeattleŐs development, employing 85 people. He was known for his generosity and helped Seattle develop by accepting small payments when selling portions of his land.
He named several Seattle streets - Broad, Clay, Cedar, Vine, Wall and Battery. Some were named after his children - Virginia, Olive and Stewart. He served on the City Council in 1876.
He lived his last years at his home on First Avenue, between Battery and Bell Streets. He died on September 6, 1887, and is buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle.
The author, Marilyn McLauchlan, is a great-great-great granddaughter of William Nathaniel Bell and a great-great granddaughter of Laura Keziah Bell, who was a daughter of William and Sarah Bell. She resides on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Contributed by Junel Davidsen on 13 Apr 2004.