Durham, N. N.  "Spokane and the Inland Empire: History of the City of Spokane
and Spokane County Washington."  Vol. 2.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1912.

OLIVER NELSON BELL

Oliver Nelson Bell is one of the well known real-estate dealers in Colville,
having for the past six years been identified with L. M. McFarland in the
operation of the Colville Land Company. He is a native of Iowa, his birth having
occurred in Belknap, Davis county, that state, on the 10th of November, 1858,
his parents being Charles R. and Sarah A. (Scoles) Bell. When he was a youth of
sixteen the family residence was changed to Salem, Oregon, while two years later
they became citizens of Latah, Washington. Here the mother passed away in 1891,
but the father is still living in Hamilton, Montana, having attained the
venerable age of seventy-five.

Reared in the country Oliver Nelson Bell devoted the winters of his boyhood and
youth to the acquirement of an education in the common schools, first in Iowa
and later in Oregon, while in summers he worked on the farm. After the mastery
of the common branches he gave his undivided attention to agricultural pursuits,
remaining under the parental roof until he was twenty-two years of age. He then
left home to begin his independent career and going to Latah, Washington, filed
on a timber claim, afterward a homestead and then bought railroad land until he
owned a section. He and his father bought the first threshing machine north of
Colfax. They did the first threshing on the Coeur d'Alene Indian reservation and
were there before the new mission was built by Old Cataldo or Josette. Mr. Bell
and his father also constructed the first wagon road across what is now known as
Rock Creek valley, running from Latah across the reservation to Farmington,
landing on Coeur d'Alene lake. For eight years thereafter he devoted his
energies to the cultivation of his land and the raising of stock, withdrawing
from these pursuits to engage in the livery business, in connection with which
he also dealt in real estate. He was a resident of Latah until 1898, with the
exception of a brief period in 1881, during the mining excitement, when he went
to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. After closing out his interests in Latah, Mr. Bell
again took up his residence in this state, locating at Bossburg, where he
engaged in the livery and stage business, which occupied his attention until
1905, and compelled him in the interest of the business, to travel extensively
in both British Columbia and Washington. Upon leaving Bossburg, Mr. Bell came to
Colville where he has ever since been located. During the period of his
residence here he has met with good success in the pursuit of his business;
which has developed in a most gratifying manner and is among the thriving ones
of the town. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bell attend the Methodist Episcopal church, while they devote much
time and money to promoting the temperance cause in this county, Mr. Bell having
been one of the most prominent factors in abolishing the liquor traffic in his
community. He and his wife both take an earnest interest in all movements tended
to promote the moral and intellectual welfare of the community, while he is a
generous contributor toward all church and charitable work whether under the
auspices of his own denomination or that of some other. They have one son, Hugh
M., attending the North Western University at Shenandoah, Iowa. Mr. Bell belongs
to the Chamber of Commerce and the Stevens County Pioneer's Association, while
in politics he is a democrat; although he takes a helpful and active interest in
all municipal affairs, he has not been an office seeker, but on the contrary has
consistently declined to accept any public honors at the hands of his
constituency. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, by the principles of which organization he has always striven to direct
his life in both his public and private relations. Mr. Bell's efforts have been
rewarded in a substantial way and in addition to his thriving business and
property interests he is a stockholder in the New Golden Crown Mining Company,
in the First Thought mining district in this county. His interests are
thoroughly identified with those of Stevens county in the development and
upbuilding of which he freely gives his aid and cooperation.

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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in June 2017 by Diane Wright.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.