Charles Henry Bell (November 18, 1823 – November 11, 1893) was an American lawyer and

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

politician from

Exeter, New Hampshire Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 16,049 at the 2020 census, up from 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood. ...

. Bell served

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...

in both the New Hampshire House of Representatives and the

New Hampshire Senate The New Hampshire Senate has been meeting since 1784. It is the upper house of the New Hampshire General Court, alongside the lower New Hampshire House of Representatives. It consists of 24 members representing Senate districts based on populatio ...

, as a U.S. Senator, and as the 38th

governor of New Hampshire The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of New Hampshire. The governor is elected during the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Verm ...

Early life

Bell was born on November 18, 1823 in

Chester, New Hampshire Chester is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,232 at the 2020 census, up from 4,768 at the 2010 census. It was home to the now defunct Chester College (formerly White Pines College). History From ...

Family

Charles was one of the ten children of Governor John Bell. He was also the nephew of Samuel Bell, first cousin of James Bell and the first cousin, once removed of Samuel Newell Bell.

Service in the New Hampshire General Court

Bell's career in the

New Hampshire General Court The General Court of New Hampshire is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The lower house is the New Hampshire House of Representatives with 400 members. The upper house is the New Hampshire Senate with 24 mem ...

was notable in that he held two unique offices. In 1860 Bell was the Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. and

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

of the

in 1864.

Writings

Bell was the author of an influential early history of Exeter, New Hampshire, as well as a number of other books. His first wife was Sarah Almira Gilman, daughter of Nicholas Gilman; his second wife Helen A. (Williams) daughter of Reuel Williams of Portland, ME, and widow of John Taylor Gilman of Exeter. Both wives were descendants of Edward Gilman Sr., an early Exeter settler who had previously lived in

Hingham, Massachusetts Hingham ( ) is a town in metropolitan Greater Boston on the South Shore (Massachusetts), South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts in northern Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Plymouth County. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, t ...

, and Ipswich, Massachusetts. History of the town of Exeter Charles H Bell

Honors

Bell was elected a member of the

American Antiquarian Society The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society i ...

in 1868.

Death and burial

Bell died in 1893 in

, and is buried at the Exeter Cemetery in that town.

Footnotes

External links

Bell's Congressional biographyExeter in 1776, Charles Henry Bell, News-Letter Press, Exeter, N.H. 1876Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, Charles Henry Bell, William B. Morrill, Exeter, N.H., 1883A Memorial of Charles Henry Bell, Exeter, N.H., Jeremiah Smith, Mellen Chamberlain, Privately Printed, 1894
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell (politician), Charles H. 1823 births 1893 deaths People from Chester, New Hampshire American people of Scotch-Irish descent Republican Party United States senators from New Hampshire Republican Party governors of New Hampshire Republican Party members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives Presidents of the New Hampshire Senate Republican Party New Hampshire state senators People from Exeter, New Hampshire 19th-century American politicians Members of the American Antiquarian Society Phillips Exeter Academy alumni Dartmouth College alumni