At the time of their marriage Jane and John Bell were both residents of Newbattle, County of Edinburgh, Scotland. They were married by the minister of the Parish of Newbattle. (Source=copy of their certification of bans and of marriage, signed by the minister.)

She inherited from her husband John Bell Sr the following: a life estate in and to the NW quarter of Sec 33 in twp 18 north, of range 14 west of the 6th principal meridian, in Valley County, Nebraska. Following her death the same real estate was to go, equally divided, to their sons Adam Wilson Bell and Oliver Perry Rugh Bell.

All the old papers (marriage license, will, etc.) show her name as Jane Wilson and Jane Bell. She signed legal documents "Jane Bell." However, her children had the understanding that in Scotland she was named Jean Wilson rather than Jane. When her husband John Bell Sr. died the family had a tombstone placed for him and her, but they left the spot for her name blank, to be filled when she died. But, then when she died the children could not agree whether to chisel in Jean or Jane, so they never got it filled in at all. She died in 1907 at the home of her daughter Mae Gaghagen.

Finally, in the 1980s, after grandson George Petty Bell and George's wife, Mary Clement Bell, a genealogist, decided that since there were very few Bells left in the area they would tidy up some of the left-undone stuff, including getting Jane/Jean Bell's name filled in on her tombstone. They opted for Jean and used Jean both on the stone and in the Wilson family genealogy book Mary Bell wrote (page 47.) I talked with Mary in July 1993, when she was age 86 when her mind was still "clear as a Bell." She told me the name and tombstone story and said that by now (1993) she wishes she had opted for the use of Jane instead of Jean because it seems that she was mostly known as Jane.

She was called Jane by much of the family, and her grand daughter was named after her (Jane Wilson Bell -- using both the first and maiden names of the grandmother), but she was called Jean by her husband John Bell, Sr.

Jean was a member of the United Brethren Church in Mira Valley, south of Ord, NE and west of North Loup, NE. Her funeral service was conducted in her home. In 1901 Jean purchased Lot #74 in the North Loup Cemetery (for $7.00, purchased from the Seventh Day Baptist Church of North Loup).

(Written by Rev. J. Keith Cook, whose wife was related to the Bell families.)