His marker incorrectly shows the year of his death as 1883.

Galveston, the sixth of James H. and Caroline Jane (Harrison) Bell's children, was born near Camden, Benton County, Tennessee, about 1839.

Galveston was about four when his parent moved to Cooper County, Missouri. Within two years the family moved to Cove Creek Township, Washington County, Arkansas, where he grew up. He was 22 years old when his parents moved back to Missouri in 1864. Whether he was single or married at this time is unknown. In 1869 he was on the list of people in Cove Creek Township whose personal property was assessed for taxation. The 1870 Federal Census reveals that he was married to a woman by the name of Martha. Nothing can be found in Washington County court records concerning their marriage.

In the summer of 1880 he and Martha owned a farm near Cincinnati, a small town located, in Illinois Township. Early in 1882, Galveston sold their farm, and they began getting ready to move to Clifton City, Missouri, where his parents lived. On their way, they were going to stop in Newtonia to visit his brother, James. Their wagon was already loaded for the trip when he suddenly came down with typhoid fever and died. Martha wrote to his father and to his brother, James, to let them know Galveston had died on February 17.

His brother, Malichi, received a letter from his parents and one from his brother, James, which sheds some light on his death. It was dated more than a month after he had died. Following is the part of the letter pertaining to Galveston's death:

"Clifton, City Cooper County
March 27, 1882
Dear Sons and Daughter,
I take the pleasant opportunity to write you a few lines to inform you we are all well as common. Your letter from us all well. We are all very busy at this time preparing to plant corn but on account of sudden change of weather, we think it best to wait awhile yet. We hope these few lines may find you enjoying better health than you have been in here before. We have just received a sad and grievous letter from Washington County, Ark, stating the death of poor Galveston Bell. Poor boy left the walk of men the 17th of last February. He was sick 17 days, he died of typhoid fever. He had sold out and had his team and wagon and nothing to do, but put his things in the wagon to come see us and was stopped by taken down an died on the 17th, Feb.1882."

James received a letter from Galveston's wife, Martha, letting him know that Galveston had died and provided some of the details about his death. He sent the news of their brother's death to Malichi. Following is that part of the letter pertaining to Galveston's death.

"Newtonia, MO
Apr 15th 1882
Dear Brother your letter was gladly received a few days ago. I was much pleased to hear from you, but sorry to hear that your health was yet poor, but hope that you will get better til you become stout again. This leaves all as well as usual though not very stout nor never expect to be. I received a letter from Bro Galvestons wife a few weeks ago which brout sad news to me, informing me that Brother Galveston was ded. He died on the 17th of last February with typhoid fever. She said that his suffering was great. He died on the place whear he lived close (to) Cincinnati. They was redy & evry thing fixed to start to my house & to Fathers on a visit when he was taken sick. I have wrote to father & to George & Henry of his death. His wife is at her mothers."

Galveston was laid to rest near Cincinnati in what is now known as the West/Pool Cemetery and which has been classified as an abandoned cemetery. However, his marker incorrectly shows the year of his death as 1883. Although it is now "written in stone" for most to see, the above letters prove that he actually died in 1882. It's impossible to know the origin of the mistake, but a few sources comes to mind; perhaps his stone was placed there years later by someone who remembered the year incorrectly or the mistake was made by the shop or engraver.

The final resting place of Galveston was found by James Jefferson Bell's great-granddaughter, Valerie N. Hill. She and her friend, Betty, ventured out on a nice fall day, November 26, 2003, to try to find the West/Pool Cemetery and his tombstone. After locating the old abandoned cemetery, enclosed by a fence, his grave was finally discovered.

She also found a Bell tombstone lying next to Galveston's grave that was broken into three pieces and was fairly well eroded. She could see that this person had died at the age of 76 years, four months, and 15 days. Records of the Luginbuel Funeral Home located at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, has provided information solving the mystery of who was buried here. Their records show that this was Elijah Bell, born January 1, 1809, and died January 24, 1886. It has since been learned that Elijah was Galveston's uncle Bell, a brother to Galveston's father, James H. Bell.