Dr. John A. Bell 1875-1876
Born March 19, 1838 in Morgan City, Gallia County, Ohio.

Died September 22, 1928 in Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois.

Married Elizabeth Eagle, August 16, 1861 in Jacksonville, Illinois. They had one daughter, Allie May.

Emigrated to Illinois 1853, to Knox City, Jacksonville, then Cambridge Illinois. Moved to Naperville in 1868.
Served in the 10th Illinois Infantry, between 1861 and 1862. Assistant surgeon at Cairo hospital.
Attended Hedding Seminary, Abington, Knox City, Illinois, MD at Hahnemann Homeopathic Medical College of Chicago.
Member of Illinois State Institute of Homeopathy.

Elected as Second Ward Alderman of Naperville in April, 1890, when Naperville was incorporated as a city. He was also President of the Nichols Library Board in 1897.

In 1917, was the Surgeon for the Walter Blanchard Post G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) in Naperville.

Also served Euclid Lodge as Senior Warden in 1873, 1874, and 1883, as Senior Deacon in 1872 and 1879, and as Junior Steward in 1877 and 1878.

The following biography is from "History of DuPage County, 1882," by Rufus Blanchard.

DR. J. A. BELL, of the firm of Drs. Bell & Nauman, Naperville, is a native of Morgan County, Ohio, born March 19, 1838; came to Illinois with his parents about the year 1853, and settled in Knox County. He received his education at Hedding Seminary, of Abingdon, Knox County, and began reading medicine in 1858 with Dr. Andrew McFarland, Superintendent of the insane asylum in Jacksonville, Ill., under whose tuition he remained until 1861. In that year, he enlisted in the Tenth Illinois Infantry; was detailed as Assistant Surgeon in the general hospital at Cairo; served in that capacity and on detached duty until December 1861; then served in the field until August, 1862, when he resigned his position and returned to Jacksonville; thence he went to Cambridge, Ill., where he practiced his profession until 1866, and in 1868 came to Naperville, where he has since been engaged in the practice of medicine; since he came to Naperville, he has taken the degree of M.D. at the Hahnemann Homeopathic Medical College of Chicago. In 1861, he married Miss Elizabeth Eagle, a native of England, who came to the United States with her parents, and settled in the vicinity of Jacksonville, Ill. From this union two children have been born. The doctor is a member of the Illinois State Institute of Homeopathy.

Obituary reprinted from "The Naperville Clarion", Thursday, September 27, 1928.

Dr. John A. Bell was born March 19, 1839 in Ohio and died on September 22nd, 1928 at the age of 90 years, 6 months and 3 days.

He came to Illinois when it was very sparsely settled with white settlers, when there were many Indians, and when Chicago was only a frontier village.

He served his country during the war of Rebellion and was a member of the G.A.R. post in Naperville.

He spent most of his life in Naperville, practicing medicine for many years an able and reputable physician, respected and loved by a host of patients to whom he ministered. At one time Dr. Bell said that he would consider his life well spent if only one mother would stand at his grave when his body was laid away, and say that he had done some good.

He was a life-long communicant of the Episcopal Church and a loyal churchman throughout his active career.

He was a member of Euclid Lodge No. 65, A.F. & A.M., Euclid Chapter No. 13, R.A.M., as well as the Aurora Commandery.

He was a public spirited citizen, a man who worked for progress and improvement in Naperville and in DuPage County.

He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Nettie Truitt, and a grandson, Dr. John W. Truitt, both of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The funeral was held on Tuesday, September 25th, at 11 A.M. conducted by Rev. E. F. Collins, assisted by the Naperville G.A.R. post, and by Euclid Lodge, No. 65, A.F. & A.M. Burial in Naperville Cemetery.

Death notice reprinted from the "Chicago Tribune", September 24, 1928.

Dr. J. A. Bell, born 82 years ago in Naperville and one of the earliest practicing physicians in Illinois, is dead at his home there. Indians still populated the territory and Chicago was a village when Dr. Bell was born in 1836. He retired twenty years ago and of late had been living in a Milwaukee sanitarium. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Nettie Truitt; and a grandson, Dr. John W. Truitt, both of Milwaukee.