- Thomas Bell, as an eighteen-year old young man, arrived in Williamsburg on June 6, 1635 on the "Thomas and John" looking to acquire land and to build a life in the new world. Land patents were awarded to those who emigrated to the colony on three basis: 1) bills of adventure (amounts of money invested), 2) meritorious service (administrative, military or other) and 3) a headright (50 acres per person settled including family members and indentured servants). Thomas Bell acquired a land patent through one or some combination of these methods and came to the Eastern Shore where he settled north of the village of Franktown. A reference to the "original plantation" in his will suggests that this original patent was for 250 acres.
The plantation was located near the present day village of Hadlock. Turman notes that "a large area around Hadlock was called "T B" from about 1669 until the name Hadlock came into use in 1795. The name "T B" came from one Thomas Bell who burnt his initials on large white oak shingles with his cattle branding iron and fastened them to trees and ditches with fences to mark them." A road that runs across the peninsular near Hadlock is still known as "T B Crossroad".
Thomas Bell served as a commander of militia troops on the Shore at the time of the 1644 Indian attacks. During this era all able bodied men were members of their local militia. The Eastern Shore was spared direct involvement in the Indian attacks and it is not known if the Eastern Shore militia served other Virginia settlements during the 1644 attacks. It is known that relations with local Indians became worst after the attacks until in 1659 troops from the Western Shore came to help fight the Assateague Indians in Northern Accomack County. By the end of the century, war and disease had taken so great a toll from the Indian tribes in Eastern Virginia that they were described by Ames as "being almost wasted away".
Thomas Bell married Mary Neale, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Southey Neal. John Neal was a member of the House of Burgesses from 1639 to 1641 and was a large landowner having received a 2000 acre patent in the southern part of the county in 1634. Thomas and Mary had eight children, six sons, Thomas (1651-1715), John (died young), George (1660-1723), William, Robert and Anthony and two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. Little is known about the children's' childhood, but it can be safely assumed that they grew up on their "T B" family plantation.
Religious conflicts taking place on the Eastern Shore and across the colony in the 1650-60's would have a profound effect on Thomas Bell and adversely affect his relationship with his son George. Ames notes that beginning in 1654 there seems to have been an agreement among Quakers who had settled in the colony not to pay their tithes to the Church of England. Furthermore, they were accused of hostile criticism of ministers of the Church of England, of preaching false doctrines, and of being seducers of the people of faction. Political and religious leaders of the colony reacted forcefully and took action through the 1659-60 "Suppressing the Quakers" bill enacted by the General Assembly. The Act imposed 1) a penalty of 100 pounds sterling upon the master of any ship bring Quakers to Virginia, 2) imprisonment for Quakers not leaving the colony, 3) penalties for returning, and 4) penalties for entertaining or for permitting assemblies of Quakers. The problems with the Quakers must have been close to George Bell since many of those on the Eastern Shore settled near Nassawadox Creek.
Thomas Bell died in 1678 at the age of sixth-one. In his will he left his land to three of his five surviving sons. To his son Thomas he left the 250 acre original plantation, plus 350 acres near Machipongo. To sons William and Robert he left jointly 300 acres which adjoined the 250 acre original plantation left to Thomas. The will goes on to say that none of the 550 (250+300) acres shall be sold, but that it be operated jointly by his sons Thomas, William and Robert and their heirs, and "if it may please god, that my son Anthony shall live on any part of the aforesaid land , that the timber to be for his and his heirs use as well as thosts". The will went on to specify that if Thomas died without heirs, then the 250 acre original plantation would go to Robert, and then if Robert then died without heirs, then the entire 550 acres would go to William. If William then died without heirs, then the 550 acres shall go to Anthony. If all four sons were to die without heirs, then the estate would go to his daughter Mary Mattox and her heirs and then if she were to die without heirs, then the estate would go to granddaughter, Elizabeth Giddings. The will goes on to say that "to my loving wife Mary Bell her full one-third of the cattle and with their (can't read) and it is my will that the other two-thirds be divided between my children, Thomas, George, William, Robert and Anthony and my daughter, Mary Mattox and my granddaughter, Elizabeth Giddings.
One son, George Bell, was disinherited in Thomas Bell's will with the following statement; "I give and bequeath to my son George Bell one shilling sterling and do hereby quite disable and make incapable both him, my son George, or his heirs from having any title, claim or interest in any land now or heretofore belonging to me, and I do hereby quite disinherit both him and his heirs forever." It is interesting that after such an impassioned disinheritance clause, George's name is included among the children to share in the two-thirds distribution of the cattle. Research by J. F. Bell suggests that the disinheritance stemmed from a strong disapproval of his marriage to Hannah Brickhouse. Hannah Brickhouse's father, George Brickhouse, was a Quaker who remained on the Eastern Shore despite the 1659-60 "Suppressing the Quakers" Act. In his will of 1689 Brickhouse references "one acre whereon the meeting house standeth which I freely give to the people called Quakers." The meetinghouse was near where Franktown Methodist Church stands today. The marriage of his son, George, to the daughter of a leader of the Quaker movement seems to have been more than Thomas Bell could tolerate.
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- In his will Thomas Bell Sr. gave to son Thomas Bell my 250 A. plantation where I now live. To my son Thomas 350 A. in Northampton Co. on the seaboard side near Matchepungo as mentioned in my pattent dated 20 Oct. 1661 subscribed by Francis Morryson and Thomas Ludwell. To my son Thomas my handmill. To my sons William and Robert Bell 300 A. which belongs to the land I now live upon to be eq. div. as they themselves have agreed. To my son George Bell one shilling and I hereby disinherit him from any part of my land. To my dau. Elizabeth Giddins now the wife of Thomas Giddins one shilling. To John Giddins the youngest son of my dau. Elizabeth, one heifer. To my loving wife Mary Bell her full 1/3rd of the remainder of my cattle, and the remaining 2/3rds to be eq. div. by my children Thomas, George, William, Robert, and Anthony Bell, my dau. Mary Maddux, and my granddau. Elizabeth Gethings. Wife Mary extrx. and to dispose of remaining estate as she sees fit. Witt: Morgan (M) Dowell, Thomas Barton, John Burroughs.
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1617 - Bef 1678 (< 61 years)
[1, 2, 3] 
