Inscription

James W. Bell Deputy Sheriff Born – 1853 – Died April 28, 1881 Murdered by William Bonney A.K.A. “Billy the Kid” during his escape from the Lincoln County Jail Lincoln N.M.

Gravesite Details Recent research (as of 2010) has cast doubt on whether this is actually Bell’s grave site. It may be appropriate to characterize this headstone as a cenotaph rather than an actual grave marker.

Frontier peace officer. J.W. Bell was a deputy sheriff of Lincoln County, NM under Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881. Bell, along with fellow deputy Robert Olinger, was killed in the line of duty by Billy the Kid when he escaped from custody in Lincoln while awaiting hanging for the murder of the previous sheriff, William Brady. The murders of Bell and Olinger have been dramatized in the various Hollywood treatments of Billy the Kid. Deputy Bell is memorialized on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC at Panel 13, W3.

Bell’s grave was unmarked for over 100 years, but was located and an impressive headstone erected in 2003.

Gravesite Details

Recent research (as of 2010) has cast doubt on whether this is actually Bell’s grave site. It may be appropriate to characterize this headstone as a cenotaph rather than an actual grave marker. Note: there are no authenticated photos of Bell.

Possible pictures found of BELL

James Bell

in the 1870 United States Federal Census

Name:

James Bell

Age in 1870:

Birth Date:

abt 1853

Birthplace:

Maryland

Dwelling Number:

263

Home in 1870:

Wilkes Barre, Luzerne, Pennsylvania

Race:

White

Gender:

Male

Post Office:

Wilkes-Barre

Occupation:

Laborer

Father of Foreign Birth:

Yes

Mother of Foreign Birth:

Yes

Cannot Read:

Yes

Cannot Write:

Yes

Inferred Father:

James Bell

Inferred Mother:

Isabella Bell

Household Members	Age
James Bell	38
Isabella Bell	38
James Bell	17
Abraham Bell	15
Agnes Bell	13
William Bell	7
Isabella Bell	3

James Bell

1880 United States Federal Census White Oaks

Name:

James Bell

Age:

Birth Date:

Abt 1853

Birthplace:

Georgia

Home in 1880:

White Oaks, Lincoln, New Mexico, USA

Dwelling Number:

Race:

White

Gender:

Male

Relation to Head of House:

Self (Head)

Marital Status:

Single

Father’s Birthplace:

Virginia

Mother’s Birthplace:

Virginia

Occupation:

Miner

Neighbors:

Household Members	Age	Relationship
James Bell	27	Self (Head)

1880 CENSUS Pennsylvania

Name:	James Bell (HIS FATHER)
Age:	50
Birth Date:	Abt 1830
Birthplace:	Scotland
Home in 1880:	Wilkes Barre, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, USA
Dwelling Number:	192
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Self (Head)
Marital Status:	Married
Spouse’s Name:	Isabella Bell
Father’s Birthplace:	Scotland
Mother’s Birthplace:	Scotland
Occupation:	Engineer

Household Members	Age	Relationship
James Bell	50	Self (Head) father
Isabella Bell	45	(Wife)mother
Abraham Bell	23	Son
Agnes Bell	20	Daughter
William Bell	16	Son
Isabella Bell	12	Daughter

Newspaper Clippings

5 Newspaper Clippings for James Bell

Lincoln County Ownership

Results for your Search by Grantee: BELL J W

For official copies of documents, please visit the County office.

Grantee	Rec	Bk	Grantor	Instrument	Description	Doc#
BELL J W	1	B	AMERICAN GIRL	18800925	NOGAL MINING DISTRICT	188010196
	1		GRAY EAGLE			188010196
	1		HERCULES			188010196
	1		HOMESTAKE			188010196
	1		MOSCOW			188010196
	1		MOSCOW EXTENTION			188010196
	1		SUNSET			188010196
	1		TEXAS STAR			188010196
	1		TEXAS STAR EXTINTION			188010196
	1		VICTORIA			188010196
	1		WATTS JAMES			188010196
	1		ZEBRA			188010196

For official copies of documents, please visit the County office.

Reception Information

Reception # 188010196 Kind of Instrument QCD Recording Type 1 Book B Page 196 # of Pages 1 Date Filed 18800929 Intrument Date 18800925

(ADDED BY WEBSITE)

Grantee Information

BELL J B (MOST LIKELY HIS FATHER ON DEED ALSO)
BELL J W (KILLED BY BILLY THE KID)

Grantor Information

AMERICAN GIRL
GRAY EAGLE
HERCULES
HOMESTAKE
MOSCOW
MOSCOW EXTENTION
SUNSET
TEXAS STAR
TEXAS STAR EXTINTION
VICTORIA
WATTS JAMES (1st surveyor in White Oaks)
ZEBRA

Description Information

NOGAL MINING DISTRICT

Legal Description

NONE

See Interactive Map Ownership (None listed)

Ancestry.com

When James Walter Bell was born in 1853, his father, James, was 21 and his mother, Isabella, was 21. He died on April 28, 1881, in White Oaks, New Mexico, at the age of 28, and was buried there. He lived in New Mexico on April 28, 1881.