John Thomas Bell Homestead

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John Thomas Bell Homestead and Deed Papers

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	1905 era plat map of the St. Paul area. Source: Neosho County Courthouse, Erie, KS
	Official homestead papers from the National Archives Records Administration for John Thomas Bell. He acquired his land under the rights defined by "Osage Land, under Joint Resolution of Congress Approved April 10, 1869, 1st Art. Treaty September 29, 1865".
	Testimony of William C. Smith supporting the claim of John Thomas Bell. It is possible that this William Smith was JT Bell's brother-in-law as his sister Mollie married a William Smith and they lived in the St. Paul area. The details give the description of the original house on the land and the improvements he had made.
	Rest of testimony of William C. Smith and the beginning of testimony of B H Thomas in support of the claim of John Thomas Bell.
	B H Thomas states that JT Bell bought the claim in August 1867 and brought his family there in October 1867.
	Applicant's Affidavit, signed on August 15th, 1870 by John Thomas Bell
	Receipt for the $200 JT Bell paid for his claim
	A second Receipt for the $200 JT Bell paid for his claim. This original copy is in the Kansas City branch of the National Archives Records Administration.
	Back side of the receipt
	Close up of John Thomas Bell actual signature
	Deed Book G, Page 379, Neosho County Courthouse. The US Deed for Osage Lands Certificate number 998, entered October 10, 1871.
	Deed 107, Page 185, March 28, 1929: Transfer of the farm from John T. Bell to his daughter Louise McAndrew for "one dollar and other considerations".
	Deed 107, Page 398, November 6, 1929: Transfer of the farm from Louise McAndrew back to J. T. Bell for "One dollar". It is odd that JT Bell gave his daughter the farm in March and took it back in November. He died about seven weeks later without a will.
	Deed 118, Page 208: September 30, 1941: This is the beginning of a four page section transferring the farm from Louise McAndrew Volmer to Ray and Ethel Volmer Grillot
	Page 209: Apparently they had to track down all of the descendants of JT Bell to agree to sell the land. These pages are interesting because they confirm where everyone was in 1941.
	Page 210
	Page 211
	July 26, 1976: Affidavit by Mary Bowles listing the heirs of JT Bell and attesting that all of their debts had been discharged. It is not clear what prompted this affidavit since the farm had already been sold.
	rest of the document