St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery - Whittemore, Iowa

Bell, Baas, and Schultz Gravesite

Christian Bell was born in Boldebuck, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany on June 22,1837.  He was the son of Johann Bell and Anna Warkentin (Carol's 3rd Great Grandparents). Johann was a laborer in Mecklenburg and died in 1862.  He was survived by his wife Anna (b. 1802) who immigrated to DuPage County, Illinois in 1869 on the steamship "Allemannia", and made her home with her daughter until her death in 1891.  Frieda Bell (Anna's Granddaughter), also on the ship Allemannia, married Fred Schultz in 1871 at Elmhurst, DuPage County, Illinois.  They moved to Whittemore in 1882 where she died in 1907.

Christian married Mary Baas, daughter of Johann Bass and Catherine Duncker, who was born Dec. 17, 1842.  The Bell's along with their infant daughter Sophia immigrated to the US on the ship "Germania" from Hamburg, Germany to New York City in November of 1866.  Their first son Charles was born on the ship. The family first lived in Buffalo, NY, where Christian worked in a saw mill for several months.  They then moved to Elmhurst, IL where Anna, Henry, Minnie, John, Emma, Ida, William (died as an infant in 1881), Mary (Mamie), and Amanda were all born.  While in Elmhurst, Christian worked as a farmer and later hotel keeper. In 1882 the family moved to Kossuth County, Iowa near Whittemore and settled on section 33, where they owned 240 acres of land, also owning 80 acres on sec. 29.  The family belonged to the Lutheran Church in Whittemore.  Christian died Oct. 17, 1906.  Maria died Aug. 18, 1912.