Josiah Bell was born Jan. 11, 1798, in North Carolina, a son of John and Sarah (Bundy) Bell. His father was a tailor and farmer by occupation. He lived in Guilford County, N.C., about eight years, when he emigrated to Wayne County, Ind., in 1817, where he engaged in farming until his death in 1839, at the age of seventy-two years. His wife died in 1806 and he was again married to Lydia Symons, who died about 1843. He had seven children by his first wife, of whom two survive, and five by his second wife, two of whom are deceased. Josiah Bell remained with his parents until he was twenty-three years old, and in 1821 was married to Abigail Charles, who was born in 1801 in Randolph County, N.C., and in 1812 came with her parents to Wayne County, Ind. They reared a family of four children---Gulielma, married Eli Henby; John C.; Rebecca, wife of A. Johnson, and Caroline. Soon after marriage Mr. Bell engaged in farming, which he has followed the greater portion of his life, and is till living on Government lands he entered many years ago. He is now in his eighty-sixth year, his wife being in her eighty-third year. Both of them have birthrights in the Society of Friends.

History of Wayne County, Indiana;
Volume II, (1884)
Jackson Township
p. 541