From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902 
 
Typed by Carol Taylor Lanza. 
 
Pages 843 & 844 
 
PROF. A. S. BELL, who fills the chair of mathematics in the West 
Liberty State Normal School, has had a wide experience as a teacher, 
and has made a success of his vocation.  He was born in West Liberty, 
Ohio County, West Virginia, in 1865, and is a son of Samuel and Mary 
(Basman) Bell. 
     Samuel Bell was born in Ohio County, Virginia, in 1827; he was a 
merchant of prominence in earlier days, but finally retired to a small 
grocery business in West Liberty, to pass the remainder of his life in 
usefulness.  His father was a farmer and pioneer of this county. 
      The subject of this sketch attended the common schools and then 
entered the West Liberty Normal School, from which he was graduated in 
1880.  He then attended a state normal school in Pennsylvania one year, 
and afterward returned to his native county, where he entered an 
institute in Wheeling.  He taught school for three years, and was then 
elected county engineer, by the Republican party, and served four 
years.  He next worked as a civil engineer in this county, until called 
to fill the unexpired term of the professor of mathematics in Linsly 
Institute, of Wheeling, an institution endowed by Noah Linsly, which 
has an enrollment of 150 pupils.  He then returned to his work as civil 
engineer.  In the meantime he was a student in Mount Union College two 
terms, and was graduated there.  In 1889, he took his degree from 
Bethlehem College, having taught school during these terms, to defray 
his expenses.  March 4, 1890, he accepted a position as chief clerk to 
the state superintendent of schools, at Charleston, on relinquishing 
which he assumed his present position. 
      Professor Bell was married on November 28, 1894, to Rose E. 
Berkett.  Her father, Robert Berkett, was born in Scotland and moved to 
England on the day of Queen Victoria's coronation.  He remained there a 
short time and then came to the United States.  He was taken with the 
gold fever in 1849, and crossed the plains to the gold fields.  He 
worked very hard and by close attention to business secured a 
competency and came back to this state to enjoy it.  He bought and 
improved land, and lived upon it until his death in July, 1892.  He 
married Nancy Brown, who was of Scotch descent, was born in 1825, and 
died in January, 1886.  Prof. and Mrs. Bell have three children, 
namely: Romaine Edna, born September 9, 1895; Richard B., who was born 
February 5, 1898, and died March 21, 1899; and Arthur Sheridan, born 
May 28, 1900.  In 1895, Professor Bell purchased a tract of 30 acres of 
land in the beautiful valley adjoining West Liberty, and erected a fine 
two-story house, consisting of nine rooms.  It is equipped with all 
modern conveniences, including baths, hot and cold water, and gas for 
fuel and light.  He utilizes a never-failing spring to supply every 
room in the house with water, and on a hill he also built a cistern, 
which is piped to the bath-room and kitchen.  As a location for the 
home, this place is unexcelled.  It is so situated that a view may be 
had of all roads leading to West Liberty.  In politics, Mr. Bell is a 
Republican.  Fraternally, he is a member of Welcome Lodge, No. 6, A. O. 
U. W., of West Liberty.  He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church.