Anthony and Nancy Bell's story is a remarkable one that speaks to the resilience and determination of enslaved people in America. Born into slavery in Virginia, they managed to escape and settle in Pennsylvania, where they eventually married and started a family. The couple had three children - Lucy, Joseph, and Ellen - while they lived in Pennsylvania. Anthony worked on a farm while Nancy worked as a housekeeper.
However, they still didn't feel safe in the United States and decided to move to Buxton, Ontario, in 1851. Anthony purchased 60 acres of land on Lot 10 on Concession 8, and they settled into their new home, where they farmed the land and raised their family. Over the years, they had seven more children - Margaret, Mary Jane, Hannah, James Richard, Nancy, and John.
Unfortunately, Anthony passed away in 1872, and a few years later, Nancy died of a severe cold in 1875. John was only five years old when he became an orphan, but fortunately, he was taken in and raised by their neighbors, the Stocktons. When John grew up, he married and remained in Raleigh for the rest of his life.
Lucy, the oldest daughter, married and moved to Michigan, where she had a daughter. Margaret, Ellen, and Hannah found work as servants in other people's homes and moved away from Buxton. James and Nancy went to live in Detroit with their older sister, Lucy. James worked as a dock hand, and Nancy found work as a domestic servant. Unfortunately, Hannah Bell passed away near Buxton while working as a servant.
In 1887, the Bell children sold the farm to Henry Stockton and moved away from Buxton for good. Despite the challenges they faced, the Bell family's story is an inspiring one of perseverance and determination in the face of adversity.