Willis Milton Boutwell Bell was born June 1, 1902 in his parent's home located at 652 Watertown Dr., Newtonville, MA. In the month of January 1923, Willis married Sarah Eleanor Teasdale (born on Oct. 9, 1903 to Thomas Christopher Teasdale and Jean Mackenzie). They quickly moved to Detroit, MI where he worked for an automaker.

Their first son Willis Harrison Bell was born in Detroit on July 22, 1924 (died Dec. 17, 1987). They later moved to Los Angeles, CA where Willis M.B. Bell worked as a salesman in the Men's Dept. at May Company. On December 20, 1926 their second son, Charles Allen Bell II (my dad) was born at the Maternity Cottage in Los Angeles. Willis and Sarah later got a divorce. Willis stayed in California and Sarah took the boys back to Massachusetts where they lived with Sarah's sister and brother-in-law. The 1930 Census shows Sarah and the boys living with the Clarence H. Chaison (brother-in-law) and Lillian J. (sister) and their children in MA. The 1930 Census shows Willis as a lodger in CA.

Sarah got remarried to Hervey Heywood and for one reason or another, the two boys where sent back to live with their father and new step-mother (Edna Babb) in California in1933. When they arrived in 1933, Willis H. Bell was 9yrs old and my day Charlie was 6yrs old. Willis M. B. Bell and Edna never had other children. It appears that Willis, Edna and their two boys joined the LDS Church in 1935.

See Willis M.B. Bell's baptismal certificate>

My dad (Charlie) never saw his mother Sarah again until after WWII when his ship stopped in Boston in 1947 after he finish officer's school. He went to visit his mom and step brothers (Don, Bob and Stewart).

View additional images of Willis, Edna (Babb) Bell and sons Will and Charlie>

My farther married my mom Darlene Cosby (born May 24, 1928 to John Robert Cosby and Cora Snow Wright) on January 31, 1948. Charlie and Darlene had three children: Diane Marie (b: Oct 8, 1955, d: May 18, 1996), Roger Allen Bell (me) and Robert Willis Bell (living). The children were raised at 1775 W. Crone Ave., Anaheim, California and after retirement moved to Lindon, UT. My mother Darlene or Darlyne as she like to spell it, died Oct 18, 2000.

Note on three of Edward's children: Anna and Mary only show up on personal family records, but not on any census records. It's assumed they both died at a very young age. Frank, their oldest son died on September 25, 1918 of an illness. He was 30 yrs old when he died.
Correction: The 1930 Federal Census has Willis Harrison Bell list as Willis M.B. Bell. At the time Willis was living with in-laws who probably assumed he was named after his father Willis Milton Boutwell Bell and reported it incorrectly. His middle name was Harrison, which was his grandfather's middle name.

Five Generations of Bells