From Blackburn to Bell
Jane E. Bell, before she was a Bell, was Blackburn. Upon doing research at the Fairfax Historic Archives, and looking at Bell’s will, it specified that L.E. Blackburn, who she left the property to, was her brother. L.E. Blackburn was born in Fairfax, and was a Fisherman.
Jane E Bell Will
Will of Jane E. Bell, where she notes all of her possessions are to go to her youngest brother, “L.E. Blackburn”
It is a possibility that Jaen E. Bell was a descendant of Edward Blackburn, who was in the same circle as George Washington. The family in which Jane E Bell descends from also was most likely free for a while. Ms. Bell married Robert E. Bell sometime around 1880. Jane E Bell owned property in Mount Vernon, Fairfax County, and in the records of the year 1893, it states “Improvements Made”, meaning she built a home on the property.
Jane E Bell "Improvements Made"
Pictured above is Jane E. Bell's land tax record from 1893. Photo courtesty of the Fairfax Historic Archives
What’s interesting is somewhere in the records, the one acre of land it originally said she bought, was changed to two. This is most likely due to human error. Because it states in those tax records that it is 2 acres, she was getting taxed for 2. In the deed of her buying the property, the land is described as “One acre, more or less”.
Jane E. Bell died in May of 1923, and her land was passed down the same year to her brother. It is unsure if she had children in the information from the census.
Anna Lopez