Compiled by Russell Bastedo
State Curator
1998

Governor John Bell 1828-1829. Bell (1765-1836) was born at Londonderry (NH). He entered state politics as a State Representative from Londonderry (served 1799-1800). A short time later Bell moved to Chester (NH), where he married (Persis Thom, December 25, 1803) and fathered ten children, the youngest of whom, Charles Henry, himself became Governor (served 1881-1883).

Bell was elected to the State Senate (served 1803-1804), and was appointed a Councillor (served 1817-1823) and Sheriff of Rockingham County (served 1823-1828). In 1828 Bell, an Adams Democrat, defeated Benjamin Pierce in the election for governor, 21,149 votes to 18,672 votes.

During his year in office Governor Bell promoted state experi- mentation in farming and agriculture, and state support for formal education in agriculture. A number of state manufacturing companies were incorporated during Bell's year in office, and the Exeter Savings Bank was chartered. Bell lost the 1829 gubernatorial election to former Governor Pierce.

Location: State House, Second Floor, Corridor, West Face, Beginning at Room 208
Portrait by U.D. Tenney, 1875, from a silhouette; Presented by Charles Henry Bell (1875)