H.B. Bell and Violet Watson Collection

Collection — Box: A4

Identifier: KHC-6

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The majority of the items in this collection relate to Hamilton “Ham” Bell, documenting various elements of his life, such as his Elephant Livery Stable, his role as Ford County Sheriff, and his automobile company and ambulance service. Many items also relate to the later years of his life in the 1930s and 1940s, documenting Kansas Pioneer Picnic events, The Last Round Up and other events honoring and commemorating Bell’s life and work in Dodge City. As a collection largely assembled by Violet Watson, many documents also relate to her life and work with H.B. Bell. She also collected several funeral programs of early Dodge City residents that she knew. Furthermore, there are items relating to Bell's involvement in the Welfare League, as well as items related to Willis Watson, Violet Watson's father. The collection contains photographs, newspapers and newspaper clippings, letters, pamphlets, magazines, and other written documents.

Dates

Creation: 1892 - 1966

Creator

Bell, H.B. (Hamilton Butler), 1853-1947 (Person)
Watson, Violet, 1888-1981 (Person)

Biographical / Historical

Hamilton Bell (also frequently known as Ham Bell or H.B. Bell) was born on July 31, 1853 in Washington County, Maryland and died on April 4, 1947 at the age of 93 in Dodge City, Kansas. Bell moved west to Kansas in 1872, and he worked in Lawrence, Abilene, Ellsworth, and Great Bend before moving to Dodge City in 1874. In Great Bend, Bell served as deputy. In Dodge City, Bell opened up the “Elephant Livery Stable,” which became the biggest livery stable in in the city. Bell set out upon many different endeavors in Dodge City, however, and also owned a furniture store and mortuary business, a dance hall on Front Street, and he owned the first automobile dealership in Southwest Kansas. Bell also created an ambulance service, which introduced the first motorized ambulance and hearse in Dodge City. In 1880, Bell was appointed deputy U.S. marshal of Dodge City, a position which he held for twelve years, and was elected sheriff of Ford County in 1888. Bell served as sheriff until 1910, where he became the head of the Dodge City Police Department. Bell also served two terms as mayor of Dodge City and two terms as a Ford County Commissioner.

Violet Zoa Watson was born on May 28, 1888 in Lawrence, Kansas. In 1890, Watson moved to Kansas City, Missouri with her parents, and around 1899 they moved again to Carrollton, Missouri. In 1903, Violet Watson and her family moved to Dodge City, Kansas. Watson attended the Third Ward School in Dodge City, and in 1905 she worked for the Coolidge-Smith Abstract Company. Watson began working for the H.B. Bell Land and Automobile Company in 1910 and continued working there until her retirement in 1947. By the time of her retirement, Watson was employed as assistant manager of the Bell Company. Violet Watson was a member of the First United Methodist Church, a 50-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, a member of the Old Timers Club, a member of the Ford County Historical Society, and a member of the Ford County Golden Age Club. Violet Watson died on February 15, 1981 at the age of 92. In her capacity as an assistant manager for Hamilton Bell, Watson collected many documents related to his work and life.