00812.xml ROBERT MOWRY BELL: An Inventory of His Family Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society Finding aid prepared by J. Huebscher National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul, MN.

Manuscripts Collection

 Finding aid encoded by J. HuebscherDecember 2010 Finding aid written in English. OVERVIEW Minnesota Historical Society Bell, Robert Mowry, 1860-1931. Robert M. Bell and family papers. 1845-1933. Materials in English. Correspondence and diaries which describe the daily life and travels of Bell, a physician and free-lance writer, and various members of his family. Subjects include a trip to Mankato, Minnesota (1867); Bell's youth in Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minnesota (1872-1879); his life as a student at the University of Minnesota (1879-1883); family life in Leipzig, Germany (1901) and Ithaca, N.Y. (1903-1904); European travels (1873, 1888, 1900, and 1914); and visits to Japan and Hawaii (1928, 1933). 0.65 cu. ft. (2 boxes) P31: See Detailed Description for shelf locations. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Robert Mowry Bell was born in Pennsylvania in 1860, the son of Henry Rutgers and Martha (Irwin) Bell. The family moved to Minneapolis from Swissvale, Pennsylvania in 1875 and also lived near Sauk Centre in the 1870s and 1880s. He married Elizabeth (Mary) Kennedy, the daughter of James Kennedy. Bell graduated from the University of Minnesota, received a medical degree from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. from Leipzig University in Germany. He lectured at Clark College, Worcester, Massachusetts, and at Princeton University. He retired from the practice of medicine around 1913 and from that time until his death in 1931 he lived at Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota.

 CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: Children -- Diaries. Education -- Minnesota. Religion. Persons: Barr, John Henry. Barr, Katharine Kennedy, ca. 1863- Bell, Barbara, 1891-1964. Bell, Elizabeth Kennedy, ca. 1871- Bell, Henry Rutgers. Organizations: University of Minnesota. Places: Japan -- Description and travel. Hawaii -- Description and travel. Europe -- Description and travel. Germany -- Description and travel. Minneapolis (Minn.) Minnesota -- Social life and customs. Sauk Centre (Minn.) Document Types: Diaries. Occupations: Physicians. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Bell, Robert Mowry, Robert M. Bell and Family Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

 Accession Information:

Accession numbers: 10,075; 12,009; 12,273

 Processing Information:

Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Catalog ID number: 001717443

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION P31 1 Correspondence and other papers, undated; 1867-1933.

Primarily letters written by members of the Bell and Kennedy families. Most of the letters relate to visits to Europe and Asia made by members of the families. A genealogical chart is also included.

 Volume 1: Medical ledger, 1845-1853.

Includes data kept by Henry Rutgers Bell regarding visits to patients, medication prescribed, and fees charged.

 Volumes 2-3: Diaries, 1871-1872.

Includes entries of the daily activities of Robert Mowry Bell such as notes on school, sports, hunting, fishing, church services, and other events.

 Volume 4: Diary, August 1 - November 11, 1873.

Information regarding Robert M. Bell's trip to Britain, France, and Germany.

 Volumes 5-6: Journals, January 1, 1876 - February 13, 1883.

Robert M. Bell's daily entries on his activities in Sauk Centre and the University of Minnesota including school, sports, friends, lectures, church services, teaching, social life, and other events.

 Volume 7: Diary, November 7, 1890 - November 7, 1898.

Information regarding Robert M. Bell's time in Los Angeles including the weather, concerts, lectures, inventions, free-lance writing, and daily routines.

 Volume 8: Diary, January 20 - September 4, 1900.

John Barr, Jr's diary of his trip to Europe describing visits to Germany, Italy, France, Holland, and England.

 Volume 9: Diary, 1901.

Elizabeth K. Bell's diary from when the family lived in Leipzig, Germany. Includes entries regarding concerts and plays, books, church activities, visitors, weather, social life, and routine activities.

 Volume 10: Diary, January 1, 1903 - January 1, 1904.

Contains entries regarding Katharine L. Barr and her family in Ithaca, New York.

 Volume 11: Diary, January 15 - April 25, 1914.

An account of Katharine L. Barr's trip to Europe with her mother and brother Ernest.

 P31 2 Volume 12: Commonplace Book: "This and That," 1898-1909

A volume of writings by Robert M. Bell, mostly on religious topics.

 Volume 13: Diary, 1887-1889

An account of Carrie R. Kennedy's stay in Europe where she went in the company of Mrs. Bell and others.

 Volume 14: Diary, 1906 and 1928.

A chronicle of Barbara Bell's trip to Europe in the summer of 1906 and later entries from Minneapolis and Crystal Bay in 1928.