Casper Wister Bell

Background

Casper Wister was born on February 2, 1819, in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. Little is known of his youth.

Education

Casper graduated from William and Mary in 1837 and studied law at the University of Virginia.

Career

In 1843 Casper Bell emigrated to Brunswick, Chariton County, Missouri. He was a lawyer and eventually became a judge.

Bell also owned a newspaper in Brunswick. He was elected to the provisional Confederate Congress and to the first Confederate Congress from Brunswick.

In the first Congress, he served on the Medical Department and Military Affairs Committees and was chairman of the Patents Committee. He was a stickler for hospital efficiency and constantly introduced bills of inspection.

Also an associate of Governor Thomas Reynolds, Bell allowed John B. Clark to replace him in the second House. After the war, he returned to Missouri to his law practice. He practiced law in Brunswick with John Venable.

Achievements

• Casper Wister Bell was known as a Delegate from Missouri to the Confederate Provisional Congress from 1861 to 1862. He also was a Representative from Missouri in the Confederate Congress from 1862 to 1864.

Politics

At the beginning of Bell's career, he was a Whig, but in 1854 Carper became a Democrat and soon became a moderate supporter of secession.

A close associate of Henry Foote, he was staunchly anti-Davis.

Connections

Casper Bell had two children: Amelia and Caspar Winstar Bell.

Daughter:

Amelia Bell

1852-1858

Son:

Caspar Winstar Bell

1857-1886

Assosiate:

Henry Foote

References

• Biographical Dictionary of the Confederacy
  1977