HISTORY OF BELL COUNTY.

Waco: Texian Press, 1966. xxiii,425pp. Index. Edited by Charles W. Ramsdell. Frontis. portrait of the author. Illustrations. Notes. Folding maps (2). Red cloth with title in black ink on the cover and spine. Second edition, issued in 1971, is an exact facsimile of the 1936 first edition. Bright, fine copy. J. Frank Dobie (speaking of the first): “This large carefully assembled volume contains a great deal of information relating to subjects stretching far beyond Bell County.” George W. Tyler was a historian, lawyer, and judge in Bell County. He retired from the practice of law to devote more time to this history. At the time of his death in 1927 some of his writings were incomplete and in the form of rough notes. Professor Ramsdell revised and condensed the manuscript and in several instances completed the narrative. The book is divided into three parts. The first, “Robertson’s Colony & Early Milam County, 1827 – 1850” contains six chapters. There is information on the Nashville or Roberson Colony, the first settlements along Little River, the Texas Revolution, troubles with the Indians on Little River and Milam County from 1837 – 1843, advance of Milam County frontier, 1843 – 1850, and residents of Bell County in 1850. The second section  contains material on the organization of Bell County , its early growth, Indian raids, Frontier Rangers, and the role of Bell County in the Civil War and Reconstruction. The final part, “Maturity & Material Progress” covers the period from 1874 to the end of World War I. This section deals with the return to self-government, lawlessness in the county, cattle drives through Bell County, arrival of barbed wire, spread of farming, the continued development of the county, private educational institutions, impact of World War I, and business, civic and fraternal organizations. In compiling his book, Tyler relied heavily on early written records, interviews with early settlers, and his own personal observations. The result is a comprehensive, well-written account of the history of Bell County.