Transcript of January 20, 1881 Oakland Tribune article titled: "An Orphan's Millions"
"...her husband is estimated to be worth forty million dollars. Mr. Bell came East with his wife, transacted some business in New York, and immediately returned to San Francisco. He is a man fifty-five years of age, but looks much younger, and a most kind, indulgent husband, as well as he may be, with his vast wealth. He is largely interested in mines, and a thorough business man. When Mrs. Bell travels she has her special car and everything benefitting her wealth; she does not hesitate to hire special train if she desires it. Her wardrobe is simply immense" - "The Auburnian" as published in the Oakland Tribune
AN ORPHAN'S MILLIONS A High Spirited Girl's Rise from Poverty to Affluence. Auburnian.
About twenty eight years ago, two sisters, Theresa and Kate Cleggen, were left orphans in Auburn. Theresa, the subject of this sketch, at five years old was given a home by Mrs. John Tibbels, a well-to-do widow, living on the Sennett road, and on the farm now known as the Cadawalader place, and celebrated for its famous dairy. Kate, the older sister, was kindly cared for by Dr. Humphrey, who then lived in Auburn, and afterwards removed to New York, taking the girl with him.
After the widow Tibbel's death, and when little Theresa was nine or ten years old, she was regularly adopted by Mrs. John Harris, a daughter of Mrs. Tibbels. Theresa was an active, pretty girl, and a favorite with everyone. She had vein of romance and was fond of sensational stories. She lived on the old homestead at the Cadawalader place until she was fifteen years old. Mr. Harris died, and the widow married a Mr. Bigelow, which greatly incensed the adopted daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Bigelow removed to Wisconsin, the little girl did. not accompany them, but made her home with sisters of her adopted mother. Mrs. Aaron McKissick and Mrs. Charles Pomeroy, both of this city, and by both these families was treated most kindly and as tenderly as their own child.
Her sister Kate, in the meantime, had married, and with her husband gone to New York, where Theresa went to her and obtained employment of a former townsman. Dr. Humphrey in putting up his homeopathic specific medicines. Not long after she became acquainted with a Mr. Percy; and they were married. Though comparatively a poor man, he went into the commission business, both worked hard, economized and did well. They moved to San Francisco, and through great energy in the golden State, made a great deal of money.
Nine years ago she and her husband came out from California to Auburn and stopped two days at the St. James, and made hurried visits to Mrs. Charles Pomeroy and Mrs. McKissick and then returned home.
Mr. Percy not long after died leaving no children but a large property. After remaining single several years, she married Mr. Thomas Bell a prominent and very wealthy banker of San Francisco. They now have two children, and one more by adoption. The youngest child a girl three years of age remains at home with her father, also the adopted child. Her little son five years old is with her. She travels with a nurse, a maid, and a man servant or valet, who has been in the Bell family for many years. Mrs. Bell spent the summer in Europe two years apo. On her arrival in New York in December, 1878. she stopped at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and placed forty thousand dollars' worth of diamonds in the safe, taking a receipt for the same. The next day the diamonds were stolen, an account of which appeared in New York papers at that time. She took the first train for San Francisco, in her own private coach. She held the hotel responsible for the diamonds and received pay for the same. Mrs. Bell in her remarkable prosperity and wealth, does not forget the friends of her youth, who were so kind to her then, and not only the families of Mrs. McKissick and her sister, Mrs. Colonel Charles Pomeroy, but of their children and grandchildren have received and are constantly receiving princely presents. Last winter she sent to each of the above, most beautiful and costly presents, such as dresses, fur and silk cloaks, suits, etc., all of which were made to order in Paris by Worth. These presents are estimated to have cost not less than $7,000 to $8,000 in Paris. A $1,200 cloak she sent for Mrs. Pomeroy's daughter, wife of W. H. Meaker, but it was received when that estimable lady was in her last illness, and was never even tried on. Mrs. Bell has now been several weeks at the Osborne House, and is counted a great bonanza here in Auburn. She recently, in company with Mrs. Pomeroy and Mrs. McKissick, visited the old homestead on the Sennett Road, where was spent her youth, and was very enthusiastic in relating incidents of her childhood's days - how such a tree she had "climbed a thousand times," the cherries on such a tree "the best she ever ate." Since Mrs. Bell came on this visit to Auburn, she has purchased everything that she could possibly imagine that her friends whom she came to see, would be pleased with, and has paid off mortgage and debts for her friends Has been to Wells College and made arrangements to educate several of the children at her own expense, and will take some of these friends traveling with her to Saratoga, the seaside, and also to Europe. She makes no new acquaintances here and receives no company except those whom she came to visit. Her meals are all served in her suite of four rooms at the Osborne House. The only occasion when she has been seen in the public dining room, was when she gave a private wine party. The number of guests was eleven, Mrs. Charles Pomeroy, Mrs. McKissick, W. H. Meeker and his children. Charles Pomeroy, and two or three whose name were not learned. The special bill of fare was all that money could buy; seven kinds of meat and courses, California trout, tropical fruits, etc, etc.; several hours were required to discuss it. The bill was $150 for the dinner. Some people are utterly astonished at the lavish expenditure of Mrs. Bell, but in proportion to her wealth, it is not extravagant. She owns, in her own right, from ten to fifteen millions, and her husband is estimated to be worth forty million dollars. Mr. Bell came East with his wife, transacted some business in New York, and immediately returned to San Francisco. He is a man fifty-five years of age, but looks much younger, and a most kind, indulgent husband, as well as he may be, with his vast wealth. He is largely interested in mines, and a thorough business man. When Mrs. Bell travels she has her special car and everything benefitting her wealth; she does not hesitate to hire special train if she desires it. Her wardrobe is simply immense. She has just received ten dresses made to order in Paris by Worth. These are all for breakfast and evening wear. One of them is entirely of point lace and said to have cost $25,000, one fan cost $500, a parasol $400; even a boot hook has a diamond setting. Mrs. Bell is very bright, vivacious woman, and apparently enjoys life to the uttermost, rides out nearly every day in landau, and pays for its exclusive use, and has attended the First Presbyterian Church every Sabbath since her advent here. Mrs. Bell leaves within a day or two for Saratoga and Long Branch, and will return to Auburn in August or September, and leave for Europe in October.
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About twenty eight years ago, two sisters, Theresa and Kate Cleggen, were left orphans in Auburn. Theresa, the subject of this sketch, at five years old was given a home by Mrs. John Tibbels, a well-to-do widow, living on the Sennett road, and on the farm now known as the Cadawalader place, and celebrated for its famous dairy. Kate, the older sister, was kindly cared for by Dr. Humphrey, who then lived in Auburn, and afterwards removed to New York, taking the girl with him.
After the widow Tibbel's death, and when little Theresa was nine or ten years old, she was regularly adopted by Mrs. John Harris, a daughter of Mrs. Tibbels. Theresa was an active, pretty girl, and a favorite with everyone. She had vein of romance and was fond of sensational stories. She lived on the old homestead at the Cadawalader place until she was fifteen years old. Mr. Harris died, and the widow married a Mr. Bigelow, which greatly incensed the adopted daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Bigelow removed to Wisconsin, the little girl did. not accompany them, but made her home with sisters of her adopted mother. Mrs. Aaron McKissick and Mrs. Charles Pomeroy, both of this city, and by both these families was treated most kindly and as tenderly as their own child.
Her sister Kate, in the meantime, had married, and with her husband gone to New York, where Theresa went to her and obtained employment of a former townsman. Dr. Humphrey in putting up his homeopathic specific medicines. Not long after she became acquainted with a Mr. Percy; and they were married. Though comparatively a poor man, he went into the commission business, both worked hard, economized and did well. They moved to San Francisco, and through great energy in the golden State, made a great deal of money.
Nine years ago she and her husband came out from California to Auburn and stopped two days at the St. James, and made hurried visits to Mrs. Charles Pomeroy and Mrs. McKissick and then returned home.
Mr. Percy not long after died leaving no children but a large property. After remaining single several years, she married Mr. Thomas Bell a prominent and very wealthy banker of San Francisco. They now have two children, and one more by adoption. The youngest child a girl three years of age remains at home with her father, also the adopted child. Her little son five years old is with her. She travels with a nurse, a maid, and a man servant or valet, who has been in the Bell family for many years. Mrs. Bell spent the summer in Europe two years apo. On her arrival in New York in December, 1878. she stopped at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and placed forty thousand dollars' worth of diamonds in the safe, taking a receipt for the same. The next day the diamonds were stolen, an account of which appeared in New York papers at that time. She took the first train for San Francisco, in her own private coach. She held the hotel responsible for the diamonds and received pay for the same. Mrs. Bell in her remarkable prosperity and wealth, does not forget the friends of her youth, who were so kind to her then, and not only the families of Mrs. McKissick and her sister, Mrs. Colonel Charles Pomeroy, but of their children and grandchildren have received and are constantly receiving princely presents. Last winter she sent to each of the above, most beautiful and costly presents, such as dresses, fur and silk cloaks, suits, etc., all of which were made to order in Paris by Worth. These presents are estimated to have cost not less than $7,000 to $8,000 in Paris. A $1,200 cloak she sent for Mrs. Pomeroy's daughter, wife of W. H. Meaker, but it was received when that estimable lady was in her last illness, and was never even tried on. Mrs. Bell has now been several weeks at the Osborne House, and is counted a great bonanza here in Auburn. She recently, in company with Mrs. Pomeroy and Mrs. McKissick, visited the old homestead on the Sennett Road, where was spent her youth, and was very enthusiastic in relating incidents of her childhood's days - how such a tree she had "climbed a thousand times," the cherries on such a tree "the best she ever ate." Since Mrs. Bell came on this visit to Auburn, she has purchased everything that she could possibly imagine that her friends whom she came to see, would be pleased with, and has paid off mortgage and debts for her friends Has been to Wells College and made arrangements to educate several of the children at her own expense, and will take some of these friends traveling with her to Saratoga, the seaside, and also to Europe. She makes no new acquaintances here and receives no company except those whom she came to visit. Her meals are all served in her suite of four rooms at the Osborne House. The only occasion when she has been seen in the public dining room, was when she gave a private wine party. The number of guests was eleven, Mrs. Charles Pomeroy, Mrs. McKissick, W. H. Meeker and his children. Charles Pomeroy, and two or three whose name were not learned. The special bill of fare was all that money could buy; seven kinds of meat and courses, California trout, tropical fruits, etc, etc.; several hours were required to discuss it. The bill was $150 for the dinner. Some people are utterly astonished at the lavish expenditure of Mrs. Bell, but in proportion to her wealth, it is not extravagant. She owns, in her own right, from ten to fifteen millions, and her husband is estimated to be worth forty million dollars. Mr. Bell came East with his wife, transacted some business in New York, and immediately returned to San Francisco. He is a man fifty-five years of age, but looks much younger, and a most kind, indulgent husband, as well as he may be, with his vast wealth. He is largely interested in mines, and a thorough business man. When Mrs. Bell travels she has her special car and everything benefitting her wealth; she does not hesitate to hire special train if she desires it. Her wardrobe is simply immense. She has just received ten dresses made to order in Paris by Worth. These are all for breakfast and evening wear. One of them is entirely of point lace and said to have cost $25,000, one fan cost $500, a parasol $400; even a boot hook has a diamond setting. Mrs. Bell is very bright, vivacious woman, and apparently enjoys life to the uttermost, rides out nearly every day in landau, and pays for its exclusive use, and has attended the First Presbyterian Church every Sabbath since her advent here. Mrs. Bell leaves within a day or two for Saratoga and Long Branch, and will return to Auburn in August or September, and leave for Europe in October.
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