Infant Son of Mable Bell

White male, stillborn 6 July 1935 at Pensacola Hospital, Pensacola, FL. His mother was Mable Bell of Flomaton, AL. The father was listed as “Don’t Know” on the death certificate, though there may have been reasons other than ignorance for not naming the father. The informant was Mable Bell. Her birthplace was also listed as “Don’t Know.” The child was buried at the Escambia County Poor Farm cemetery.

Mable Bell was born on 12 August 1914 in Alabama, probably Escambia County. Her parents were Miley Bell and Ruthie Ross Bell, married in Escambia County, Alabama on 8 November 1906. According to Miley’s World War I Draft Registration, he was born in Escambia County, AL on 9 February 1888. In 1917 he lived in Flomaton and worked as a section hand for Alger-Sullivan Lumber Co. He was of medium height and medium build, with brown hair and brown eyes, and he had broken his right shoulder twice. Ruthie was born in Alabama about June 1891 in Alabama, the daughter of Charles Ross of Austria and Nancy Ross of Alabama. [Nancy’s 1936 death certificate seems to indicate her maiden name was Moye.]

I have not yet located Mable’s family in the 1920 U.S. Census. Her parents and older brother appear in the 1910 census for Canoe, Escambia County, AL. Miley Bell was 20 years old, born in Alabama of two parents born in Alabama. He was literate, rented his home, and worked at odd jobs. His wife, Ruthie, was 17 and they had been married for three years. She was born in Alabama of a father born in Europe and a mother born in Alabama. Webster was one month old, born in Alabama.

In the 1930 census for Flomaton, AL, Mable appeared in the household of her mother, Ruthie, who was 30 years old and had been married since the age of 15. Ruthie was literate but had no occupation. She was born in Alabama as was her mother; her father was born in Austria. Also in the household were eldest son Webster, 18 years old and single. He was born in Alabama; he was literate and worked as a common laborer at odd jobs. Mable was 15 years old at the time, born in Alabama. She was literate and was in school. Youngest child Lizzie was 11 years old, born in Alabama.

In the 1935 Florida State census for Flomaton, AL, the head of the household was Miley Bell, 36 years old. He was born in Alabama, had a 6th grade education, and worked as a laborer. He rented his home. Ruthie was listed only as “Mrs. Miley Bell,” 46 years old, with no education and no occupation.  Mable was 18 with a 2nd grade education; Isabell (“Lizzie” from 1930) was 17 with a 3rd grade education. Webster was 22 years old and married; he had a 5th grade education and worked as a carpenter. His wife, identified only as “Mrs. Webster Bell” was 22, was born in Florida, and had a 6th grade education.

Mable married Tom Cofield, Jr. on 29 January 1936 in Escambia County, Florida. They appear in the 1940 census for Century, Florida. Tom was 25 years old, born in Florida. He had a 2nd grade education and worked as a laborer on a WPA road construction project. Mable was 20, with a 3rd grade education and had no occupation. Two children shared the household: Bruce, 3 years old, born in Florida; and Harry, 1, born in Florida.

Mable appeared in the 1945 State census of Florida for Flomaton, AL. Tom was 35 years old, had a 4th grade education and worked as a laborer. Mable was 32, had a 2nd grade education and worked as a housewife. The children in the household were Bruce (7), Harry (6), Clarence (3), Billy (2), and Richard (5 mos.). The census indicated everyone in the family was born in Florida.

Mabel died in Santa Rosa County, FL on 13 November 1993 at the age of 79. The Pensacola News Journal gave her residence as Jay, FL, but Social Security records give her last address as Century. She is buried in Flomaton Cemetery, next to her husband, who passed in 2005.

FAMILY:

Mother: Mable Bell Cofield

Father: Not named

Siblings: Bennie Harrison (“Harry”) Cofield, Bruce Cofield, Billy James Cofield, Richard Clint Cofield, Clarence Cofield

Grandparents: Miley Bell, Ruthie Ross Bell

Great-grandparents: Charles Ross, Nancy Moye Ross

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SOURCES:

Florida Certificate of Death, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Tenth census of the state of Florida, 1935; (Microfilm series S 5, 30 reels); Record Group 001021; State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida. Ancestry.com. Florida, U.S., State Census, 1867-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

Ancestry.com. Florida, U.S., Marriage Indexes, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.