Obituaries Australia

It is our melancholy duty to record the death of Mr. Thomas Bell, of Waterstown, which occurred on Thursday night last. The intelligence was received in town yesterday morning with much surprise, as the deceased gentleman had been in Ipswich no later than Friday the 8th ultimo, and then appeared to be in his accustomed health, with the exception of a cold of which he had complained for some days previously. On Monday morning, however, he became seriously ill, and was attended by Dr. Rowlands. He was then suffering from inflammation of the glands of the neck, and experienced a difficulty in taking food. The inflammation subsequently left the neck and settled upon the chest, and these unfavourable symptoms were followed by congestion of the lungs. Mr. Bell suffered from Monday morning to Thursday evening, when he began to sink very rapidly, and at half-past 10 o'clock he died without a struggle. He was conscious to the last, and knew the members of his family, several of whom were present, amongt them his sons—the Hon. J. P. Bell and the Hon. Alexander Bell. The deceased, who was seventy-four years of age, is supposed to have had his death accelerated by over-exertion in his efforts to extinguish a bush fire a short time ago, which threatened to burn his residence at Waterstown, when he was very much heated and afterwards sat down and became chilled. Mr. Bell was a native of the Province of Ulster, and was one of the very earliest settlers in the Darling Downs district, having purchased and stocked Jimbour, one of the largest and in his hands one of the best conducted stations on the Downs, in the year 1846. He was much respected and beloved by all classes, and his loss will be felt by several of the oldest colonists, as well as by many in needy circumstances who will miss his charitable disposition. He was noted for his benevolence and liberality; he always took a very prominent part in every matter of charity, and was one of the prime movers in the foundation of the Ipswich Hospital, in the affairs of which he ever afterwards took the deepest interest. He was a man of wonderful energy, was possessed of a great amount of natural rigour, and to the very last he managed his extensive business affairs. Mr. Bell's horse and buggy, which appeared in town every morning at an early business hour, with such regularity as to have been commonly termed the "town clock,' will now be missed by many who were in the habit of looking out for it almost as much as for the mail. The funeral is to take place this afternoon, leaving Waterstown at 8 o'clock.