With the recent passing of our mother, Lila Belle Walker Hartmann, family members have become interested in our “family crest”. We have a hand-painted picture of the crest made by Lila in 1973. The family name on the crest is “Bell”.
Lila studied graphic art in her college years, and in her early adult years utilized her skills working in an aircraft factory during the Korean War. In later years people paid Lila to do special graphic design projects for them. The “Bell” family crest picture is a project Lila did for personal reasons unfortunately not known to the remaining family.
Back in the early to mid-1960’s, Lila’s father, Joseph E. Walker, became very active in researching his genealogy through his own mother’s line back to the American Revolution. His purpose was for Lila to be able to join the DAR, Daughter’s of the American Revolution. Direct lineage needed to be established to an ancestor who was an active soldier during the American Revolution.
His mother’s name was “Annie Lila Bell” whom Lila was named after her. Lila may have added an “e” to her middle name “Belle” to distinguish it from her grand-mother’s name. It is through the “Bell” family line that the generations can be traced back to the Revolutionary War. Through great diligence, my grand-father did successfully connect the family line back to the Revolution and my mother joined the DAR in June 1966.
Through my own recent online research I have discovered there are many variations of “Bell” family crests, most incorporating bell images on the shield. No images have shown up that are the exact image of our “Bell” crest.
Now the family has questions that may never be answered…in particular, where did Lila get her inspiration for the crest’s composition, its colors and heraldic details? We understand the origin of the “Bell” name, and we know Lila did the art work, but no documents, references or personal notes have been found to help with our understanding of how this family crest was developed. Sadly with Lila’s passing, we may never know.
“NE CEDE MALIS” is Latin for “Yield not to misfortune”
My niece, Diane, followed in Lila’s (her Granny) footsteps of studying art in college and now works in Chicago in the graphic design field. Diane had not seen the “Bell” family crest until recently and personally connected with it. I will be reframing and giving Diane the “crest” picture…a gift of Lila’s artistic legacy continuing through her grand-daughter.
What a treasure! Your mom was very talented – like you, Cristy!
That is most interesting. Looking back and researching one’s family is exciting…and to go back to the American Revolution…wow. Do you know where the Bells came in and what they did?