Essay Sample on Hiram Park Bell: An Iconic American Life

Introduction

Hiram Park Bell is an icon in American history, throughout his life both in the period of war and in the politics of America. The focus of this essay is the narration of Bell's life, marriage career and the events around the state, county, and world, during his life that might have influenced him.

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His father was named Joseph Scott, a resident of North Carolina, Guilford county. Hiram's mother named Rachel Phinazeee, a resident of Georgia, but with Irish descent. Hiram described his parents in a book as brought up in the newly found country after the Indians had disappeared. He described his father as high tempered, and with daring courage. According to Hiram, both of his parents had little education and had settled as farmers. They were devoted to the faith of God and were members of the Methodist church. Joseph was a church official, and the home was always open to visitors.

Hiram had five brothers and six sisters, all named after preachers, some of his brothers died at a younger age, while others like him lived throughout the 60 years of marriage of their parents, who later died separately. His father died at the new lands acquired later to the west upon the driving out of the Cherokees (Park). The Cherokees was a native Indian tribe that had slowly lost its battle against the assimilation by the western influence. They had been defeated in several warfares due to inferior weapons. They represent the native Indians who were the legitimate inhabitants of the United States of America before colonization. His mother died in September 1885, in Cummings Georgia at her daughter's place after attaining ninety years. He died nine years after his husband.

Career and Events That Shaped Hiram

Hiram Parks Bell taught in a school for two years before engaging himself in the studies of law. Upon his admission to the bar in Georgia, in 1849; he became an active lawyer. He practiced in Cumming Georgia.

Bell, joined politics when he engaged in the secession conventions. He was among the people voting against secession since it was not a logical idea. The southern states feared that the northern ones would secede, making the government want to unite them by applying force. He worked as a commissioner with the Tennessee state and represented Georgia during the formation of the confederacy of the south(Park)Bell served in the senate in the year 1861 but later had to resign to join the army as a captain of the confederate states army. During the period of the war, he was promoted to the ranks of the lieutenant and finally a colonel. Years later after the end of the war, he was back to the Georgian politics, where he served as a representative in the second confederate congress in 1864 until the following year(Hildebrand and John)His active political life was witnessed after the war. He started serving as a democratic state executive committee, then as a democratic representative in the United States Congress to represent Georgia in the 43rd congress and finally serving as a delegate to the Democratic convention. A post he served twice. He served at the peak of his political career at the national congress before losing the seat in the year 1878. Bell died in 1907 and was buried at a cemetery in Cumming Atlanta Georgia.

The events that were happening at his state and around him during his childhood might have possibly influenced him to choose the leadership pathway. He grew up during the period of renaissance and unlike his parents, there was a great need for people to engage in formal education. His parents were farmers and had little education. The fact that he grew up in farmland gave him the industrious drive, which was his nature throughout his life. He valued hard work and dignity; hence his service as a captain in the confederate states army. He was promoted to the rank of a colonel due to the leadership skills that he had acquired during his earlier time as a child from his parents. Growing up in a Christian environment, and the Christian culture, he was forced to follow made him disciplined enough to handle leadership roles. His parents were a good model, persevering and caring (Bell). The experience living with the Cherokees might have influenced his belief in justice for the suffering that people had to endure in the hands of a biased system.

The events in the country were political and growing civil tension. There was pressure between the confederate states and the federal union. During his time as a student, the most common subjects were probably law and governance because there was little understanding of how the United States could stay intact without engaging in violence. There was little concern about economic development and the majority of people lived on the farm produce .People were faced with the issues of setting up governing laws and establishing territories. Bell must have gained interest in governance and felt like representing his people at Georgia, who at that time like his parents had little knowledge about their legal rights due to poor education. He chose to stop supporting the move against secession after he learned the consequences would involve the use of force by the government to reunite the country. The use of force would hurt his people and he was so scared. His knowledge of the law was helpful to his people.

During that time, there was likely a political tension, and pressure on the federal government of the United States to go into war with the states that had separated itself from the country and upheld slavery. There were campaigns from churches and lobby groups exerting pressure on America to act immediately. Bell might have joined the army because of the mounting pressure both from the residents of the Confederate states and the outside world.

Being a soldier during that time might have been difficult. The war was enormous and there was likely forceful conscription of young men into the army. The battlefield which marked the start of the war is reported to have been extremely large and stretched from Virginia to Missouri a distance of 1200 miles(Watkins, Sharon, and Clara)Being a state doctor during the period was also difficult, because of the number of casualties from the war. There was overworking in hospitals and depletion of drugs and first aid equipment. It is reported that the number of soldiers who died in the internal conflict was twice as many as the number of soldiers who had died in any other wars in external aggressions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Colonel Hiram Bell was influenced by his background and the religious experiences surrounding him. The period of renaissance in his country made the subjects of law and governance a compulsory tool for survival in a state that faced secession it was important to understand the consequence of choosing aside. Bell lived a life filled with responsibilities and the need to be the light for the upcoming generations, as far as political choices were concerned. Bell Street was named after him in Atlanta Georgia.

Works Cited

Bell, Hiram Parks. Men and Things. Press of the Foote & Davies Company, 1907.

Hildebrand, John R. "True Friends of the Confederacy." (2017).

Park, H. (1827). SIGNATURE BELL. Summing.GA.

Watkins, Sharon B., and Clara B. Cox. "The Smithfield Review, vol. 21-Index." (2017).