The Bell Family
Founder: Dimitrei Bell (1556-1610), second son of Hudde Bell
Station: Serf
Occupation: Farmer
Important Life Event: Became Plant Sim
First Wife: Lucy Lytton (1562-1601)
Second Wife: Ellen Coffyn (1575-?)
Heir: Daniel Bell
Sons: Morris Bell
Daughters: Mary Bell Rowe, Christina Bell, Margery Bell
Station: Serf
Occupation: Farmer
Important Life Event: Became Plant Sim
First Wife: Lucy Lytton (1562-1601)
Second Wife: Ellen Coffyn (1575-?)
Heir: Daniel Bell
Sons: Morris Bell
Daughters: Mary Bell Rowe, Christina Bell, Margery Bell
Fall 1590-1594
Dimitrei met Lucy Lytton quite accidentally one day as he was fishing in his father's pond and wondering if he should take a mate. Lucy immediately took a liking to Dimitrei and overlooked telling him that she was already married to Oliver Lytton and had two nearly grown children with him. Her marriage had gone sour, and she wanted another chance at a happy life. Dimitrei, young and fun loving, seemed the perfect man to make her happy.
Dimitrei and Lucy were wed in 1591, after a breakup with Oliver Lytton. Soon, they welcomed their first child, a boy, whom they named Daniel. Jane Lytton, Lucy's daughter with Oliver came to stay with her and provided a lot of help with the new baby. Dimitrei's first tomato crop turned out passably well and he made a few dollars from it, which he used to add on to the house and to turn over more ground in anticipation of spring. Spring 1600-1604
The Spring dawned with a shock for the Bell family: patriarch Hudde Bell had been struck down by lightning and died shortly thereafter due to a combination of age and fatigue. It was hard blow to Dimitrei and he mourned bitterly, but the inheritance of $5,000 did help to plant the spring crop. Early in 1601, Lucy began to suspect she was pregnant again, and soon her suspicions were confirmed as her belly widened and her cheeks glowed. Later that year, she gave birth to Reynard, her fourth child, a boy. Reynard was a vigorous baby, and everyone overjoyed at his arrival, since another boy meant extra help on the farm. However, their joy was short lived, as only days after Reynard's birth, Lucy took to her bed with a high fever, and was quickly carried away with it. Dimitrei was devastated by the loss of his wife, but knew he needed a wet nurse for Reynard. Unfortunately, none were to be found, and Reynard's healthy glow withered as he nearly starved.
Ellen Coffyn applied for the position of nanny, and her help was dearly appreciated. Even Mary, Daniel and Christine seemed to like her. In 1602, Dimitrei wed Ellen in a quiet ceremony. Later that year, Ellen gave birth to twins Morris and Margery, a sickly pair of infants who did not look as though they would live the week out. Sadly, Reynard did not survive infancy. Late one evening, Dimitrei found him passed away near his mother's grave. He looked like a sleeping angel, but he would never wake more to this hard world of troubles. Though everyone was saddened at the loss of Reynard, there was little time to mourn. In 1604, everyone fell ill with the plague. Dimitrei refused to slow down, knowing that the crops in the field were all that stood between his struggling family and starvation. In fits of fever and delirium, he lay between the rows of tender young plants and dreamt of happier times, and places faraway. Daniel and Christina tried to help as much as they could, but it was clear that the strain was more than their frail bodies could bear, and everyday Christina worsened. Mary spent most of her days indoors with the twins Morris and Margery and tended the house as Ellen sickened. These were the hardest times for the Bell family. The only joy was the pending union of dear Jane with Cecil Vawdrey. They wed in 1605 and found their own little plot of land. Summer 1605-1609
The summer proved harder than the Spring, though no one could have foreseen it. Severe drought forced everyone to stay in the garden for long hours every day to keep the plants alive. Christina nearly died of heat exhaustion and illness and was finally bedridden entirely, as was the whole family, except for Dimitrei who refused to hear reason. In 1607, Ellen gave birth again to a boy, a fiesty, but strong infant, whom she named John. She surprised everyone by recovering quickly from the birth, the added bedrest of which seemed to help her get over the plague as well. By 1609, everyone but Dimitrei was nearly well and ready to feel the sunshine on their faces once more. Mary tried to keep up with the toddlers Morris and Margery and taught them nursery rhymes, but neither were interested in learning to talk and were too distractable and cranky to focus on walking lessons for more than a few minutes at a time.
It had been years since Dimitrei had had any contact with his brothers and was aching for any knowledge that might be had of Col or Ellis. Sadly, his searches revealed that Ellis, who had always been a burly fellow, had died suddenly of a heart attack the previous year, and that his young wife was imprisoned. Though he asked every passerby of news of Col, he heard nothing of his older brother's situation. |
Winter 1595-1599
The first winter passed in peaceful joy as baby Daniel grew to toddlerhood and was welcomed in 1596 by a sister, Mary, and again in 1599 by a second sister, Christine. Though the ground was hard and cold, and the pond froze over early, there was plenty to eat, thanks to the abundant fish Dimitrei had caught over the summer months. Little seemed to threaten the happiness of the Bell clan. Even Jane had begun to settle in and feel at home again after her anger at her mother and father began to subside. Life was hard, but joyful.
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The Bell Family
Head of Household: Daniel Bell (1592-?)
Station: Serf
Occupation: Farmer
Profile: Daniel is a Neutral Fortune sim who is very loyal to Lord Peter, believing him to be the rightful ruler of Warwickshire. He became the Head of the Bell Household in 1610 when father Dimitrei Bell died of the plague complicated by old age.
Station: Serf
Occupation: Farmer
Profile: Daniel is a Neutral Fortune sim who is very loyal to Lord Peter, believing him to be the rightful ruler of Warwickshire. He became the Head of the Bell Household in 1610 when father Dimitrei Bell died of the plague complicated by old age.
Fall 1610-1614
Early in 1610, Dimitrei awoke feeling strangely like himself again, and thought he might be recovering, but his judgment was too soon. He relapsed later that year and died in a coughing fit. Everyone was devastated, but there was little time to mourn him, as young John died suddenly in a hail storm in 1611. With the death of her dear husband and youngest son, Ellen arranged for Morris and Margery, who were both Romance sims, to enter the monastery and convent respectively where they could receive an education and a solid home. She left the farm to Daniel, where she'd spent so many years in illness and sorrow, and wed her friend of many years, Adam Fitzwilliam, whose offer of marriage came practically on the day of John's demise. Though Daniel and his sisters were surprised, he realized it was time he begin thinking of a family of his own to carry on the Bell name. Mary shared his conviction and accepted a proposal of marriage from Thomas Rowe, soon giving birth to a son of her own, Phillip Rowe, in 1614. Christina, who attended the birth, decided her lifepath was not marriage but knowledge, and began a study of herblore and womancraft to become Warwickshire's local midwife.
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Winter 1615-1619
In the winter, Daniel had hoped to wed dear little Esmer Saville, a union he had much anticipated and worked toward. Throughout the fall, Daniel and Esmer had made elaborate plans for the farm and how to improve its productivity, and she spent may long afternoons at the Bell farm, helping with the harvest. One day, she did not arrive at her usual hour, however, and Daniel wondered if she might have fallen ill. When days, and finally weeks passed, Daniel called on her father Edmond to see if he could discover her whereabouts. Perhaps her heart had changed, and she had married another village lad. After much searching, he finally found Edmond leading a new life, married to the village temptress Susan Miller, and doting proudly on a new young daughter. Whether from unwillingness or great grief, the old man seemed unable to speak of his departed daughter, and Daniel wondered what could have become of her. At times, it even appeared that old Saville had forgotten he ever had a daughter named Esmer.
Though she sympathized with Daniel's plight, Christina had little time to commiserate with him as she was kept quite busy attending birth after birth in Warwickshire. It seemed that a population explosion was erupting all around her, and she never got a full night's sleep. Her temper flared with her exhaustion, and she frequently flew into rages which no one could calm, not even Mary, her jovial and quick-spirited elder sister. Christina found peace in her flock of chickens, which she loved tending. Finally, Daniel listened to reason and decided to drop his search for Esmer, his childhood sweetheart and instead take another village lass as his wife. He quietly entered into talks with Hugh Davies, a local merchant with three marriageable daughters. |