James-Monroe-Bell-70735

Obituary

James Monroe (Jim) Bell, 77, one of Burlington’s best-known political figures since the turn of the century, died Monday at 10:25 pm in St. Francis hospital where he had been a patient since suffering a stroke on Jan. 20.
He was a former Mayor of Burlington, former State Senator, Democratic candidate for Congress. He was often mentioned too, for other posts, and late in 1950 was candidate for the appointive post of Internal Revenue Collector for Iowa.
Bell, for years prominent in the councils’ of the Democratic party in Burlington, was also active in district and state political circles. He was recognized as a hard campaigner who pulled no punches, a hand-shaking politician who was soft-spoken, always courteous, ever pleasant.
“He was of the old school”, a long associate commented. “He was always in the thick of the fight. He remembered his friends, kept a watchful eye for trickery on the part of his opponents.”
While in the insurance business in Burlington for years, he was best known for political activity.
Twice he just missed being his party’s choice for Congressman from the first district. Each time he led other candidates in the field, each time he fell short of the required 35 percent of the total vote, and each time he was counted out at his party’s district convention.
Until the election of Thomas Dailey as State Senator from Des Moines county in 1950, Bell was the only Democrat to be named to that office from here in 52 years.
He was a State Senator from 1934 to 1938 and then jumped to the Democratic nomination for Congress. In 1936 he led a field of four other candidates but the nomination was thrown to the convention at Davenport and he lost out. In 1938 he again failed to get the required margin though he led the ticket and was counted out at the district convention at Iowa City.
Bell first held public office when he was elected county auditor in 1901.
From 1912 to 1916 he was county democratic chairman and served as Burlington mayor from 1916 to 1920. In more recent years he again sought the office of mayor, but without success.
Bell was born March 28, 1876, in New Boston, Ill., but came to Burlington as a boy and spent most of his life here. He was the son of H.O. and Vashti Willits Bell.
As a youngster, when the family lived in Chicago, he was a cash boy for Marshall Field I, famed store owner, and following Field’s longtime practice, shook hands each morning with his boss.
For 16 years, Bell had traveled out of New York as a broker for the Borden Milk company. In Burlington, he operated in the stock and bond business on 3rd street with a direct wire to Chicago. For many years he has been in the insurance brokerage business in Burlington.
He was of the Methodist faith, a member of the Eagles, and an honorary member of the Elks. He at one time served in old Company H. of the Iowa National Guard.
In 1925 he married Mrs. Julia Leake Steinbrecher.
She survives as do two married daughters by a previous marriage, Mary and Bett, of Los Angeles, Calif., a stepson, Richard E. Steinbrecher of Chicago, and three grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 10 am Thursday at Prugh’s chapel. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.