70 
Indiana University Studies 
Grace, and Joe. Laura had a brother, Homer Storen, who 
committed suicide. 
Hugh Bell, the son whose paternity is doubtful, lives on the 
ridge south of Ripple Creek in a little two-room cabin inher- 
ited by his second wife. He is not normal, but very near the 
insane borderline. It is said in the neighborhood that he is 
‘"crazy”, and everything indicates that he has been in an ab- 
normal mental state at different times. He spends much of his 
time in bed — says that his nerves bother him. 
By his first wife he had 3 children : Mrs. Margaret Storen, 
Mrs. A1 Williams, and Fletcher. Margaret was afflicted with 
chorea from the time she was 15 years old until she died. At 
times she was so bad that she could not feed herself, dress, 
or make any kind of coordinated movement. She died of 
“heart trouble” after bringing into the world 3 children: 
Jane, Silas, and a baby girl. Mrs. A1 Williams, the second 
child of Hugh Bell, is reported to be very immoral by the 
physician of Johnstown. Fletcher Bell, the third child of 
Hugh, is reported feeble-minded by the same physician and 
others. He works at a stonemill in Stonetown. 
Otto Bell, the first child of Hugh by his second wife, mar- 
ried Tilda Lant of Township 12, by whom he has 2 children. 
Martha Bell, the second child of Hugh by his second wife, 
also suffers from chorea. She is 20 years old and has been 
afflicted from the time she was 15 years old until 9 months 
ago when her baby was born. Since then, excepting a slight 
tremor, an almost imperceptible movement, and a nervous 
feeling, she is free from it. At times it has been so bad that it 
was impossible for her to feed or to dress herself. It was im- 
possible for her to make any coordinated movement. 
Her nine-months-old baby is a healthy looking child and 
has never been sick. Its father is James Allen, epileptic, the 
son of Robert Allen. He is very proud of the child but refuses 
to marry Martha because of her affliction. He was present 
when the child was born and goes about with her and the 
child as naturally as if they were married. The neighborhood 
does not seem to see anything unusual in the situation. When 
he was expecting to be drafted for army service, she went to 
his home to stay with him for the last two weeks at home. 
When the field worker visited them he was holding the baby. 
He looked up and said, “Aint he cute? He’s ourn.” 
