Article Text
John Stuart Bell helped supply the massive Masonic landmark rising above Alexandria, but he never lived to see its cornerstone ceremony or the building’s completion.
On Oct. 4, 1922, Bell left his home at 409 North Patrick Street before sunrise. The morning temperature was 53 degrees as he drove a wagon and team of mules to a brickyard to collect construction materials for the George Washington Masonic National Memorial on Shooter Hill.
At about 7:30 a.m., the mules ran away and threw Bell from the wagon. The vehicle rolled over him, crushing his chest. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, leaving behind his wife and four children.
Bell’s body was brought to Demaine’s mortuary chapel. A coroner’s jury investigated and determined that his death resulted from the accident.
Construction of the memorial had begun on June 5, 1922. More than a year after Bell’s death, President Calvin Coolidge laid its cornerstone during a ceremony on Nov. 5, 1923. He used the same trowel that President George Washington had used to lay the U.S. Capitol cornerstone on Sept. 18, 1793. Numerous dignitaries and Masons attended.
The memorial took 10 years to complete, opening a new chapter in Alexandria’s skyline in 1932. Bell’s role in delivering its materials survived through his family’s oral history, although descendants Freida Bell Brockington and Andrew “Andy” Evans did not initially know the details of his contribution.
A family rooted in Alexandria
Bell was born in Winchester, Virginia, in 1868 to John and Mary Bell, who were free African Americans before the Civil War. After 1870, his father moved the family to Alexandria and lived on Fairfax Street.
Mary Bell died in 1895. Her obituary described her as a well-known and respected Alexandria resident and said her services were held at Shiloh Church. John Bell Sr. died sometime before 1900.
John Stuart Bell married Mary Forrest Bell, who lived from 1874 to 1973. Their great-granddaughter Freida recalled family stories about Mary working for Mr. Smoot, the owner of a lumber yard. While Mary was renting, Smoot reportedly encouraged her to purchase a home, telling her that she had probably paid for it repeatedly through rent. She later bought the house at 510 North Alfred Street.
Bell’s son, John Augustus Bell, continued the family’s tradition of demanding work. His grandson Andy Evans said John Augustus lived at 405 North Henry Street and delivered ice for the Mutual Ice Company to African American neighborhoods. He carried large blocks of ice from his truck to customers and remained on the job until he was about 70.
The next generation included Freida’s father, John J. Bell, a federal employee who also became a well-known photographer.
Four generations of achievement
Bell’s great-grandchildren carried that legacy into public service, business and community life.
Freida retired after 37 years with the federal government. As an associate director at the U.S. Selective Service System, she oversaw human resources, financial management and contract procurement. She also built a career in real estate, working as a Realtor for 30 years and developing experience in staging, marketing and investments. Her other work has included interior design and event planning.
Andy Evans has worked in politics, activism and writing, served as a counselor at George Mason University and later became a comedian.
Across four generations, the Bell family built a record of public service, entrepreneurship and resilience. For Bell’s descendants, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial remains more than an Alexandria landmark. It is also a reminder of John Stuart Bell, whose work—and fatal final delivery—became part of the family’s enduring history.