This collection documents the life of James L. Bell and Bell family genealogy. Included are letters to Bell from William J. Hilburn, a fellow soldier; Captain Charles K. Maddox, under whom both Bell and Hilburn served during their military service; Walter A. Wiley; and A. T. Spalding, a pastor at Second Baptist Church in Atlanta. There is also research on the Bell family, gathered by James L. Bell’s great-granddaughter Edith H. Cook, that traces the family back to the 18th century. Cook also created a timeline of Bell’s estimated whereabouts during the Civil War. Documents also include articles on Bell from the Atlanta Journal, the Atlanta Constitution, and the Railway Conductor that highlight his military service and experience as a conductor.