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MEP’s story in later life circles around the mercurial Teresa Clingham1 Percy Bell. In writing about MEP in the 1950s, author Helen Holderidge seemed to entirely buy Mrs. Bell’s view of life events with Mrs Pleasant. That is quite odd given the erratic nature of Mrs. Bell’s diaries, her known fractured relationships with her own children (whom she’d disavow in the 1890s, again in the 1910s and finally in her Last Will and Testament.) and her known use of alcohol and narcotics. But more on that later.
Research by Sunnyside History Project reveals interesting tidbits about Mrs. Bell but additional research here has found a sad and unsettled early life for Teresa. She was born to Irish emigrants John and Bridgett Brady Clingham in 1846. She was fifth of six children. The children were James (1839-1865), Mary Jane Norton Sewall (1840-1932), Mathilda Clingham (1842-1846), Kate Gray (1844-1933), Teresa, and lastly, John J Clingham (1849-?). Records indicate Mr. Clingham was a bricklayer and worked in Syracuse and Auburn, New York. The 1849 death of the patriarch left the family with small children destitute, and Bridgett was jailed in 1850 for thievery. According to news-coverage and recollections of various family members, the children were sent to board with various families in Auburn, New York. Bridgett would serve out her time but only reclaim the youngest son per 1855 state census records and she would reside north of Auburn in Brutus, New York. However, by 1858, Mrs. Clingham was living in the Almshouse in New York City. The fate of her youngest child unknown. Per daughter Kate Gray’s account, the last time she saw her mother, Bridgett asked her daughter for money. Holderidge stated Mrs. Clingham was murdered in the Five Points area of Lower Manhattan. Coverage confirming this claim has not been located.
After her mother’s incarceration, Teresa first lived with the widow Sarah Ward Tibbils in Auburn, New York. Mrs. Tibbils died soon thereafter in 1852. Teresa then moved to the home of Mrs. Tibbils daughter, Elmira Harris. (Starting sometime in the late 1870s Teresa would try to convince others she was the biological child of Mrs. Harris and her husband, Wessell Hornbeck Harris. She likely perceived them as providing a far better pedigree.) Teresa would live with Mrs Harris even after Mr. Harris’ accidental death in 1856 at the age of 35. Link to story on Mr. Harri’s death. Mr. Harris had a daughter from a prior marriage, Mary Elizabeth Hood. His estate was divvied up between Elmira and Mary Elizabeth in 1856. (Again, in her later life, Teresa would try to convince her two biological sisters, Kate Gray and Mary Sewall that she should receive part of the estate, though it had long been settled. Both sisters denied Teresa had any biological claim to the Harris estate).
In 1862, Elmira would remarry Milton Bigelow, and with Teresa, moved to Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin. Per recollections of Elmira’s sisters and testimony from Teresa Bell’s relatives, Teresa was headstrong and didn’t last long in Wisconsin. She returned to New York and lived for a brief time with Elmira’s sisters in Auburn, Mrs. Alzina McKissick and Mrs. Sarah Pomeroy. Eventually Teresa ventured to New York City living with the “Boyce” family; her room and board paid by sister Kate. Kate had been adopted by the Chappel family who relocated to New York City before 1860. Reunited, Kate and Teresa at some point began working for the homoeopathic physician, Dr. Frederick Humphreys.
In December 1865 Kate married Captain F Edward Gray and moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. Teresa according to various recollections was involved with a young man last name of Percy, sometimes also reported as Hoey. In the 1920s, Teresa’s sister testified as part of the probate and lawsuits over her last will that Teresa went to San Francisco to marry James Percy Hoey. He dropped Hoey going simply by “James Percy”. Mrs Gray recalled that he was a newspaper man, connected with The Tribune. He sent Teresa money to come to SF but it wasn’t quite enough so the Grays gave her additional funds to make the trip. By September 1, 1867 she is residing at 128 Stevenson Street as “Miss Teresa Percy.” One year later, “Mrs. Theresa Percy” is living at 19 Tehama Street, an area associated with Mrs. Pleasant. [Note much has been made of the slight discrepancies, Miss v Mrs. This is likely attributed to data entry/transcription errors. People were hired to canvass the city and took data from whomever answered the door. There was little verification or cross checking, spelling was phonetic, hence accuracy was an understood issue.]
On June 18, 1868, a deed transaction was recorded in San Francisco between Teresa Clinghen and Ole Bergson. Then on December 19, 1869 another transaction is recorded between Teresa Clingan and B.B. Edmondson. In January 1870, Teresa traveled back to New York, reportedly visiting with Mrs. McKissick and Mrs Pomeroy in Auburn and sister Kate in Springfield, Mass. Teresa and Kate returned to San Francisco on the recently completed Trans-Continental Railroad and by March 1872, Teresa began occupying a renovated home at 719 Sutter Street.
Teresa would take more trips back east in the 1870s and sister Kate would relocate to the Los Angeles area by 1880. A second sister, Mary Norton Sewall would also relocate to California after her husbands death. Mary’s sons resided with their Aunt Kate as Mary worked as a domestic servant in San Gabriel. Mary recalled in 1923 that Teresa did not provided her any assistance.
In January 1877, Teresa’s residence changed in the SF City Directory:
One year later, in January 1878, Teresa traveled to Europe as Teresa Bell. She hired a security agent to accompany her, given the jewelry she claimed to possess. After six months of employment, in Paris, Teresa fired Charles Dean, refusing to pay his wages. He sued in New York. Upon her turn to the US, Teresa’s jewelry was seized by Customs. The story made the rounds of New York media and a quick mention was also made in the San Francisco press on February 13, 1879. When asked about it, San Francisco banker Thomas Bell admitted knowing Teresa but stated categorically that she was not his wife. Link to SF Examiner article
February 14, 1879
On April 2, 1879 the couple was married. The document below is from the Holdredge Collection at the SF Public Library. The letter appears to confirm the marriage of a “John Thomas Bell” son of Alexander Bell and Margaret Hill rather than “Thomas Frederick”. But given Catholic confirmation and naming practices, both names could be true. Also, Holderedge made much of John Thomas Hill being Bell’s real name? However, genealogical research confirms Hill was his mother Margaret’s maiden name. Scottish naming conventions often included family names. “Mary Teresa Hoey (Harris)” of New York. The bride uses the name Hoey that had not previously appeared in other records. Her parents are identified as [deceased] “Wessel Harris and ??” It is curious that the mother’s name is blank given that Elmira Harris Bigelow was still alive at this point. And the name “Hoey” is used rather than “Percy” as was in the SF Directory for a number of years. The document also identifies the two ceremony witnesses as James E. Brown and Mary E. Pleasant.
The litigation related to Charles Dean would continue on until 1882 wherein a settlement was made between Mr. Dean and Mrs. Bell. In another two years, Mr. and Mrs. Bell would be embroiled in the Sarah Althea Hill v William Sharon suit and their unconventional and secretive lives would be opened to scrutiny. This would be the first mention in the press of the origin of their children. Link to Libel Suit Threat by Bells
And from there many other tales would begin.
1 The name is spelled various ways, Clingham, Clinghen, Clingen.