Andrew Bell (minister)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Bell was a Presbyterian minister who was born in London, England, moved to Scotland and emigrated to Upper Canada
with his family in 1817.
Bell and his family settled at Perth
where his father was a minister. He studied under his father until 1823 and then pursued divinity courses in Scotland. He returned to Upper Canada in 1826, his formal studies not completed.
Bell had a successful career within the Presbyterian Church. However, some of his most important contributions to Canada came through his hobby, geology. He served on an advisory committee of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
where he helped shape the work of the Geological Survey of Canada and, more particularly, the work of William Edmond Logan
, who had helped establish that body. His son, Robert Bell
, became the director of the survey at a later date.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
with his family in 1817.
Bell and his family settled at Perth
Perth, Ontario
Perth is a town in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada . It is located on the Tay River, 83 km southwest of Ottawa, and is the seat of Lanark County.-History:...
where his father was a minister. He studied under his father until 1823 and then pursued divinity courses in Scotland. He returned to Upper Canada in 1826, his formal studies not completed.
Bell had a successful career within the Presbyterian Church. However, some of his most important contributions to Canada came through his hobby, geology. He served on an advisory committee of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
where he helped shape the work of the Geological Survey of Canada and, more particularly, the work of William Edmond Logan
William Edmond Logan
Sir William Edmond Logan was a Scottish-Canadian geologist.Logan was born in Montreal, Quebec, and educated at the High School in Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh . He started teaching himself geology in 1831, when he took over the running of a copper works in Swansea. He produced a...
, who had helped establish that body. His son, Robert Bell
Robert Bell (geologist)
Robert Bell FRSC MD was a Canadian geologist, professor and civil servant. He is considered Canada’s greatest exploring scientist, having named over 3,000 geographical features.-Personal life:...
, became the director of the survey at a later date.