This is a series of articles that started off with this simple story about a group of scouts and local residents with the desire to clean-up the Montgomery Bell family cemetery. It doing some research, we came to understand that there is very little known about Montgomery Bell and his slaves, who play such a huge role in the history of Cheatham County. The Advocate would like to thank the Tennessee State Library and Archives for their help in this endeavor, Michael Holt for his generous support and sharing of his months of research, and former Tennessee Banner writer Ed Huddleston, who took the time in 1955 to gather as much information as he could about the "Ironmaster of Tennessee". It is our hope that this series will not only enlighten you, but spark some interest in Cheatham County to preserve our rich history, before it's lost forever.