ward , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁and ▁died ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁ ▁Edward ▁Bell amy ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ch ico pe e , ▁Massachusetts . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁R uf us ▁King ▁Bell amy ▁( 1 8 1 6 – 1 8 8 6 ), ▁a ▁Bapt ist ▁minister ▁and ▁a ▁desc endant ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Bell amy . ▁His ▁mother , ▁Maria ▁Louis a ▁Put nam ▁Bell amy , ▁was ▁a ▁Cal vin ist . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁a ▁Bapt ist ▁minister ▁named ▁Benjamin ▁Put nam , ▁who ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁withdraw ▁from ▁the ▁min istry ▁in ▁S alem , ▁Massachusetts , ▁following ▁ob jections ▁to ▁his ▁becoming ▁a ▁Fre em ason . ▁ ▁Bell amy ▁attended ▁public ▁school ▁at ▁Ch ico pe e ▁F alls ▁before ▁leaving ▁for ▁Union ▁College ▁of ▁Sch en ect ady , ▁New ▁York , ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁for ▁just ▁two ▁sem esters . ▁Upon ▁leaving ▁school , ▁Bell amy ▁made ▁his ▁way ▁to ▁Europe ▁for ▁a ▁year , ▁sp ending ▁extensive ▁time ▁in ▁Germany . ▁Bell amy ▁briefly ▁studied ▁law ▁but ▁abandoned ▁that ▁field ▁without ▁ever ▁having ▁pract iced ▁as ▁a ▁lawyer , ▁instead ▁entering ▁the ▁world ▁of ▁journal ism . ▁In ▁this ▁capacity ▁Bell amy ▁briefly ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Post ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁his ▁native ▁Massachusetts ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁position ▁at ▁the ▁Spring field ▁Union . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 5 , ▁Bell amy ▁developed ▁t uber