Hello Cathy.
I am looking at the Poage book that you refer to, and the ONLY Bell that comes close to your mentioned Thomas is a James Thomas BELL. Is states that he married a Rhoda Emily POAGE 4 Jan 1909. It states that he was a vault maker and that he did defense work in WWII.
DOB unknown, but probably born c. 1885-1890.
No other Thomas BELLs listed in either index.
Bob Vaughan, Clovis, CA
vauthax2007
jandb41@sbcglobal.net