You are in Chapter 10, if you wish to move about in this site, click on one of the following sections:

HarrellFamilies (Home Page)

Introduction

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 (The Early Harrells in America)

Chapter 2 (Harrells in Chowan County & the Gates area)

Chapter 3 (Harrells in Bertie & the Hertford County area)

Chapter 4 (Hertford County's 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Generations)

Chapter 5 (John T., Eley, Elijah Two, Elisah, Thomas Two & their descendants)

Chapter 6 (Nathan & Elizabeth's Known Descendants)

Chapter 7 (John [b. c. 1794] & Winnifred Harrell, 3rd Generation)

Chapter 8 (Josiah & Anna Harrell, 3rd Generation)

Chapter 9 (Elizabeth Harrell & Silas Parker, 3rd Generation)

Chapter 11 (Immigrants to the 4th Generation of Hertford County Harrells)

 

Chapter 10: Immigrants to the 3^rd Generation of Hertford County Harrells

 

3^rd Generation Hertford County Harrells—Born in Gates County

 

I know of four 3^rd Generation Harrells who moved from Gates County to Hertford County. There may have been more, but in most cases if they did not stay for a least one census record they have been overlooked. The Hertford County immigrants who stayed are described in this chapter. They were David, Mary (Wilson), Abner, and James Harrell. In chapter two of this work, I surveyed the early Harrells who were in the Gates area before it became a county. I found most of the Harrells in the Gates area descended from one of the two original settlers—Samuel of Chowan (b. c. 1700) or Samuel of Kent (b. 1663). By all accounts, our four immigrants did descend from the two Samuels—David from Samuel of Chowan; and Mary, Abner, and James from Samuel of Kent.

 

Samuel of Chowan (b. c. 1700 in the Gates area or Nansemond County, Virginia) had several children in the Gates area, one of whom was Abraham (b. c. 1718 in the Gates area), and one of his sons was David Harrell (b. c. 1770 in the Gates area). David started his family in Gates County before he moved to Hertford County between 1810 and 1815.

 

The other three immigrants to Hertford County, Mary (b. c. 1787), Abner (b. 1790), and James (b. 1792), were siblings. Most accounts indicate they descended from a Major Samuel (b. c. 1750 in the Gates area), who descended from James (b. 1708 in the Gates area), who in turn descended from Samuel of Kent (b. 1663 in Kent County, England). Abner Harrell was the first in his family to settle in Hereford County—he moved there between 1815 and 1820. Major Samuel’s daughter, Mary, married John G. Wilson of Hertford County in 1825; then they settled in Murfreesboro, Hertford County. Mary and Abner Harrell’s brother, James, settled in Hertford County much later, in 1840, after spending nearly twenty years in Virginia. The marks they left on Hertford County are described below.

 

David Harrell (born 1770-1775)—3^rd Generation

 

            When David was around 23 years of age, he married Ann Gatling in Gates County. They were married on November 11, 1796,[1] and started their family in Gates County. By 1810, they had been married for more than 14 years and apparently had seven of their children.

 

David was between the ages of 35 and 40 when the 1810 census was taken. He was probably around 40 years of age when he decided to move to Hertford County sometime after the 1810 census but before 1815. We know David moved to Hertford County with his family before 1815 because he was on the 1815 tax list for Hertford County (see Table 15, page 128). He took considerable wealth with him to his new home.

[page 305] 

1810 census entry, Gates Co., N. C.

 

            David was between the ages of 45 and 50 when he appeared in Hertford County as a head of household in the 1820 census. His wife, Ann, was also between 45 and 50 years of age at that time.

 

1820 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

            The David Harrell and his family described in the 1820 census were probably the same “Davison” and his wife who were listed in the 1830 census—based on the ages given in 1820, they would be over 55 in 1830. Their ages fit and the name is close enough for me to be confident David of 1820 and Davison of 1830 were one and the same person. In addition, never before or after the 1830 entry was there a “Davison” Harrell in Hertford County.

 

1830 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

            In 1830, David and Ann were living alone. Their older children were probably married, and the younger children may have been living with their siblings. David apparently died before the 1840 census.

 

David Sr. and Ann Harrell’s Descendants

 

            David’s two oldest daughters were seen in the 1810 census, all the other children were counted on the 1820 census. By using both censuses we can get an estimate of his children’s birth years—the best estimates are in the following list.

[page 306] 

                David Sr.’s                            birth years            known                                    possible

                children                                                                 children                                 children

                Son # 1                                   b. 1794-1804                                                          George (1791-1800)

                                                                                                                                                Enoch (1800-1810)

                Son # 2                                   b. 1804-1810                                                          John (1804-1810)

                                                                                                                                                Enoch (1800-1810)

                Son # 3                                   b. 1804-1810          David Jr., b. 1807

                Daughter # 1                         b. 1794-1800                            

                Daughter # 2                         b. 1794-1800

                Daughter # 3                         b. 1794-1804

                Daughter # 4                         b. 1804-1810

                Daughter # 5                         b. 1810-1820

                Daughter # 6                         b. 1810-1820

 

All his children, except daughters nos. 5 and 6, were born in Gates County, but apparently they all grew up in Hertford County. So far, however, knowing their place of birth has not helped to identify David Sr.’s sons numbers one and two. There were three possibilities among the 4^th Generation of Harrells who could have been David Sr.’s sons—George, Enoch, and John (1804-1810). Unfortunately, all three were gone by the 1850 census, and thus missed the 1860 census in which residents were asked their county of birth. The difficulty in identifying these sons is, of course, compounded by the fact that all three of the possibilities were also possible sons of other 3^rd Generation Harrells in the county. On the basis of age categories, George was a match with Elijah Two and Elisah; Enoch was a match with Eley and Elijah Two; and John (1804-1810) was also a match with Eley and Elijah Two (see Table 20, page 170). For now, in David Sr.’s section of this chapter, I have only described the one descendant I have been able to identify with some certainty—David Junior.

 

David Harrell Jr. (b. 1807)—4^th Generation

 

            David Jr. and his wife, Sally, were married by 1839, and the 1840 census listed the young couple with their first child, Mary, who was one year of age at the time. 

 

1840 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

The family in the 1850 census entry below is probably the same David Harrell household shown in 1840 just above, with one small age problem. David in 1840 was listed as between the ages of 20 and 30, though he should have been 33; Sally was listed as 15 to 20, yet she should have been 23. The error for both of them is similar, and could have just been a recording error—off by one column for each mark in 1840.  David Jr. and Sally apparently kept themselves busy between the 1840 and 1850 censuses—they had five new children by 1850. Mary, their first born, was 11 years old by 1850, and the two additional daughters and three sons were nicely spaced through the decade. Also, by the 1850 census, David Jr. had real estate valued at $3,300.

 [page 307] 

1850 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

            The 15 year old lad, Alphenis Harrell, was a son of John (b. 1804-1810) and Herriet (see “Unattached 4^th Generation Harrells,” in chapter 5). John (b. 1804-1810) had died in late 1840, and his will provided for sons John Wilson and Alpheus Harrell—there were no special provisions in the 1840 will for an “Idiotic” son, as Alpheus was labeled in the 1850 census. Why Alpheus was living with David and Sally in 1850 is not clear. He may have been a nephew. John (b. 1804-1810) was the correct age to have been David Jr.’s brother.

 

David Jr. and Sally were religious as well as financially secure. In 1858, they were one family among only 10 to contribute as much as $100 to help construct a new church building for the Bethlehem Baptist Church near Pitch Landing. (The only other Harrell making a comparable contribution to that church fund was John Wilson Harrell, the brother of the 15 year old lad, Alphenis, who had been living with David and Sally in 1850, both of whom were grandsons of John (1804-1810), one of David Jr.’s possible brothers.)

 

David Jr. and Sally had 3 more daughters and were much richer by 1860. In addition, the 1860 census shows David Harrell Jr. was born in Gates County, and his wife Sally (Sarah Maria) was born in Bertie County. All their children were born in Hertford County. Their two oldest daughters, Mary and Olivia, were gone by 1860—probably married.

 

1860 census entry, Hertford County, N. C.

 

David Jr. was alive and well in May of 1865, when a neighbor, and perhaps a distant cousin, Abner Harrell named David the executor of a trust set up for Abner’s son, Alpha B. Harrell. It was clear Abner trusted David enough to convey the 100 acres he was leaving to his son, Alpha B. Harrell, to him. David was to hold title and have full management power over the land during Alpha’s life time, and then convey the land to Alpha’s heirs. David could farm or rent the land as he saw fit, with all proceeds going to the support of Abner’s son, Alpha, during his life time.[2]

 [page 308]

            David Jr. died before November 1869, when his son Henry D. Harrell sold the land he inherited from his father.

 

            Of course, David Jr. was not listed in the 1870 census. His wife, Sarah Maria Harrell, was also not listed as a head of household in 1870, nor was she listed with her sons. She may have been living with one of her daughters.

 

David Jr. and Sally Harrell’s Children

 

            David Jr. and Sally Harrell’s children were:

 

Mary                      b. 1839

Olivia                      b. 1841

Henry D.                b. 1843

Gilbert L.                b. 1845

Mariah A.              b. 1847 (Shaw)

Julius J.                  b. 1850

Elizabeth W.          b. 1852 (Phelps)

M. C.                      b. 1855 (daughter)

Theodosie E.         b. 1859    (daughter)

Robert E.                b. 1863

 

            Mary and Olivia were both married before 1860 but remain undetected to this point in time. Two of David Jr. and Sally’s sons, Henry D. and Gilbert L. were living side-by-side in 1870—both were married, and listed as heads of household. The ten year old son listed with David and Sally in 1860 was probably the 20 year old named Julius living with his brother, Gilbert, in 1870. Both Henry and Gilbert were engaged in farming—Henry with 20 improved acres and 15 in woodlands; Gilbert with 60 improved acres and 66 in woodlands. Their sister, Mariah A. had probably combined her inheritance with her husband, James D. Shaw’s, holdings; they were on 160 improved acres and 160 in woodlands. The other siblings owned their share of the original family farm but were probably not listed in the Agricultural Schedule because they were not working their own land.[3]

 

Henry D. Harrell (b. 1843)—5^th Generation

 

            Henry D. was the oldest son of David Jr. and Sallie Maria Harrell. He was with both his parents for the 1850 and 1860 censuses. Henry D. made his first appearance as a head of household in 1870. He had married Rebecca Ellen Evans, the daughter of Lemuel and Lucy Evans, on June 2, 1870.[4]

 [page 309]

In 1870, Henry and Rebecca had Bettie (Elizabeth W.), Henry’s sister, living with them, as well as his younger brother seven year old, Robert E. Harrell. The nine month old child could have been Henry and Rebecca’s, but if it were, the child did not survive to the 1880 census, because they did not have a child age 9 to 11 in 1880. 

 

1870 census entry, Hertford County, N. C.

 [page 310]

Bettie (Elizabeth W.) was apparently still living with Henry when she married in April of 1871. Elizabeth married Gray W. Phelps in “David Harrell’s place,” and she was listed as David and Sarah M. Harrell’s daughter.[5] The family farm referred to as David Harrell’s place was part of the land he had inherited from their father. This was certainly the farm on the road from Harrellsville to Colfield with the cemetery in which both David Jr. and his son Gilbert L. Harrell are buried.[6] 

 

            In 1870, Henry was listed as a farmer, but he was listed as not owning real estate, while both of his younger brothers (listed just below) owned land. This was because Henry sold all or most of the land his father had left him soon after his father died. The deed to record the sale was dated November 29, 1869, and conveyed 100 acres to James D. Shaw (his brother-in-law), who already owned land on the northern line of Henry’s land, for the sum of $225.[7]  It is identified as land from David Harrell’s estate, and as bounded by the Wiccacon Creek on the south, by brother Gilbert’s parcel on the west, and by James D. Shaw’s wife’s (Mariah A. Harrell Shaw’s) land on the north. Henry’s brother, Gilbert, is shown in the 1870 Agriculture census to own 60 improved acres and 66 unimproved for a total of 126 acres. Apparently David Jr. left Henry a similar parcel, because, as mentioned above, the Agricultural Schedule taken in 1870 indicates Henry was farming on 20 improved acres and 15 unimproved acres after having sold 100 acres the previous November. Henry D. was also the Surveyor for Hertford County during the same period of time.

 

In 1880, Henry and Rebecca had three new children.

 

1880 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

            The twenty year information gap between the 1880 and 1900 censuses creates a problem which most people have learned to deal with, but in Hertford County the problem is compounded by the shoddy workmanship employed when microfilming the 1900 and 1910 U. S. censuses for Hertford County. Because of these problems, we know very little about Henry D.’s family in 1890. Nonetheless, most of what we know must be deduced from the censuses. The only glimpse we have of Henry D. in 1890 indicates he was farming in the Harrellsville Post Office District along with N. Harrell, Lemuel Harrell, John Wilson Harrell, and Nicholas J. Harrell.[8]

 

1900 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 [page 311]

            In 1900, Henry D. and Rebecca were still in Harrellsville on a family farm they owned mortgage free.

 

            They indicated they had been married for 28 years, which means they were married in 1872. (That date puts their marriage about two years later than the Hertford County record shows.) Rebecca also states five of her six children were still alive in 1900.

 

1910 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

As I stated earlier, some of the microfilm for this period of time is nearly useless. The people constructing the index (Soundex) for the 1910 census in Hertford County apparently had a more readable film than I have been able to get, and they came up with the following listing.

 

from Soundex for 1910, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

In 1910, Henry D. and Rebecca still owned their farm free and clear and were still in Harrellsville township. Rebecca also still indicated  5 of her 6 children were living in 1910.

 

            Henry was gone by 1920, while Rebecca E. remained in Harrellsville township with one of her youngest daughters. Their daughter, Lula J., was married by then. Their daughter’s name, Ada E., is clear in the 1920 census. Ada E. was probably the 18 year old in 1900, and the 27 year old in the 1910 census. Ada is listed as single, with no occupation, and 36 years of age in 1920.

 

1920 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

Henry D. & Rebecca E. Harrell’s Children

 

            In 1900 and 1910, Rebecca stated she had given birth to six children and five of them were still alive in 1910. In the 1870 census there was a nine month old child who did not appear at around age 10 in the 1880 census. I assume this was the child they lost. The 1880 census listed three children all of whom were not living with their parents by the next available census in 1900—Lymon, Ella, and Edgar would have been 27, 24 and 22 years of age respectively in 1900. The 1900 census listed the two daughters born after the 1880 census. They were Ada E., born in 1881, and Lula J., born in 1883.

 [page 312]

Lymon Delk Harrell (b. 1872)—6^th Generation

 

Lymon stayed in Hertford County, where he married Margaret Penelope Smithwick.

 

1910 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

In 1910, they both acknowledged they had been married for 12 years, and Margaret indicated she had had four children, with two still alive—they were George L. and Ganie. The family was living on a rented farm at the time. Lymon died in 1959.

Ella E. Harrell Hardin (b. 1876)—6^th Generation

 

            Ella E. Harrell at age 19 married George A. Hardin who was then 32 years of age. The wedding was at the home of the bride’s father, on May 28, 1895.[9] Ella died in 1956.

Edgar Judson Harrell (b. 1877)—6^th Generation

 

Edger died in 1961.

Ada E. Harrell (b. 1881)—6^th Generation

 

Ada and her younger sister, Lula, were with their mother for the 1910 census. Ada E. Harrell was still in her mother, Rebecca’s, household in 1920—she gave her age as 36, and she was not married at the time.

Lula J. Harrell (b. 1883)—6^th Generation

 

Lula was living in her mother’s household for the 1910 census—her age was given as 25.

She married Alonzo Outlaw Holloman.

 

Gilbert L. Harrell (b. 1845)—5^th Generation

 

            David Jr. and Sally Harrell’s son, Gilbert, was still living with his parents in 1860. He enlisted at Hertford County on May 1, 1864. Later but he was married to Martha Sarah Doughtie and they appeared together in the 1870 census.

 

1870 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 [page 313]

            Gilbert L. and his young wife had Julius Harrell, Gilbert’s younger brother, living with them in 1870. Julius, had twice the value of real estate as his older brother, Gilbert, but he was not listed in the Agricultural census as farming his land, which is understandable given his young age. Gilbert’s farm has 60 acres of improved land and 66 acres of unimproved land.[10]

 

            After the death of their father, David Jr., it was apparently not a simple matter to distribute and keep his land. For instance, one deed between Gilbert and his brother-in-law and neighbor, James D. Shaw, illustrates some of the difficulty and the s