Chapter 3: Harrells in Bertie & the Hertford County area

 

             In the previous chapter, I pulled together the information I had, mostly from deeds, wills, and the work of other researchers to describe the first Harrells in the Gates area of early Chowan County. In this chapter, I have done the same for early Bertie County. The early Harrells in Bertie County were greater in number than in Chowan County—they were: Thomas, Samuel, Joseph, John Jr./Sr., Abraham, Edward, Francis, and Richard. In addition, there were three families headed by Isaac, George, and Absolom Harrell who seem to be in the same area, yet remote from the other Harrells in Bertie County. I have termed them “unattached Harrells.”

 

Thomas Harrell (of Bertie County)

 

            There were at least two Thomas Harrells residing in Chowan County in the early years; and there was at least one other in Bertie County. The latter was probably the first out of Nansemond County, Virginia, and he settled just north of the Roanoke River in southern Bertie County.

 

            Thomas Harrell got a right of assignment for 640 acres on the Moratuck River on December 3, 1720, and the deed was dated May 2, 1721.[1] He was apparently very active in affairs of property well into the 1730s, judging by deed activity (Table 4, page 20).

 

            There are a number of deeds recorded in Bertie County on which Thomas Harrell was a witness—in some cases he used the title “jurat;” in others he did not. I am not absolutely sure it was the same Thomas in every case. For instance, on February 12, 1734, Thomas Harrell, jurat, witnessed a deed for land on the north side of Morattock River. Then again, on March 21, 1735, Thomas witnessed a deed along with George House for a transaction between John Moore and Titus Moore. At the same time, during the November Court 1736, Thomas Harrell along with Petegrove Salsberry, jurat, witnessed another deed for John Moore. On both of these latter deeds, Thomas did not use the title “jurat” as he had in February of 1734—the recorder of the documents did use the title for Salsberry. Then on another deed in December of 1736, Thomas was a witness along with Francis Harrell, and in this case he again used the title of “jurat.” This deed included the following information: it was for land adjacent to “Snowfields” at Fallen Run, and William Gray, and William Eason. It was witnessed by John Gray, Francis Harrell, Thomas Harrell, jurat. This deed was presented at the May Court of 1739. At the same court, Thomas witnessed another deed, but did not use the title of “jurat.”[2] At best, this is evidence for uncertainty. If we assume that men of means, in the time and place under consideration, seldom miss the opportunity to use a title beside their name, then maybe there were two Thomas Harrells witnessing deeds in Bertie County in the 1730s.

 [page 55]

            There is a deed that makes reference to Thomas Jr., but that is not definitive either on the question of there being more than one Thomas in the area. The deed is dated May 4, 1738, and was between William Baldwin of Surry County, Virginia and Samuel Buxton of James City County, Virginia for the sale of 250 acres on the north side of the Moratuck River, adjacent to Thomas Harrell, Jr. at Spring Branch.[3] By 1738, Thomas may have given some of his 640 acres to a son named Thomas Junior. On the other hand, Thomas may have been known as Jr. to people still back in Virginia where there was a Thomas and a Thomas Jr. as early as 1704. In any case, I will continue at this time to assume there was only one Thomas Harrell among the first settlers in Bertie County.

 

            Thomas Harrell of Bertie County purchased another 300 acres in the area in 1743. On June 13, 1743, Thomas Harrell bought 300 acres (for 40 lbs.) from Caleb and Elizabeth Spivey adjacent to William Hinton on Village Swamp, and Theophilus Williams. A witness to the deed was Samuel Harrell. On the same day Thomas Harrell sold Samuel Harrell 150 acres (for 20 lbs.) on the east side of Village swamp adjacent to William Hinton, Pettegrove Salsberry, Theophilus Williams, and ______ Bond.[4] In the latter deed, there is a very real possibility that Thomas was selling half the land he just bought to Samuel at his cost because Samuel was his brother or son.

 

            By the 1750s there were at least two Thomas Harrells in Bertie County. One lived down around the Roanoke and was the son of Edward; the other lived up in the Hertford Area near Horse Swamp and was the son of Adam. (See the tax lists summarized in Table 5, page 26) These two second generation Thomases are discussed in the sections on Edward and Adam.

 

Samuel Harrell (of Bertie County)

 

            Samuel was probably related to the Thomas Harrell described in the previous section. He purchased 150 acres from Thomas Harrell in 1743 at Thomas’ cost.[5] He was also on the Bertie County tax lists from 1757 through 1761 (see Table 5, page 26). Samuel’s will was written in 1770, and presented at the September Court in 1772. Samuel identified his wife, Elizabeth; his son Cader; his daughters Kesiah Bond, Dorothy Billups, and Ann Harrell.[6]

 

Cader Harrell, son of Samuel (died 1781)

 

            Cader’s will was written in 1775, and probated at the August Court of 1781. In his will, he identified his wife, Agnes; and his sons Samuel, Kader, and Drewry.[7] Elizabeth Harrell was a witness—she may have been his mother.

 [page 56]

Samuel Harrell, son of Cader

Kader Harrell, son of Cader

Drewry Harrell, son of Cader

 

Joseph Harrell (died c. 1754)

 

            Joseph was probably the second of the “Seven Brothers” to settle in North Carolina from Nansemond County. He is on record with his first land purchase in 1725. The deed states on August 12, 1725, Joseph Harrell of Nansemond County, Virginia bought 200 acres from James Smith on the north side of the Morattock River, adjacent to William Evans, William Eason, and John Elverton, “nigh a place called redy Branch” at Flaggy Run.[8]

 

            Three years later, Joseph was a witness when John Jr. bought 630 acres from Henry Baker just north of the Roanoke River on August 12, 1728. Then again in May of 1729, when John of Nansemond County bought 8 acres adjacent to Henry Baker and John Harrell, the deed was witnessed by Joseph Harrell and Abraham Hurrell (Harrell).[9] John of Nansemond was Senior, and the John Harrell who lived adjacent to the land bring purchased was John Junior, but the latter would later name his son John, and thus John Junior became John Jr./Sr. in my references. (The John Harrells are discussed at greater length in the next section.)

 

            On August 7, 1729, Joseph sold 100 acres to Abraham Harrell adjacent to William Eason at Reedy Branch, and John Yelverton on Flag Run.[10] This was clearly half of the land Joseph had purchased four years earlier. This is typical of transactions between brothers, and that may well have been the case here.

 

            On August 30, 1733, Joseph was again a witness to a deed with John Harrell, jurat. Joseph was often a co-witness with this John Harrell. The question is which John was this? I do not yet know how to interpret the title, “jurat” in many cases. One definition states, “Jurat: Literally, ‘it was proven’; early, a magistrate; that subscribing witness who swore to or affirmed the validity of any writing; …”[11] This matters because if it indicated John was a magistrate, it might refer to the person who later was known as John Harrell Esq. of the St. Johns and Ahoskie area (the Hertford area). If on the other hand, it merely referred to the act of being a witness, it could have been any one of the John Harrells in the area. On August 3, 1733, Abraham Harrell bought more land and the witnesses to the deed were John Harrell, jurat, John Harrell Junior.[12] This suggests that John the jurat, had taken for himself a title which meant nothing more than a witness, because John Jr./Sr. often was a co-witness with his son, John Junior. In 1733, Joseph was more than likely a co-witness with his probable brother, John Jr./Sr., not John Harrell Esq. of the Hertford area.

 [page 57]

            Joseph was again a witness along with John and Edward Harrell on a deed in the Roanoke River area in 1735. John and Joseph again witnessed a deed on February 7, 1742.[13] 

 

            Joseph Harrell Sr. bought 300 acres from Thomas Pugh on April 3, 1753. The land was at Flaggy Run, adjacent to the lands of Jethro Butler, and John Harrell (probably John Jr./Sr.). The deed was witnessed by John Harrell, Abraham Harrell, Mary Harrell—probably his brothers and wife or sister-in-law. Less than a year later, Joseph Jr. identified his father’s 1753 purchase when Joseph Jr. gave 20 acres to his brother. (This suggests that Joseph Sr. died before February 23, 1754.) On February 23, 1754, Joseph Harrell made a deed of gift for 20 acres to his brother, John Harrell—he identified the land as “… a tract of land purchased by my father Joseph Harrell from Thomas Pugh and commonly called by the name of Sympsons Old Field… to him during his natural life…. Land on Flagg Run adj. James Parker, John Naren(?). wit John Harrell, George Howse, Ezekiel Harrell.”[14]

           

            When the division of Joseph Sr.’s estate was made, his wife, Ann, had already remarried to James Williams. The division of property was to Ann’s new husband, James Williams, and to son, John Harrell.[15] Joseph Jr. apparently already had inherited property from his father. When Joseph Sr. and Ann Harrell’s son, John, wrote his will on June 3, 1781, he identified his mother, Ann Williams; his sisters Winnefred Harrell and Ruth House, and his half brother George Williams.[16] George Williams was also an executor to the will which means he was probably over 21 years old at the time, and thus born before 1760—which means Joseph Sr.’s widow, Ann, remarried before 1759.

 

Joseph and Ann Harrell’s Children

 

Joseph Harrell Jr.

 

            The only document to connect Joseph Jr. with any certainty to his parents is the 1754 deed—in which Joseph Harrell Jr. made a deed of gift for 20 acres to his brother, John Harrell, and he identified the land as coming from his father, Joseph Harrell.[17]

 

            In the tax lists for early Bertie County, there were two Joseph Harrells. The first was listed in 1755 for the last time; and the other in the same area was listed for the first time in 1761. These were probably Joseph Sr., and his son, Joseph Junior.

 

John “Little John” Harrell (died 1781)

 

            In 1754, when Little John’s brother, Joseph Jr., gave him 20 acres they had inherited from their father, who had died shortly before the gift, Little John was still under legal age. Major Thomas Pugh was the “Guardian of John Harrell, orphan of Joseph.”[18]

 [page 58]

            Joseph Sr.’s probable nephew, John Jr. (the son of John Jr./Sr. discussed in the next section of this chapter), owned land next to Joseph  and the Williams, and in his 1755 will John Jr. described the land at length, including the statement, “… and Little John Harrells Corner, then along my line and John Harrells aforesaid to John Glass’s Line,…”[19] I am pretty sure the reference to “Little John” was to Joseph’s son, John, and not to John Harrell Jr.’s father, John Jr./Senior. When Little John wrote his will on June 3, 1781, he mentioned his mother, Ann Williams, his  sisters, Ruth House and Winnefred Harrell, and a nephew, Thomas House—there was no mention of a wife or children.[20]

Ruth Harrell House

 

            Ruth had a son named by her brother, John, in his 1781 will—he was Thomas House.

Winnefred Harrell

 

John Harrell (this was John Jr./Sr.; died 1759)

 

            There were a number of John Harrells swarming the landscape of northeastern North Carolina in the early years—knowing one from another is not an easy task today. Some of them made the task easier by using identification tags such as “Jr.,” “Sr.,” or “Esquire.” Unfortunately, too often they were simply referred to as “John.” In this section, I have described the line of John Harrells who were better than most in identifying themselves—this line starts with John of Nansemond and his son, John Jr.; the latter soon became John Sr., when his son in turn, came of age and became John Junior. The primary focus in this section in on the middle John, John Jr./Sr., because he was among the first Harrells to settle his household in North Carolina. (note: John of Nansemond’s will was probated in Bertie County in 1749; his son, John Jr./Sr., died in 1759; and John of Nansemond’s grandson, John Jr., died in 1755, before his father died in 1759.)

 

            I believe the first John Harrell to purchase land in North Carolina was John of Nansemond County, Virginia. He probably was the John who bought 150 acres in Tyrrell County in October of 1715.[21] The land was on the south side of Albemarle Sound, only about 30 miles east of where numerous Harrells would begin settling a few years later over on the north side of the Roanoke River in Bertie County.

 

            John Harrell Jr./Sr. was one of the first Harrells to settle in Bertie County just above the Roanoke, and he probably was a brother to one of the Samuels, Thomas, and Joseph Harrell discussed in the three previous sections—and, of course, he was the son of John of Nansemond. The latter point is evident in the early references to him as John Jr. in the North Carolina records when he purchased 630 acres on the north side of the Roanoke River in August of 1728. The deed  was written on August 12, 1728, and contained the following information: John Harrell Jr. bought 630 acres from Henry Baker. They were on the north side of the Morattock (Roanoke) River at Flaggy Run, adjacent to John Narin and James Parker. One of  the witnesses was Joseph Harrell.[22]

 [page 59]

            In a 1729 deed, John of Nansemond bought more land down on the north side of  the Roanoke River, adjacent to the other Harrells. His probable son, Joseph, witnessed the deed, along with Abraham, who was also probably one of his sons. I believe he was instrumental in setting his sons up in the area—first Thomas around 1721, then Joseph in 1725, and Abraham was in the area by 1729. On May 11, 1729, John Harrell of Nansemond County, bought 8 acres (for 32 shillings) from James Smith on the north side of the Morattuck River and south side of Flagg Run. The land was adjacent to Henry Baker and John Harrell. The witnesses were Joseph Harrell and Abraham Harrell.[23] The eight acres he bought were apparently next to the land of his son, John Jr./Senior. A few months later, in December of 1729, Edward Harrell of Nansemond County bought 350 acres in the same area as Joseph and John. The witnesses were John Jr./Sr., his wife, Grace, and their son, John Junior.[24]

 

            Then in early 1733, it appears John Jr./Sr. had taken for himself the title “jurat.” (As I have indicated above, the title “jurat” was apparently easily acquired and did not carry a lot of meaning.) On February 11, 1733/34, Needham Bryan bought 200 acres from Timothy Ryall on the north side of Flaggy Run, adjacent to John Harrell and Joseph Moor. The witnesses were John Harrell, jurat, John Harrell, Junior. John Jr./Sr. used the title again when he witnessed a deed for his probable brother, Abraham, in 1733. On August 3, 1733, Abraham Harrell bought 150 acres, and the witnesses were John Harrell, jurat, and John Harrell Junior.[25]

 

            In the deed just below, I am assuming the purchase was by John Jr./Sr. because John Jr. was a witness, but this may well not have been the case. By 1737, another John Harrell was buying land in the same area, and this deed may have been executed by this “new” John Harrell. The deed was witnessed by Edward Harrell—Edward had a son named John. (I have discussed this other John below as the probably son of Edward.) On March 22, 1737, John Harrell bought 24 acres from Jacob Jarnagan and Feaby Jarnagan and Henry Oberry. It was called “a tract of woodland” in Cassey Swamp, adjacent to Edward Harrell and Thomas Mann. The witnesses were Edward Harrell, John Harrell Junior. Then on February 13, 1738/39, John bought 200 acres on the west side of Cashy Swamp.[26]

 

            On November 14, 1747, John Harrell Jr./Sr. bought 640 acres from Thomas Barker in Roonaroy Meadows adjacent to Tom and George Pollock’s corner, William Eason. Land granted to William Maul by patent dated Feb. 1, 1725. It was commonly called Broad Neck Survey. This land is in southern Bertie County, down on the Roanoke River. This becomes important because it is the land described in John Jr./Sr.’s November 1, 1756 will, and divided among his sons. The description of the land in the will makes it clear the November 14, 1747 deed was a purchase made by John Jr./Senior. In addition, the division of the 640 acres described in the will, simply reflected the gift of these lands several years earlier. There are three deeds of gift from John Jr./Sr. dated May 13, 1751 that transfer this property.[27]

 

            In the first of the above mentioned 1751 deeds describing the distribution of lands to John Jr./Sr.’s sons, David is shown distributing land to his brothers—land said to have been granted to him in 1749. I have not been able to find a record of that grant, but the following one to his father probably explains the connection. On March 25, 1749, The Hon. John Carteret, Earl of Granville granted to John [page 60] Harrell, for 3 shillings, 200 acres in the Society Parish on the north side of the Roanoke River, adjacent to Richard Williams at Bushy Gutt, and Jethro Butler. Provided the land be seated, a good house be built, and the land stocked with cattle at a rate of five head per hundred acres.[28]

 

            A 1753 deed reflects the presence of several of the Harrells in the area from three generations—including John Jr./Sr.; his son, Jesse; his grandson, Israel; and son, Hardy (Israel Hardy). On January 20, 1753, a deed for the sale of 200 acres on the north side of the Roanoke was drawn which described the land as adjacent to Needham Bryan, Matthew Turner, Isaac Harrell, Caleb Spivey, and Theophilus Williams. The witnesses were John, Jesse, Israel Harrell, Hardy Harrell.[29]

 

            The following two deeds were also more than likely for John Jr./Sr., but the reference is not altogether clear: On March 10, 1755, John Harrell bought 50 acres from John Yealverton of Edgecombe; adjacent to ____ Parker, Abraham Harrell, George House, and ______ Baker. The witnesses included Hardy Harrell (a son of John Jr./Sr.). Then on February 15, 1756, John Harrell bought 60 acres on the north side of the Roanoke River. The land was part of a patent granted to Ben. Foreman at Mill Branch, and was adjacent to John Harrell Junior.[30]

 

            John Harrell Jr. died before his father, John Jr./Sr. He wrote his will on November 8, 1755 in Bertie County, and it was probated in the January Court, 1756.[31] The death of his son probably moved John Harrell Jr./Sr. to write his will November 1, 1756 in Bertie County. He provided for the grandchildren of his three deceased children, John Jr., Esias, and Sarah Williams. He added a codicil to his will in October 1758 that made clear none of his property should go to the surviving spouses of his three deceased children. John Sr.’s will was probated in the April Court, 1759.[32] He divided his real estate as follows:

 

To his wife, Grace, during her life time or widowhood, the use of the Plantation on which he then lived. Following her death or remarriage, the land was to be divided among these heirs;

To son Jesse, the Plantation on which John Sr. was then living.

To son David, 160 acres on which David was already living, and which was part of a Tract that John Sr. had purchased from Thomas Barker.

To son Josiah, 160 acres on which Josiah was then living, and which was also part of the Tract bought from Mr. Barker.

To son Ezekiel, 160 acres on which he was then living, and which was again part of the land bought from Thomas Barker.

To grandson Esias, the son of Esias, goes the Plantation on which his mother and step-father are now living, which was part of the Tract bought from Mr. Barker.

 

John Jr./Sr. and Grace Harrell’s Descendants

 [page 61]

  

            The following list is a summary of John Jr./Sr. and Grace’s descendants:

 

Children                    Grandchildren                         First Appearance & Notes

David                                                                                                     (will in 1767)

                                                David

                                                Noah

                                                Charity

                                                Sarah

                                                Mildred

                                                Chloe

Josiah                                                                                                     first witnessed deed 1751, will in 1773

                                                Solomon

                                                Josiah

                                                William

Selah

Pennie

Ezechiel (wife Alee)                                                                             (will 1764) (Alie remarries Owen)

                                                Israel Hardy                                          (will in 1780, not married)

                                                Grace Pierce

                                                Patience

                                                Esther

                                                Edith

                                                Delilah Owens

Jesse (wife Fereby)                                                                              (will 1788)

                                                Priscilla Vinson

                                                Josiah Harrell

                                                Freebee Roundtree

                                                Jesse Harrell Jr.

                                                Rachel Rascoe

                                                Josuah Harrell

                                                Jonathan Harrell

Esias                                                                                                       (deceased by 1756)

          Esais

                                                Sarah

Hardy (Israel Hardy)                                                                            (gone by 1756)

John Jr. (wife Mary)                                                                             (deceased by 1756)

                                                George                                                   witnessed deed, 1754

                                                Jesse

                                                Elisha

                                                Benjamin (wife Winney)     (will 1775)

                                                Mary

Sarah Williams                                                                                      (deceased by 1756)

 

 

David Harrell (b. c. 1730)

 

            In his father’s 1756 will, David was given the land he was currently living on, 160 acres from the parcel bought from Thomas Barker (Baker)—the gift deed is dated 1751.

 

            Before 1751, however, David also owned about 200 acres that his father was also somehow involved with. One of the 1751 deeds shows David selling about 70 acres to his brothers Jesse, Elias, and Josiah for one pound, ten shillings each. The acres were part of a grant to David in 1749. The grant [page 62] referred to must have been one his father first received—on March 25, 1749, The Hon. John Carteret, Earl of Granville granted to John Harrell, for 3 shillings, 200 acres in the Society Parish on the north side of the Roanoke River, adjacent to Richard Williams at Bushy Gutt, and Jethro Butler.[33]

 

            There is a will dated January 5, 1767 for David Harrell. He names his wife, Charity; his sons David and Noah; daughters Charity, Sarah, Mildred, and Chloe Harrell. The executors were Joseph Harrell, David Harrell, and Noah Hinton. Witnesses were Benjamin Wimberly and William Vann.[34] Son, David Jr., was probably 21 or over in 1767—so, born before 1745, which suggests his father was born well before 1730.

 

David and Charity’s children were as follows.

 

David Harrell Jr. (b. before 1745)

Noah Harrell

 

            Noah was a witness on his cousin, Josiah’s 1783 will, along with Noah Hinton who was on many of the Harrell wills in this area, including Noah’s father’s will in 1767.[35]

 

Charity Harrell

Sarah Harrell

Mildred Harrell

Chloe Harrell

 

Josiah Harrell Sr. (b. before 1730)

 

            John Jr./Sr. and Grace Harrell’s son, Josiah, witnessed a deed in Bertie County in 1751, for a neighbor, Needham Byran, which indicates he was probably born before 1730.[36]

 

            As in the case of his brother, David, Josiah inherited his share, 160 acres, of the land his father had purchased from Thomas Barker. Josiah was also living on the land when his father wrote his will in 1756—probably from around the time of the deed of gift from his father in 1751. In addition, Josiah received from his brother, David, about 70 acres on the north side of the Roanoke River which was part of a grant David had received in 1749.

 [page 63]

            Apparently Josiah Harrell spent some time on a legal career—he was a Justice in Bertie County during and around the year 1768.[37]

 

            Josiah Harrell’s will was written on March 30, 1773, and probated on November 12, 1773 in Bertie County. Josiah’s son, Solomon, received the 160 acres that Josiah had inherited from his father—the land was in the Renneroy Marshes. His son, Josiah Jr., received the land and plantation on which Josiah Sr. was living when he wrote his will in 1773. This was more than likely the approximately 70 acres Josiah received from his brother, David in 1751. Josiah’s son, William, was named but did not receive any land. Josiah also named his wife, Ann, and daughters, Selah and Penny—as well as any child of his not yet born. The executors were Edward Tool and Noah Hinton; the witnesses were James Churhwell, Jonathan Tool, and Mary Tool.[38] Based on the 1773 will, Josiah and Ann had three sons and two daughters. They are listed just below.

 

Solomon Harrell (b. c. 1750)

 

Josiah Sr. willed to Solomon the 160 acres in 1756—the deed of gift was in 1751.

Josiah Harrell Jr. (b. c. 1750)

 

            Josiah Jr. inherited the parcel of land and plantation on which his parents were living in 1773. After his mother’s death, Josiah Jr. inherited the plantation according to his father’s 1773 will. This was not the 160 acres his father had inherited in 1756 so must have been the approximately 70 acres his father received from his brother, David, in 1751. 

 

            On May 27, 1780, Josiah Jr. sold about 75 acres to his cousin, Israel Hardy Harrell, for $1000. This was probably not the land and plantation left to him by his father in the latter’s 1773 will—it was more than likely the land Josiah Sr. got from his brother, David, in 1751. There is also a deed for the sale of 160 acres to Israel Hardy Harrell, Josiah’s cousin. This was for the sale of land inherited by their cousin, Esias Jr.—his share of their grandfather, John Jr./Sr.’s, property.[39] How Josiah Jr. ended up making the sale and giving title to their cousin, Israel Hardy Harrell, is beyond me. Josiah may have been exercising an extended family responsibility on this occasion, because there is no record indicating he ever owned one of the 160 acre shares from his grandfather, John Jr./Senior.

 

            After Josiah sold his inherited land in Bertie County, it is difficult to track him with much certainty. As I have indicated in the previous chapter, a family history written by Hollowell traces her family line from Josiah Harrell of Gates County—the participant in the American Revolutionary War. Josiah of Gates County married Julia Fryer there in 1788, raised his family there, and his will was probated in Gates County in February 1825. Hollowell claims Josiah of Gates was the son of Josiah Sr. of Bertie County.[40] She may well be correct, but I have not been able to find evidence to support the connection. The problem is, of course, there was more than one Josiah Harrell in the Bertie/Gates area during the time. The following list illustrates Josiah Harrell’s presence in both Bertie and Gates Counties during the mid and late 1700s.

 [page 64]

The Presence of Josiah Harrell[41]

 

         In Bertie County                              In Gates area & County

 

1755-1761 tax list  yes

1769 tax list                            yes                          1768-1770 tax list (Hertford)                yes

1781 tax list: Josiah Sr.         yes                          1781 tax list                                            no

                       Josiah Jr.        yes

1787 state census                 yes                          1786 state census                                 yes

                                                1 male 16-60                                                                           1 male 16-60

                                                2 females                                                                                3 males under 16

                                                                                                                                                3 females

1790 census                          yes                          1790 census                                          yes

                                                1 male over 16                                                                       1 male over 16

                                                                                                                                                1 male under 16

                                                                                                                                                3 females

           

The will for Josiah Harrell Jr. was written August 20, 1783, and probated at the November Term of 1783. He named his daughters Fanny and Anna Harrell. The executors were Bailus House, and Noah Thompson. The witnesses were George House, Noah Harrell and Noah Hinton.[42] Two of the witnesses suggest a connection to the descendants of John Jr./Senior. Noah Harrell was a son of David (deceased 1767), and thus a first cousin to Josiah Junior. Noah’s other first cousin, also named Josiah, the son of Uncle Jesse, was still alive in 1786, so he was not the subject of the 1783 will. Noah Hinton was a witness or executor on most of this family’s wills.