Chapter 9: Elizabeth Harrell and Silas Parker, 3^rd Generation

  

            The purpose of this chapter is to describe what I know about Elizabeth and to cause others to think about her—about who her parents and siblings were. Of course, if someone has such information hopefully they will share it with the rest of us.

Elizabeth Harrell Parker (born 1798)—3^rd Generation

 

As is often the case in family histories, I am not even certain of Elizabeth’s birth year. The 1850 census and her obituary in 1886 both indicate she was born in 1798. On the other hand, in both the 1870 and 1880 censuses she reported an age that would have given her a birth year of 1800—perhaps she just liked round numbers. I am inclined to use 1798.

 

Another fact about which there is still some uncertainty is her parentage. I do not know for certain Elizabeth was a Harrell, but I have a pretty good indication that was the case. In fact, I believe there is a very credible connection between Elizabeth Harrell Parker  and Josiah Harrell (see chapter 8). This means, to this point all I have said in the previous chapter about Josiah Harrell’s possible and probable parents, I would also attribute to Elizabeth, and thus she was a 3^rd Generation Hertford County Harrell. If, however,  convincing information becomes available that indicates Elizabeth was not Josiah’s sister, then she will be removed from Josiah Harrell’s family. Let me explain the connection between Josiah Harrell and Elizabeth Harrell Parker as I understand it.

 

            In her Parker family album/history, Inez Parker Cumming has considerable information about her Parker ancestors, information that could not be found in public documents in Hertford County. Inez was a very credible writer and thorough researcher who had written much on local histories in the South. She described the family of Silas Parker with a comprehensiveness and detail that could only have come from family documents and from people who knew some family history. I believe Inez did much of her research in the 1930s-1950s, and thus she had some sources of information that are no longer available. The specificity of her information strongly indicates she and her informants were not guessing at relationships, names, and dates. For instance, her Parker family album includes the following: [1]

 

Silas Parker                                            born Feb. 5, 1769

His first marriage was to Delilah Unknown, they had the following children;

Winea                                                    born Dec. 1, 1792

Elizabeth                                                born Nov. 5, 1794

David                                                     born Oct. 18, 1796

Wiley                                                     born Oct. 31, 1799

Jethro                                                     born Aug. 23, 1802

Henry                                                     born Feb. 14, 1805

Ann                                                        born Mar. 2, 1807

Wm. James                                            born Dec. 13, 1811

Mary Rebecca                                      born Dec. 13, 1811

His second marriage was to Nancy Wynn, they had one child;

Wm. Henry                                            born Jan. 16, 1826

His third marriage was to Elizabeth Harrell, they had the following children;

John Perry                                             born Feb. 13, 1828

Arice                                                      born Nov. 19, 1829

Sarah                                                      born Sept. 18, 1831

Ann Elizabeth                                       born Sept. 9, 1833

Ellen                                                       born Mar. 23, 1835

George Washington                            born Jan. 17, 1837

Peter Perry                                             born Dec. 3, 1838

Wm. Carey                                            born Dec. 23, 1840.

 [page 286]

At the bottom of the page containing the above information, Inez provided a carefully written note that reads as follows:

 

“Note:  Elizabeth Harrell was sister to father of Nicholas Harrell. Hence, a double relationship when her grandson (R. W. P.) married Bertie Harrell.”

 

The R. W. P., Inez referred to was Roland W. Parker, her father. Bertie Harrell was, of course, her mother, and Nicholas Harrell was Bertie’s father, and he was Inez’s grandfather. Nicholas was the youngest son of Josiah Harrell. Inez’s point was that Elizabeth’s grandson married her brother, Josiah Harrell’s granddaughter.[2] Based primarily on Inez’s information, I have included Elizabeth Harrell Parker as Josiah Harrell’s younger sister (or twin).

 

            Based on the information presented just above, we know Elizabeth Harrell married Silas Parker around 1827. Considering the birth years of Silas Parker’s son from his second wife and his first child with Elizabeth, we can put the year of their marriage at 1827. And because Elizabeth was known to the Parkers as Elizabeth Harrell, it is probably safe to assume her marriage to Silas was her first. There is no doubt, when Silas Parker was cited as a head of household in the 1830 census, his wife was Elizabeth.

 

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

 

By 1830, Silas was 61 years of age, and his third family was well underway. His new wife, Elizabeth, was about thirty-two years old in 1830. At that time, she had two sons of her own as well as several step-children from Silas’ previous marriages in her household. At least five of Silas’ children were older then their new step-mother.

 [page 287]

            By 1840, Elizabeth and Silas had added five more children to their family: Sarah Alice, Ann Elizabeth, Ellen Susan, George Washington, and Peter Perry.

 

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

           

            Their youngest son, William Cary, was born in December of 1840. He appeared for the first time in the 1850 census, but his father was gone by then. Silas Parker died on June 3, 1849, just before the census taker came around, and consequently, Elizabeth was listed as the head of household in 1850.

           

1850 census entry, Hertford County, N. C.

*I have added the information presented in parentheses in the above census entry.

 

In 1850, Elizabeth was still on the family farm with five of her eight children, and her step-son, William Henry Parker, from Silas’ second marriage. She was the only mother William Henry knew. Elizabeth’s daughter, Sarah A. was married to Joseph B. Harrell from Gates County by that time—they were living in Hertford County in the household of George Nicholdson in 1850. Elizabeth’s sons, John Perry and George Washington, died in 1849 at the ages of 21 and 12 respectively. The year 1849 was clearly a very bad year in this Parker household. Then in 1854, Elizabeth’s daughter, Ann, died at the age of 20 years. Elizabeth was still the head of the household for the 1860 census.

 

1860 census entry, Hertford Co., N. C.

 

The 1860 census also shows the amount of economic security Elizabeth had even ten years after her husband, Silas, had died. Her son, Oris, was still living with her and was also financially independent with $1,206 in real property and $4,386 in personal property.

 

            Elizabeth Harrell Parker was living with her youngest son, William Cary, and his family at the time of the 1870 and 1880 censuses, at the reported ages of 70 and 80 years (see the section below on William Cary Parker—4^th Generation). It appears Elizabeth was fortunate enough to have a number of her grandchildren around for most of her advanced years—and some of them lived in the same house until her death.

 [page 288]

            Elizabeth Harrell Parker died in 1886 at the age of 88. Her death was noted by a friend in a local newspaper.[3] Elizabeth’s obituary included the following; “Died at her home near Murfreesboro, N. C., July 15th. 1886, sister Elizabeth Parker, widow of Silas Parker, in the 88th year of her age. She had been a consistent member of the Meherrin Baptist church for more than half a century….”

 

The notice does not list the names of those who survived Elizabeth, probably because there were so many, so it is not reasonable to assume her brother, Josiah Harrell, was already deceased (Josiah was also in the 1880 census, and would have been 88 years old at Elizabeth’s death). The obituary, however, did note that she left three sons and two daughters. They would have been:

 

Oris (b. 1829)                                         Sarah Alice Harrell (b. 1831)

                Peter Perry (b. 1838)                             Ellen Susan (b. 1836)

                William Cary (b. 1840)

 

Elizabeth Harrell and Silas Parker’s Children

 

            Elizabeth and Silas Parker had three daughters and five sons. They were 4^th Generation Hertford County Harrell descendants.

 

John Perry Parker (b. 1828)—4^th Generation

 

            John was born on February 13, 1828, and died around 1849.

 

Oris (b. 1829)—4^th Generation

 

I am pretty certain Oris was the young man living in his mother’s household in the 1850 census when he was listed as Harris Parker. Oris was still with Elizabeth in 1860 at the age of 30.

 

Between 1860 and 1865, Oris married Mary Gatling. Then on May 20, 1865, he married India M. Joyner in Northampton County. The 1870 census indicates he, his wife, and their son were in their own household near the family farm.

 

1870 census entry, Hertford County, N. C.

 [page 289]

 

            Oris, his wife and 13 year old son were again shown in 1880, and Oris’ half-brother, William Henry, was living with them at that time.

[page 290] 

 

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

 

In his county history, B. B. Winborne, writing before 1906, made the following comments about Oris.[4]

 

“… Oris Parker, who still lives near Borough, who was a magistrate …. Mr. Parker is the son of Silas Parker II, a justice in his day, and brother of Carey W. Parker, Peter P. Parker and the late David Parker, of Mapleton. His grandfather was Peter Parker and his great-uncle was Silas Parker, both of whom were magistrates in their day. Mr. Parker is still a justice of the peace, and his son, Oler S. Parker, is also one of our young justices.”

 

This is a first mention of Oris’ son, Oler S. Parker. Oler S. was probably the same son we saw in Oris’ household in 1870 and 1880—he would have been around 38 years of age when Winborne wrote the description cited above.

 

            Oris died in Hertford County on May 25^th 1907. 

 

Oris and Indiana Parker’s Children

 

Osceala Parker (b. 1867)—5^th Generation

 

He was in both the 1870 and 1880 censuses with his parents.

 

Oler S. Parker (b. after 1880)—5^th Generation

 

If Oler S. was not the son, Oscelala, listed in the 1870 and 1880 census, then he was born after 1880, and he was a Justice in Hertford County around 1906.

 

Sarah Alice Parker Harrell Harrell (b. 1831)—4^th Generation

 

Sarah A. Parker married before the 1850 census. She married Joseph B. Harrell in late 1849 or early 1850 in Hertford County.

 [page 291]

  

Sarah A. Parker & Joseph B. Harrell

 

According to his diary, Joseph B. Harrell was born on June 19, 1826 in Gates County, and he was the youngest in a large family.[5] He further states that he left home when he was 19 years old with one of his brothers, and married Sarah Alice Parker of Hertford County when he was 25 years of age.

 

On the bases of strong circumstantial evidence from the early censuses and family tradition, after Joseph B. died, around 1864, his widow, Sarah A. Harrell, married his brother Dempsey K. Harrell of Gates County. (See chapter 11 for more description of Joseph B. Harrell’s family.)

 

            Sarah A. and Joseph B. Harrell were living with the Nicholson family when the 1850 census was taken.

 

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

 

All three of Sarah and Joseph Harrell’s children were born before the 1860 census, but I have not been able to find the entry for them. There were ten Joseph Harrells in North Carolina for the 1860 census, but only one was from Hertford County. The Joseph found in 1860, was married to a Martha, and he was born in 1829—he was not a good match. There is no record of a Sarah A. Harrell, age 29, in Hertford County for 1860.

 

Joseph B. Harrell died around 1864—probably in the War. Sarah petitioned for support as his widow.[6] According to Joseph B.’s estate papers, his widow married his brother, Dempsey K. Harrell—sometime between 1864 and 1870. I do not know if Sarah and Dempsey lived in Gates or Hertford County, but by 1870, Dempsey had died and Sarah was a widow again.

 

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

 

By the 1870 census, Sarah and her three children by Joseph B. Harrell were living with her half-brother, W. H. Parker, in Hertford County. (William Henry Parker was born in 1826 in Silas Parker’s 2nd. Marriage.)

 [page 292]          

            In 1870, William H. Parker was farming his own land in Manneys Neck. He had 40 acres improved, and produced only 25 bushels of Indian corn, 1 bale of cotton and 15 bushels of peas. He was probably not supporting Sarah Harrell and her children on that level of production. In any case, the census indicates she had her own wealth. Sarah’s larger tract of land was probably leased out and brought her a nice income.

 

By the time of the 1880 census, William H. Parker was living with his half-brother, Ories Parker, and his family; while Sarah, at the age of 48, was living with her daughter, Elizabeth A., and son-in-law, James A. Copeland (see the section below on Elizabeth A. Harrell Copeland).

 

            Sarah “Sallie” was with her son, Edward C. Harrell, in Aulander, Bertie County in 1910 at the age of 79.

 

Sarah A. Parker and Joseph B. Harrell’s Children

 

Sarah and Joseph named their first child Elizabeth, probably for Sarah’s mother.  They named their first son William Joseph—the William may have been for her youngest brother William Cary Parker.[7] The use of the name, Joseph, was more than likely for the child’s father. They named their second son Edward Cary Harrell.

 

Elizabeth A. Harrell Copeland (b. 1854)—5^th Generation

 

            Sarah A. and daughter, Elizabeth A. Harrell, were living with W. H. Parker in Manneys Neck in the 1870 census. On October 19, 1876, Elizabeth (“Bettie”) A. Harrell married J. A. Copeland.[8] Their witnesses were W. C. Parker, and W. H. Parker, who were Elizabeth’s uncles. The third witness was K. Holloman, who was Josiah and Anna Harrell’s son-in-law—he had married Barsha Harrell in 1870. Kindred and Barsha Hollomon were living with Josiah and Anna, on the family farm adjacent to the Copelands at that time. (Barsha Harrell Hollomon and Elizabeth A. Harrell were 2^nd cousins, even though their family names of Harrell were not of the same source.) In addition, that meant, after her wedding, Elizabeth Harrell Copeland was living adjacent to her grandmother’s brother, Josiah Harrell.

 

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

[page 293] 

           

Elizabeth A. Harrell and James A. Copeland’s Children

 

            On the basis of the 1880 census, Elizabeth and James Copeland had two children: the oldest was Bingham E. and the youngest was India B. Copeland.

 

Bingham Edward Copeland (b. 1878)—6^th Generation

 

            B. E. Copeland of Hertford County, at the age of 27, married Lucy A. Boone. She was  also of Hertford County and 27 years old. They were married at the Boone residence on September 7, 1904.[9]

 

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

 

By the 1910 census, they had been married 5 years, and both of their children were still living. Bingham was County Sheriff, which was in keeping with his father, James A. Copeland’s, inclination for holding county office.

[page 294] 

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

 

By 1920, apparently Elizabeth A. Harrell Copeland was gone, and Bingham’s father, James Albert, was living with him and his family. They were living on Church Street in the town of Ahoskie.

 

Bingham & Lucy Copeland’s Children

 

Margaret Vann Copeland (b. 1906)—7^th Generation

Harry Shepherd Copeland (b. 1908)—7^th Generation

 

India Boardman Copeland Gerock (b. 1880)—6^th Generation

 

            James A. and Elizabeth A. Copeland named their daughter, India, in 1880—probably after her uncle, Oris Parker’s wife. Seems like an unusual name, but their neighbor Josiah Harrell’s son, Nicholas, also named his youngest daughter India on April 28, 1889.

 

            India B. Copeland, at the age of 20, married M. O. Gerrock, age 28, on October 31, 1899 in Winton. They were both of Hertford County.[10] By 1920, most if not all of their family was listed in the following census entry.

 

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

India B. & Matthew O. Gerock’s Children

Lois May Gerock (b. 1902)—7^th Generation

Faye Sidney Gerock (b. 1904)—7^th Generation

Matthew Osten Gerock Jr. (b. 1911)—7^th Generation

Alsia xxxal Gerock (b. 1916) (daughter)—7^th Generation

 [page 295]

William Joseph Harrell (b. 1857)—5^th Generation

 

            Sarah A. Parker Harrell’s son, Dr. William J. Harrell, was born January 17, 1857. He was in Hertford County for the census in 1870, living with his mother at the age of 13. He was not in Hertford County in 1880. He was probably off at school.

 

William J. Harrell married Bettie Rice in Bertie County on June 18, 1889.[11]  The first available census after their marriage is for 1900, and it pictured their household as follows.

 

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