Last Updated on 14 Apr 2021
The Earliest Known Ancestor for this family is William Harrell, b. 1740-1750 Northern Virginia (viz., Augusta Co. or Frederick Co. or Dunmore Co. or Shenandoah Co. as name changes and boundary changes dictated), d. 1822 Wythe Co., VA. It is believed that William Harrell and members of his family migrated in about 1780/1781 to an area claimed over time by VA counties Wythe, Montgomery, and Pulaski. William Harrell was married at least twice (Hannah and Martha) and his children, as identified in his 1822 Will, are Mary, John, Leah (Sarah), Reuben, Nancy, Jacob, Rebecca, William, and Elizabeth. DNA profiles were obtained from descendants of William Harrell’s sons John b. 1768-1773 and William b. 1794.
A listing of all known descendants of EKA William Harrell is provided through the first 3 generations (i.e., William’s children and grandchildren). A more complete list of descendants, along with other pertinent information, will be provided at a later time.
It is believed, but not proven, that the parents of EKA William Harrell are Jacob Harrell b. 1710-1720 VA and spouse Martha Calfee Harrell b. 1717. For Family #1, Jacob Harrell cannot be considered the EKA because this proof of parenthood is lacking.
In 1735, William Russell received a land grant for several thousand acres “of Land on the South Side Sherrando River” (South Shenandoah River in Orange Co., VA) from King George II. In 1740, Russell sold 760 acres of this land “lying on the south side of the South River of Shenandoah” to Richard Harrald (born abt 1700) of Prince William Co., VA. In 1741, Russell sold 400 acres to William “Husk” (Hurst), this land also located on the south side of the South Shenandoah River (“in that part of Orange Co. called Augusta”). In 1747 there was a “resurvey” of William Russell’s land grant (see below) and “5 families” were shown on the resulting resurvey map owning property along this stretch of the South Shenandoah: “H. and J. Cloud, H. Hardin, Richard & J. Harrald, S. Land, and Wm. Husk”. It is believed that the family of “Richard & J. Harrald” is Richard Harrald who purchased 400 acres from Russell in 1741, and his blood relative Jacob Harrald (DNA profiles from descendants of Richard Harrald/Harrell match DNA profiles from descendants of EKA William Harrell yet none of Richard Harrald’s 6 sons can be linked directly to EKA William Harrell).
It is not known whether Jacob is a brother of Richard or some other relative but it will be assumed until contrary evidence is found that Jacob Harrald/Harrell is Richard Harrald’s brother. Richard Harrald/Harrell b. 1700 is the EKA of Family #5.
No documentation has yet been found identifying any children of Jacob Harrald/Harrell and spouse Martha Calfee. This is unfortunate because possible links between some of the 14 families can be explained by assuming Jacob Harrell had several sons. These possible sons of Jacob/Martha Harrell will be identified if applicable when discussing the other 13 families.
Beginning soon after “Richard Harrald and J. Harrald” arrived in the Shenandoah Valley about 1741, a close relationship developed between these Harralds/Harrells, the Calfee family, the Padget family, and the Hurst family. Born probably in Ireland, Henry Calfee and spouse Elizabeth Bezam had children Judith b. 1710, Martha b. abt 1711, John b. abt 1716, Francis “Frankie” b. abt 1718, William b. abt 1720, and Elizabeth “Betty” b. abt 1721. Judith Calfee married William Hurst; Martha Calfee married Jacob Harrell (not proven but strong evidence exists); and Elizabeth Calfee married Reuben Padget. John Calfee’s son James was born in the Shenandoah Valley but migrated to Montgomery Co./Wythe Co. about the same time as EKA William Harrell. This James Calfee died in Wythe Co. in 1820 and his first child was born in Montgomery Co. in 1784. Further discussion about Reuben Padget can be found in Family #2, EKA Reuben Harrell.
Welcome to the Harrell Collaborative › Forums › Family #1 EKA William Sr. Harrell ~1740-1750