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Below is a family biography included in The History of Fayette County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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James C. Harrell was born in Fayette County, Tenn., October 5, 1839, and is the son of William and Temperance (Barnes) Harrell, both natives of Nash County, N. C. The father was born in 1802 and died in Fayette County, October 20, 1856. The mother was born in 1814 and died in the same county October, 1878. They were both of Irish descent and in early life moved to Fayette County. Our subject was educated at La Grange College, Tennessee, and Broaddus College, Mississippi; then commenced farming which he has continued ever since, except during his service in the Confederate Army. In 1867 he established a store at Rossville, but moved the business to Elba in 1870 and still lives at the old homestead and cultivates the old plantation. March 17, 1859, he married Miss Fannie Mitchell, born April 20, 1843, and they have had eleven children, ten of them living. Mr. Harrell has always been a Democrat, and for several terms has held the office of magistrate. In 1884 he was elected to the Legislature, and was placed on the committees of public schools, railroads, penitentiary, agriculture and public roads. He was a thorough business member and was never absent from his desk. Mr. Harrell is a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight of Honor and a member of the A. O. U. W. He was originally a Baptist, but since 1874 he has been a member of the Christian Church. In 1862 he enlisted as first lieutenant in Company C in Ballentine’s regiment, and served with it in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, participating under Van Dorn in the battles of Holly Springs, Jackson, Murfreesboro and the Georgia campaign from Dalton to Atlanta, and with Hood from the evacuation at Lovejoy through the battles at Franklin and Nashville and was surrendered at Selma, Ala., under Gen. Frank Armstrong in April, 1865. Mr. Harrell is a quiet, pleasant gentleman of marked force of character, exerting a wide influence in his county and esteemed by all.

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This family biography is one of 77 biographies included in The History of Fayette County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Fayette County was included within The History of Fayette and Hardeman Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Fayette and Hardeman Counties, Tennessee

View additional Fayette County, Tennessee family biographies here: Fayette County, Tennessee

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