My Genealogy Hound

Virgil S. Harwell has devoted his life to the calling of a farmer, and to say that he has been successful is but very mildly stating the case indeed. A Georgian, born in Floyd County in 1838, he is the fourth of nine children born to the marriage of Harbert Harwell and Polly Ann Fane, who were born in North Carolina. They moved to Georgia after their marriage, and when the subject of this sketch was a small lad they settled in Cherokee County, Ala., later in Itawamba County, Miss., where the father died in 1873, aged about seventy-seven years, and the mother in 1877. Mr. Harbert Harwell was a general trader in early life, but was also engaged in the mining business in Georgia for some years, he having discovered one of the first mines in the State. He was of Irish descent, and in his early manhood was captain of a company of militia. The subject of this sketch made his home with his parents until he was about twenty years of age, then came to Clark County, Ark., and in July, 1861, joined Company B, Twelfth Arkansas Infantry as drum major, but was injured at Columbus, Ky., and was then made sutler and postmaster for the company at Port Hudson. He was then paroled and returned to his father's home in Mississippi, where he organized a company of volunteers, of which he was made first lieutenant, and served in this capacity until the close of the war. Shortly before the close of hostilities he was married to Mrs. Mary Jackson, a daughter of William Carroll, and after the war he settled down in Mississippi until 1869, at which time he came to Clark County. Here he lost his estimable wife by death May 25, 1870, and two years later Emma, a daughter of Joel and Rebecca East, a sketch of whom appears in another part of this work, became his wife. She was born in Lawrence District, S. C., and by her Mr. Harwell is the father of five children, two sons and one daughter now living. Mr. Harwell farmed until 1871 at which time he opened a mercantile establishment in Okolona, which was in existence for two years. He has farmed ever since that time with the exception of 1877, when he conducted a saw and grist mill. Sixty acres of his 240-acre farm are under cultivation, and in his political views he is a Democrat. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the latter having been a member from childhood, and Mr. Harwell has been class leader and Sunday-school superintendent.