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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lafayette County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  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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B. R. Harrel, a substantial farmer of Steel Township, Lafayette County, was born in Alabama in 1835. His father, Neil Harrel, born in Hancock County, Ga., was a soldier in Jackson’s war with the Indians. He was twice married, his first wife being Miss Ann Carwile, of South Carolina. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, remaining with his father until 1852. He then went to Florida and engaged in various occupations, in 1855 being found at Old Lewisville, then the county seat of this county, which at that time embraced all of what is now known as Miller and Lafayette Counties. Here he worked at the carpenter’s trade. In 1861 he joined Capt. Dill’s company of Lafayette Guards, Confederate States Army, which was afterward consolidated with other companies, and served first in the infantry, then in the cavalry and finally in the artillery service, and was engaged principally on the east side of the river. He was in the Army of Tennessee, and served as quartermaster-sergeant in the battery. He participated in the battles of Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, and in all the various battles throughout Georgia. He was twice wounded, first at Resaca, being shot in the thigh by a minie-ball, and at Kenesaw Mountain he was slightly wounded on the head by the fragment of a shell. At Jonesboro he was captured and sent to Nashville, Tenn.; was here exchanged and returned to his command and was in the last Tennessee campaign, engaging in the battle of Nashville. He surrendered at Meridian, Miss., and immediately came home and engaged in tilling the soil. In 1858 he was wedded to Miss Ann Murphy, by whom he had five children, viz.: Martha M. (widow of Asa Drew), N. D. (resides in the village), Allen L. (deceased), Annie L. (wife of G. W. Dobson, of this place), and Lee (deceased). Mrs. Harrel died in 1872, and in 1874 Miss Ellen Steel, of this county, became Mrs. Harrel. She was a daughter of John Steel, a pioneer of this county, who served as county judge previous to the war. To Mr. and Mrs. Harrel have been born two children, Richard L. and John T. His first wife's father, E. A. Murphy, was also a pioneer of this county, and served as county judge previous to the war. He owned considerable property, and was one of the leading men of the county. Socially Mr. Harrel affiliates with the Lewisville Lodge No. 14, A. F. & A. M., and Lewisville Lodge No. 56, K. of P. Mrs. Harrel is a member of the Christian Church.

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This family biography is one of 44 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lafayette County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Lafayette County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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