William Edward Harrell, born
November 22, 1859, son of George and _____ Brookout Harrell, came on horseback
from Kentucky to Texas in the early 1880’s. He settled first in Kaufman County
where he was married March 20, 1881 to twenty one year old Frances Isabell
Crocker, daughter of Thomas and ______ Fowler Crocker. She was a native of Alabama, born January 16, 1860.
After the birth of their first
child, Myrtle, February 16, 1884, the Harrell’s moved by covered wagon to Tarrant County and established a home on the old
Smith Farm, three miles east of Keller.
As was the custom of that time, they paid the land owner a yearly rental
of one third of the corn crop and one fourth of the cotton.
The second child, Thomas Washington
Harrell, was born July 19, 1886. Both
children grew up in the Keller community and attended the local schools.
The mother passed away January 20,
1899 and her husband William Edward Harrell died February 26, 1942. Both were buried in Mt. Gilead Cemetery.
Myrtle became the wife of Charles
Griffin July 7, 1901. The wedding was
held at the Keller residence of Mr. and Mrs. Miles West. Rev. A.D. Bourland read the ceremony.
To this union one child was born, a
daughter, Jennie Belle. On December 14,
1922, she was married to Doyle H. Darby, son of Benjamin Franklin and Mary
Adalaide Hollis Darby.
Thomas Washington Harrell met his
future wife at an early age. The parents
of both were neighbors and friends. When
Mrs. Harrell visited in the James Wesley Ponder home, where the mother had
died, her young son Tom entertained the little Ponder girls, Era and Montie
Adel, by giving them a ride in his toy wagon.
The friendship between Tom and Montie became a courtship in the years
that followed. They were married at Mt. Gilead
Church, October 9,
1904. Their attendants were newlywed
Oscar and Della Keller Browning. The
wedding supper was held at the home of Charles and Myrtle Harrell Griffin.
Five children were born to this
union. They are:
1)
Era Faye, born July 2, 1905, married W.C. Moten
December 24, 1934.
2)
Lawrence Edward, born September 12, 1909, married Jesse
Smith
January 5, 1935.
3)
Clara Belle, born December 22, 1911, married W.E.
Tomlinson
December
24, 1934.
4)
Doris Arnetta, born June 10, 1914, married Brent Gaut
October 15, 1940.
5)
Thomas W. Jr., born May 5, 1925, married Jennie Renoe
June 22, 1945.
The Harrell’s established a home at
302 Price Street
in Keller, where Mr. Harrell was a building contractor. They were active members of the First Baptist
Church where
Mr. Harrell served as an elder and
as Superintendent of Sunday School. He
also served as a member of the local school board.
Mrs. Harrell, born December 17,
1886, was the daughter of James Wesley and Annie Carson Ponder. She passed away February 26, 1958 and was
buried in Bourland
Cemetery. Mr. Harrell lives now with a son-in-law and
daughter, Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Moten of Arlington.
