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| Little Egypt Plantation, East Feliciana, LA |
It is common among genealogists to delve into family history in search of answers and insights into the past; the process of tracing one's ancestors often proves to be a prolonged and painstaking endeavor. In my case, my Harrell ancestors were among those who endured slavery's harsh realities, having been held in bondage on the Levi Harrell plantation. Levi Harrell, along with his family, migrated from South Carolina to the Mississippi Territory during a period of territorial expansion and transformation. The Mississippi Territory, an organized and incorporated region of the United States, was established on April 7, 1798, following the admission of its western half into the Union as the State of Mississippi. In 1803, Levi Harrell relocated his family, possessions, and enslaved individuals to this area, ultimately settling near the Pretty Creek river in East Feliciana, where they established their new lives.
I undertook the task of tracing the history of the slaveholders as part of my efforts to explore my ancestry. Several years ago, I decided to take the Ancestry DNA test in order to gain insight into some of my lineages. Through this process, I discovered a match with an individual bearing the surname White. This connection prompted me to investigate further to understand how I might be related to the family of Mahetabel. My research revealed that I was linked to a person named Elizabeth Marter, who was predicted to be my 5th to 8th cousin. Our shared DNA amounted to 16 cM across a single segment. Upon examining her family tree, I found a woman named Mahetabel Hannah Harrell. Mahetabel was married to John Alexander White in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, and they were the parents of Lewis H, James, John, Lydia, Matilda, Frances, Henry, Janet, Margaret, and Micajah White.
Mahetabel was born in the year 1814 in the locality of Pretty Creek, situated in East Feliciana, and she passed away in 1889 within the same region of East Feliciana. She resided on a plantation known as Egypt, located in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, alongside her husband. She was the daughter of Levi Harrell, Jr., and Elizabeth Brian Harrell, with her lineage tracing back to this familial connection. Additionally, she had siblings who were part of her family structure.
My fourth great-grandfather was a man by the name of Randall Harrell. According to records, in the year 1870, he resided in Union Parish within the household of Benjamin Harrell. Randall and Priscilla Blackburn were married on December 26, 1867, in Union Parish, Louisiana; at the time of their marriage, Randall was seventy years old, while Priscilla was sixty-five years old. Following Randall's death, Priscilla relocated to East Feliciana, where their son, Robert Harrell, was living alongside his wife, Dinah, and their children.
Randall's father was identified as Primus Harrell; however, despite extensive efforts, the identity of his mother remains unknown. Descendants of Thomas and Randall Harrell regularly convene through Zoom conference calls to exchange information, deepen their understanding of their shared family history, and foster collaboration. Currently, the only two known children of Primus Harrell are Thomas and Randall. During these gatherings, Harrell family genealogists present their research using a variety of methods, including PowerPoint presentations, oral histories, and photographic evidence. Notably, Suzette Domingue, a descendant of Thomas, and Karran Harper Royal, a descendant of Randall, engage in discussions about the DNA connections identified through platforms such as Ancestry and 23andMe. These discussions highlight a significant number of DNA matches between Thomas's descendants and other individuals on both Ancestry and 23 and Me.
In addition to these collaborative efforts, I have conducted searches for public family trees on Ancestry to identify others researching their Harrell lineage. This search revealed forty-two trees that reference Primus Harrell. The Harrell family has been traced to several parishes in Louisiana, including Winn, St. Helena, Rapides, Tangipahoa, Grant, Caldwell, Union, East Carroll, West Carroll, East Feliciana, Iberville, and Calcasieu. This geographical spread underscores the extensive reach of the Harrell family's history and connections across the region.
