Brooks County GaArchives Biographies.....Harrell, Mathew James 1859 - living in 1913
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 24, 2004, 12:31 am

Author: William Harden
p. 946-948

   MATHEW JAMES HARRELL. Noteworthy among the native-born citizens of Brooks
county who have spent their lives within its precincts, aiding in every possible
way its growth and development, whether relating to its agricultural,
manufacturing or financial interests, is Mathew James Harrell, an extensive
land-owner, living on the Grooverville road, about four miles from Quitman. He
was born in Brooks county, March 13, 1859, a son of Samuel J. Harrell.

   His paternal grandfather, John Harrell, was born, reared, and married in
North Carolina. Accompanied by his family, he subsequently migrated to Georgia,
the private conveyance in which he made the journey, which was accomplished
before the days of railways, was a cart made entirely of wood, their being no
tires on the wheels. Bringing his provisions with him, he camped and cooked
along the way. and on arriving in what is now Brooks county purchased land three
miles west of the present site of Quitman. After settling on the land, he
followed to some extent his trade of shoemaker, visiting the different
plantations in this locality, and making shoes for the slaves. He spent a part
of his time in farming, living in different places, but finally locating about
three miles from Barwick, where he spent his remaining days, outliving the
allotted three score and ten years of man's life. His wife, whose maiden name
was Nancy Ausley, was born in North Carolina, and died before he did, leaving
eight sons and one daughter.

   Born in Brooks county, Georgia, Samuel J. Harrell at the age of nineteen
years took upon himself the responsibilities of a married man, and began his
independent career without other means than willing hands, a brave heart, and
unlimited stock of energy and courage. At the breaking out of the war between
the states, he enlisted and went through the war in the Confederate service. At
the close of the conflict Mr. Harrell resumed his agricultural labors.
Purchasing a small farm in Brooks county, he operated it for a time, but
subsequently, desirous of enlarging his activities in that line, he rented a
large plantation in the southern part of the county, and embarked in general
farming on an extensive scale, in his undertaking being reasonably successful. A
lifelong resident of Brooks county, he died at his home on the Grooverville
road, at the age of sixty-four years. The maiden name of the wife of Samuel J.
Harrell was Laura Jane Albritton. She was born in Brooks county, a daughter of
Rev. George W. and Jane (Allen) Albritton. Mr. Albritton, who was a native of
Georgia and a preacher in the Primitive Baptist church, enlisted during the
Civil war for service in the Confederate army, and with his command took part in
various campaigns and battles during the earlier part of the conflict, but in
its last year was.captured by the enemy and died from exposure while a prisoner
of war. He carried with him as a soldier his bible and hymn book, saying he
wanted to loan these to his comrades one and all. Capt. George W. Albritton was
also a first lieutenant of the Florida Volunteers in the Indian wars of 1835,
being commissioned by the governor before Florida was admitted as a state. His
widow, who reared several children, survived him. Other members of the Albritton
family were Mathew James and Isaac Abraham Albritton, both prominent lawyers of
Brooks and Thomas counties and both reafed near Quitman. Mrs. Samuel J. Harrell
is still living on the homestead on the Grooverville road, and is the mother of
eight children.

   Having by diligent study acquired a practical education in the district
schools, Mathew James Harrell remained with his parents until his marriage.
Beginning then the struggle of life on his own account, he purchased
seventy-five acres of land, fifteen acres only of which had been improved. His
natural ability, early training and energetic spirit counted much in his favor,
and through his own efforts he won success in his agricultural labors. Since
that time, Mr. Harrell has bought and sold several tracts of land, and now has
title to upwards of seven hundred and fifty acres, some of which is heavily
timbered, while large fields are under a high state of cultivation, yielding
abundant harvests each year. On his home place, situated four miles from
Quitman, on the Grooverville road, Mr. Harrell has lived for the past fifteen
years. Here he has a fine set of farm buildings, and in addition to carrying on
mixed husbandry he has a well equipped saw mill, which he erected primarily for
his own use. For a number of years he operated a threshing machine in various
parts of the county.

   Mr. Harrell first married, when but twenty years old, Annie Olive Winter, a
daughter of Jeremiah and Lizzie (Boring) Winter, and granddaughter of Dr. Thomas
and Martha (Le Noir) Boring. She passed to the higher life one short year after
their marriage and her babe followed a few months later. Mr. Harrell married
second Miss Addie Groover, who was born in Brooks county, Georgia, a daughter of
Thomas and Susan (Joiner) Groover, and grand-daughter of James and Elizabeth
(Denmark) Groover, pioneer settlers of Brooks county. Her mother died when she
was but an infant, and her father subsequently married Sarah Joiner, a sister of
his first wife, and an aunt of Mrs. Harrell. Eight children have blessed the
union of Mr. and Mrs. Harrell, namely: Bennet, a well-known farmer; Walter, a
clerk in the Quitman postofflce; Samuel T.; Annie Laurie, wife of W. D. Long;
Ida Olivia, who was killed by a runaway horse at the age of fifteen on her way
from school; Mathew J., Jr., Alma, and Wallace Eugene. Samuel T. Harrell, the
third son, is a lawyer in Quitman, being in the firm of Bennett & Harrell. Mr.
Harrell is a member of the Hickory Head Agricultural Society, and both he and
his wife are faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

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