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William Milvern Harrell, Jr.
Cemetery Photo
Dibble Cemetery, Dibble, McClain Co. OK

© Jan Fendley

Biography posted by Jeanie Sisson

William Milvern Harrell, Jr.  was born July 19, 1850, in Waelder, Gonzales County, Texas, the first child of six born to Malinda Dixie (Pettit)* and Milvern Harrell, Sr. He was nine years old when his mother died. From age eleven to fifteen, Milvern Jr. grew rapidly to manhood because of the effects of the Civil War. Since most of the men of Gonzales County, Texas had gone to the battle front, those who were left behind were forced to carry on the home and community responsibilities. Consequently, he, like many others of that time and area, learned to herd, brand and handle stock, especially since his father was commissioned to furnish beef for the troops.


After the close of the war, times continued to be hard. In Texas, cattle sold for two dollars a head. However, if they could be drive to points in Kansas, they would bring prices averaging thirty to forty dollars a head.
 

Being strong and able, he helped his father and their neighbors round up cattle for the long cattle drives up the famous Chisholm Trail. He made two trips from Gonzales County, Texas to Abilene, Kansas. The first was with his uncle, Montraville Harrell, in 1869, and the second trip, about two year later, included approximately 5000 cowboys and 700,000 head of cattle.


The young stockman stopped one afternoon at the Robert L. and Sarah Miller Mercantile Store on Waelder's Main Street. It was in this store that he met Martha Ann Hopkins, who was a younger sister to Sarah Miller. They were married November 5, 1874 and established a home in Delhi Community in neighboring Caldwell County. Here were born their first two children: Edna Earl, August 1, 1875 who died at age three weeks, and Elisha Alexander, born September 29, 1876.


The young family returned to Waelder where their next three children were born: Anna Corrine, July 2, 1879; Kate Tallulah Dixie, June 25, 1885; and Maxey Manton, July 6, 1888. Martha Ann Hopkins "Mattie" who was born August 12, 1882, came to live with the family at 18 days of age when her mother died. She was the daughter of Martha Ann Harrell's brother, Henry Thomas Hopkins. About 1889, the family moved to Snyder in Scurry County where Mary Delma was born December 16, 1890.


The tall grasses of Indian Territory, which Milvern had seen on the cattle drives, caused him to move his family to the small community of Ravia (now Johnston County, Oklahoma) about 1895. Bringing several milk cows and some extra horses, they made their way through raw lands of few roads and bridges and many hazards of disease, snakes, weather and unfriendly natives. The family generally camped on the banks of a running stream for use of its water in cooking, cleaning, and bathing. At one point on their trip, the lightning, thunder, high winds and heavy rains kept them awake most of the night. The next morning they were surprised to see that the wagons, teams of horses, cows and their campground were surrounded by water. After a few days, when the water had receded, they drove the teams into the deep water. Swimming and fighting desperately, the horses pulled the covered wagons and their precious cargo to the other side of the river. It was a frightening experience for the children and their parents. Arriving in Ravia, the family lived in covered wagons until their house was built. Later, they built barns and fences. Their last child, Clifton Mann, was born March 19, 1897 in Ravia.


Yet, their hearts yearned for their native state and some years later, they returned to settle in the Hardon Community of Coleman County, Texas. Their oldest son, Elisha, and their daughter, Corrine, had married while the family was living in Ravia. The family ties were strong and the family returned to Ravia on February 10, 1909.


Sometime that year they moved to McClain County where they rented a farm. Eventually, they owned a farm adjacent to their son Maxey's farm in the Oak Hurst Community, 2 miles west and 2 miles south of Dibble, in McClain County. This was to be their final move. Milvern Harrell, Jr. died on June 12, 1917.


*Malinda Dixie [Pettit] Harrell was the 2nd wife of Milvern Harrell, Sr.


Written by Christine Harrell Peters, a granddaughter.

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