Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/19

 Boston, Virginia, in 1904 to Trinity Church, Norfolk, in 1905 to Princess Anne circuit, in 1907 to Readville, 'irginia, and finally Crittenden, in which ])lacc his death oc- curred.

The above brief outline of Rev. Harrell's ministry can at best but give an imperfect and insufficient indication of his activities as a minister of the Gospel. Those with whom he passed these years, although his stay in any one place was short, can tell of the ease with which he won his way into their hearts and love, of his tender consider- ation, of his patience with their shortcom- ings, and of the devotion that marked his ministry. Young in spirit from youth until his death in middle age, he brought much of the strength and cheer of that spirit to the pleasure and enjoyment of the sick and aged among his parishioners, the beautiful ■erses of the New Testament svipplving him with his inspiration to service of this kind, for which he is tenderly and lovingly re- membered by many. Rev. Harrell made a universal appeal to all the classes that com- prised his congregations, and it would have been vain to have attempted to identify him with one set of persons or interests more strongly than with another. Just as he shared equally in the labor and burden of the different departments of church work, so did he rejoice with the fortunate, condole with the miserable, enjoy the plenty of the wealthy, and share his private resources with the poor, living his life and giving his strength to the glory of God and the ad- vancement of His kingdom. He established in his home and taught his children a re- ligion simple, adequate, and satisfying, and walked always the path that he strove to make plain to his people. Rev. Harrell fra- ternized with the Masonic order. He married, November 24, 1885, Lauren- tina Lewis, born November 21, 1865, daugh- ter of Rev. W'illiam B. and Alice Lane (Jones) Lewis, her father a minister of the Mississippi conference of the Methodist Episcopal church. The children of this mar- riage received all of their early education at home, afterward entering the higher grades of school. Children: i. Bryant Eugene, born November 14, 1886, in Pittsylvania county; attended school in South Boston, Virginia, for one year, in 1900 entering Randolph- Macon Academy at Bedford City, Virginia, whence he was graduated in 1903 ; three years later he took his A. B. from Randolph- Macon College, and for the four following years taught school, subsequently entering Johns Hopkins Universit)-, graduating therefrom M. D. in 1914; he is now con- nected with the Jefferson Hospital, of Roa- noke, Virginia. 2. Mary Alice, born in Southampton county, Virginia, April 25, 1889; was educated in the public schools and the Blackstone Female Institute, grad- uating from the latter place in 1908, at the close of a four years course ; for one year she was a school teacher in Readville, Vir- ginia, and after a two years course in the Randolph-Macon Women's College, at L}nchburg, Virginia, accepted a position as teacher of geography and English in the Robert E. Lee School, of Norfolk, where she has been employed for the past four years. ,^. Charles Adair, born in Sussex county, X'irginia, August i, 1893: until 1904 he was a student in South Boston, Virginia, and was then for one year in the public schools of Norfolk and two years in the same insti- tutions of Princess Anne county ; he was graduated A. B. from Randolph-Macon College, class of 1914. and is now. although but twenty-one years of age, principal of the high school at Mineral, Virginia, hav- ing upon his faculty six assistants. 4. Henry Lewis, born December 18, 1896 5. Leighton Ernest, born November 10, 1900. 6. Frank Everett, born February 6, 1904, died July 20, 1904. 7. Laurie Evelyn, born March 22. 1906. Benjamin Wilson Smith. Of English de- scent, this branch of the Smith family early settled in Mecklenburg county. Virginia. A distinguished member of the family, John Pascall Smith, served his district in the national Congress, and was a man of mark in his community. John Smith, grandfather of Benjamin Wilson Smith, was a farmer of Mecklenburg county, as was his son, An- thony Wilson Smith, whose farm was near Smith Cross Roads. Anthony ^^'ilson Smith married Nannie Gidd and among their chil- dren was Benjamin Wilson, of whom fur- ther. Benjamin Wilson Smith was born on the home farm near Smith Cross Roads, Meck- lenburg county, Virginia. He attended the public schools, and remained at home as his father's assistant at farm labor until his six- teenth year. He then moved to 'illis,