Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/81

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

609

trict in the national government, and be- came the choice of his district for the sixty- third Congress by an overwhelming vote which was more than double the combined vote of his opponents. His activity at Wash- ington has been of the highest order, and his has been a leading part in much of the legislation enacted during the seventeen vears that he has been a Congressman. He was elected chairman of the Democratic caucus of the house of representatives in the fifty-sixth, fifty-seventh, and fifty-eighth Congresses, and has always been included in the councils of the party leaders. Mr. Ilav is a man of marked ability, which he has displayed on the floor of the house as he has previously shown it in the less im- jiortant positions that he was called to fill in county and state. The attributes of the trained speaker are his. his words carrying the conviction felt by the man and unfail- iiiglv impressing his audience. His long experience as a lawmaker lends efficiency to l(is services, and the trust that has been repeatedly reposed in him by his people contains nothing of flattery, but recognition of worth and merit so intelligently applied as to produce the most enduring and valu- I'ble results. He is now chairman of the rommittee on military affairs ; is author of the bill consolidating the supply depart- ments of the army, of the bill creating the service" corps of the army, also of the de- tached service law, the aviation law, and the law for increasing the efficiency of the vet- erinary corps of the army; all of which measures have greatly increased the effi- ciency of the army.

Mr. Hay married (first) October i, 1878, Constance Tatum, of Harrisburg; (second) June 9. 1891, Frances B. Gordon, daughter of Colonel W. W. Gordon. By his first marriage he is the father of two children, James and William, and by his second two, T'"llen and Frances.

David Lemuel Harrell, M, D. Mr. Ilar- rcll's branch of this old family is one that has been long seated in Virginia, although many bearing the name in this state trace to the famih' of Gates county. North Caro- lina. \\'esley Harrell, grandfather of Dr. David Lemuel Harrell, was the owner of a large and fertile plantation in Nansemond county, \'irginia. and there his six children

VIR— 38

were l)orn : Elkano, Lee, Joshua, of whom further, Thomas. Alary, married Daniel Wilkins. and Martha, married Frank Roundtree.

Joshua Harrell, son of \\'esley Harrell. was born in Nansemond county, Virginia, in 1843, ^""i after a private school educa- tion began agricultural operations in a gen- eral manner, although the principal products of his acres were cotton and corn. He was long prominent in local public affairs, was justice of the peace for fifteen years, and member of the school board for twenty years. In religious work in his community he also played an important part, a com- municant of the Christian church. He ex- ercised influence of no small power among liis fellows, and was ever allied with the right. He married, in 1870, Evelena, daughter of David and Martha ( Priced lirown, and had issue: Da\id Lemuel, of whom further; Clarence, born in 1875, mar- ried Maggie Simpson ; Theodore Curtis, born in 1877, married (first) Ruth Brinkley, (second) Ruth Jones; Vivian Brown, born in 1879, married Olelia \'aughan, and has David Brown and Virginia ; Floyd Wesley, born in 1882, married Ruth, daughter of James R. Saunders, Jr. ; Lillian Augley, born in 1885, deceased; Martha, born in 1887, married Hunter Smith, and has a daughter. Lucille ; Joshua Byrd, born in 1889, deceased; Coleman, born in 1892.

Dr. Dax'id Lemuel Harrell. son of Joshua and Evelena (Brown) Harrell, was born in Nansemond county, \'irginia, in 1873, and after attending Professor ^\'illiams' l)rivate school for a time went to Littleton, North Carolina, one year later accepting a position as a school teacher. After one term he abandoned this profession and en- tered the L'niversity of \^irginia, studying in the medical department of that institu- tion during 1893 ^"d 1894, subsequently enrolling in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, at Baltimore, Maryland, receiv- ing his M. D. from this college. For six months he performed interne duty at the Bay View Hospital. Baltimore, and in 1896 successftilly took the examinations of the State Medical Board. He then returned to the county of his birth and began active prac- tice in his profession. In 1907 Dr. Harrell became a member of the medical traternity i>i Suffolk. Virginia, and there has since re-