Emma Mead Harrell Left Footprints in the Amite City Courthouse

Johnny Harrell researching with genealogist
Antoinette Harrell

My cousin Johnny Harrell and I spent the early morning hours searching for property records on our Harrell ancestors in the vendors and vendees books. Our attention was drawn to the records of their mother Emma Mead Harrell as we looked through the records of Palmer and Jasper Harrell, Sr. Emma Mead Harrell was an assertive woman during her time. In addition to acquiring land and farming it, she also sold the produce at the markets and community.

I was delighted to see a descendant of Alexander and Emma Mead Harrell wanting to know his family's history. Johnny left the Amite City Courthouse with a great deal of gratitude for his paternal great grandmother Emma. His knowledge of her and the legacy she left him was greatly enhanced. This is the first time a descendant of Palmer Harrell has researched the Harrell family history with me.

Emma Mead Harrell was Alexander Harrell's widow. In 1896 and 1902, she purchased land in Tangipahoa Parish from the U.S. 6th Congressional District of Louisiana. Bolivar Kemp was a Democrat who won the primary election for the 6th District seat in 1924 and won the general election without opposition. Esther Edwards Conner, better known as "Lallie" Kemp, was his wife. The Louisiana Hospital Board appointed her to its board in 1937 by Governor Richard Leche, and she passed away in 1943. Independence, LA, named its medical center after her..

Bolivar E. Kemp
Member of the U.S. House
of Representative from
Louisiana's 6th District

My maternal great grandmother Emma Mead Harrell purchased eleven and 64/100 acres of land from Bolivar E. Kemp. They personally appeared before Louis F. Lefevre, a notary public, duly commissioned and qualified in and for the Parish of Tangipahoa, State of Louisiana. This was done in the presence of the witnesses hereinafter named and undersigned. Bolivar E. Kemp, of lawful age, married once, then to Lallie Kemp, Emma purchased the land for consideration of the price and sum of three hundred and no/100 ($300.00) dollars cash in hand. The witnesses were Lorina L. Ponder, Carroll Buck.