Hi Lura,

I've been researching my Johnston County ancestors for 30+ years. I work as an archivist at the NC Archives, and have pretty much examined all pf the surviving orignal Johnston County records pertaining to James Carrell and his family. I am a descendant of James and Rhoda Carrell's eldest daughter Margaret "Peggy" Carrell (b. 1793, d. May 24, 1836; md. Britton Langdon). Peggy died about 6 months before Rhoda and her children departed for Dale County, AL, and Britton remarried in August, 1836 to his second wife Winnifred Hawkins Jordan. Britton Langdon remained in Johnston County and did not follow his Carroll in-laws to Alabama in December, 1836.

I have researched James Carrell (ca. 1765-1834) very extensively in the Johnston County records (deeds, court minutes, tax lists, military pension, etc.). I'm descended not only from James's wife Rhoda, but also from her brother, David Stephenson (ca. 1772-1851; md. Arey Johnson). Also, Britton Langdon and wife Peggy Carrell were first cousins once-removed, as Britton's mother, Patty Stephenson (ca. 1755/60-after 1810; md. James Langdon), was the younger half-sister of Solomon Stephenson, Jr. (d. 1781), Rhoda's father. So all of these ancestors are very intertwined in my ancestry. All of the original records of Johnston County that I've consulted refer to James and Rhoda's son James as merely "James Carrell." I have never seen an original source refering to him as Major. I think the confusion started with the 1899 newspaper article which gave James the name of his son Major. James (1805-1878) married Penelope "Pennie" Kennedy of Lenoir County, NC. She is often incorrectly stated as the daughter of Benjamin Kennedy. Actually, Benjamin was her older brother. Penelope's father was Henry Kennedy, Sr. (d. 1829) of Lenoir County. Some members of the Henry Kennedy, Sr. family migrated to Johnston County, NC in the early 1830s. I am descended from Penelope's brother Benjamin Kennedy/Cannady (ca. 1792-1873; md. Frances Creech).

James Carrell (1765-1834) and his brother William Carrell (ca. 1765/70 - aft. 1832) were definitely grandsons of John Carrell (d. ca. 1762) of Swift Creek, Johnston County, NC. John Carrell (ca. 1754-1816), son of John (d. ca. 1762), served as the bondsman for both of men when they married (William Carrell to Sarah Stephenson in 1790, James Carrell to Rhoda Stephenson in 1792). John (1754-1816) was undoubtedly James and William's uncle. As I mentioned, William's wife Sarah Stephenson died, and he remarried Piety Fluellin in 1797. Abraham Perry, his step-father, served as bondsman for that marriage. James Carrell (d. 1777) is the likely father of James and William. He was living initially in Johnston County and received land from John Carrell (d. 1762). In 1767, the Johnston court appointed him guardian to John's orphaned daughter Lucy (probably because he had married her). They moved over into present day Harnett County. When the elder James died in 1777, Abraham Perry married his widow and served as administrator. The family moved over into Pleasant Grove Township in Johnston County after the war.

There could be a connection to the Carroll family in Sampson County, although the connection may go back to Virginia. I was merely stating the position that since James (1765-1834)'s parentage was likely established in Johnston County, any connection between the families would be further back in time.

CeCe Redmond has a Yahoo Group that I've participated in that you might want to consult. It may be that she knows a male descendant for testing, or has had a test done already. I have suggested this idea to her before. Cece is descended from John Carroll (md. Martha "Patsy" Lassiter) of Pike County, AL. John was the son of James and Rhoda. Patsy was the daughter of Elijah Lassiter (1762-1848), another ancestor of mine.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CarrollandAlliedFamilies/

I also have corresponded in years past with a direct male descendant of John Carroll (md. Patsy Lassiter) who now lives in North Carolina. It may be that he might be interested in DNA testing, if I can re-establish contact with him.

Mark