He is a son of John and Sarah (POLLARD) Harrell, who were born in Virginia and South Carolina in 1772 and 1771, respectively. They were married in the mother's native State, in 1792, and resided there until 1821, then moving to East Tennessee, and after some time came to Arkansas, in 1831, and here the father engaged in pedagoguing. He had been educated at a college in Virginia, and while in South Carolina was State surveyor, and filled the same office in Crawford County after coming to Arkansas. His death occurred about 1848, his wife dying two years earlier. His father, Benjamin Harrell, was a Revolutionary soldier, and of Welsh descent, and died before the war closed. The Pollard family was of English lineage.

Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Harrell, and the only one now living is Judge Elias Harrell, who was reared and educated in Tennessee. At the age of eighteen years he began depending on his own resources to obtain a livelihood, and engaged in farming, which occupation he has continued up to the present day, but he has been engaged in various other occupations. In 1850 or 1852 he was elected to the office of justice of the peace, and at the end of two years bought some law books and began studying, and at the end of two years was admitted to the bar by Judge WALKER, one of the supreme judges, and immediately began practicing at Huntsville. During the war he began practicing medicine, which he continued about four years after the war closed. In 1864 he was elected judge of the Fourth Circuit, and held the office four years. In 1868 he was appointed prosecuting attorney by Gov. Powell CLAYTON, and from 1874 until 1880 practiced his profession.

He was married to Lucinda Austin in 1847. She was born in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., in 1825, and became the mother of nine children, six of whom are living: Mary (wife of G. T. BERRY), Ruth J. (wife of G. W. MARTIN), Lucinda (wife of P. C. SAMS), Elias C., Ben F., and Sarah A. (wife of J. W. SOUTHERLAND). Those deceased are John and George W., who were both about eighteen months old, and Nancy A., who was seventeen years of age.