The story of the Carrolls in America has been the story of disappearing consonants. According to family history (though as yet unverified), the family name was originally McCarroll back in Ol' Ireland but was shortened to Carroll sometime after arriving in America around 1750. Eventually the second "l" (between 1850 and 1880) disappeared in most lines, and the spelling eventually became Carrel.
Some neo-traditionalists in the family have changed the spelling back to the more obviously Irish Carroll. The rest of us are assumed to be French or having invented the study carrel.
I've only been able to trace my Carroll line back to John, James, and Albert Carroll of Tennessee. John lived in Hawkins County around 1812, where he married Elizabeth Stubblefield. John and James and their family moved to Clay County, Missouri around 1820. Albert stayed in Tennesee with his parents.
It is believed that the boys' father was named William but I've yet to find any substantiating evidence of this. Nor have I been able to find any trace of Albert. Albert and his parents were said to live about 20 miles south of Knoxville.
John Carroll and Elizabeth Stubblefield
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