AND PARTICULARLY OF THE DESCENDANTS OF
That James Harland was married according to the usages of the Established Church there is no doubt. That his children were baptized and recorded therein is fully established by the fact that the earliest record we have of his son, George, is that he was "Baptised at the Monastery of Monkwearmouth in Oald England." We have no record giving the name of the wife and mother. So far as known, James Harland was the father of three sons:
Signers to the certificate:
HENRY HOLLINGSWORTH WM PORTER GEORGE HARLAND
JOHN CALVERT TIMOTHY KIRK ELIZABETH HARLAND
ROGER KIRK ALPHONSUS KIRK
DEBORAH KIRK
ELINOR HOOPE
ROBERT HOOPE
THOMAS HARLAND
"George Harland had taken from him for Tithe, by Daniel Mac Connell.... twelve stooks and a half of Oats, three stooks and a half of Barley, and five loads of Hey, all worth ten shillings ten pence."
Wm. Stockdale's "A Great Cry of Oppression"
No certificate of the membership of George Harland with Friends is upon record, but his marriage certificate shows us that at that time he was a member, and as early as " Tenth Month" (December), of 1687, he was placed upon committees of responsibility in Friends' Affairs in his new neighborhood. At the time of his residence in Ireland, William Penn was urging Friends of England to become settlers upon his lands, cautioning them, however, against "leaving their own country out of idle curiosity of or a rambling disposition." But manes signed above we find later in the new world, and, as we have seen, George was buried upon "Alphonsus Kirk's land." So they were not without friends when they made their settlement near the Delaware.
In the early months of the year 1687, in company with his wife and the four children, and his brother Michael, then unmarried, he took ship at Belfast for America. They had brought lands before coming (From the old warrants granted "within the County of New Castle, on Delaware," we learn that "George Harland" and "James & Thomas Harlin" purchased lands there in the summer of 1686...) which were within that part of the Province of Pennsylvania now embraced in the County of New Castle. Ascending the river Delaware they landed at the town of New Castle (now in Delaware State), and settled near the present town of Centreville. Here the elder brother remanined for some years, and about 1689/99, having purchased higher up the Brandywine Creek, he moved his family and settled in what is now Pennsbury Township (It was then in Kenett, but later the township was subdivided), Chester County, Pennsylvania.
"Brandywine Creek,
"the 27th of ye 10th month 1696.
"Loving Friend
"William Porter This may acquaint thee that I have received 4 Letters from thee all of one date and tennor being ye 20th of ye 9th m. '95 in relation to Mary Child whose Son Thomas Died Something more than two years Since at Vallentine Hollingsworths he hapning to fall Sick there, & as to what is Reported Concerning his Bequest to his Mother I have here Sent thee the coppy of his Will on the other side... I was with him in time of his Sickness and he being about to make his will I put him in mind of his Relations in Ireland and his answer was thus he had never Received any Letter Since he had been in the Countrie from any of them Replying further he had been troublesom to his friends in his Life time & Questioning by Reason of the Warrs and Mortallity that had been of Late in Ireland whoe of his relations might be Living or Dead and to Impose Soe troublesom an undertaking uppon his friends (as the making Sale of what he had & turning it into money & the small it might turn to & Conveying the same to Ireland might prove) he would not doe it.
"Thus far concerning the Child matter soe hopping this may find thee in good health with thy family mine with my Wifes dear Love is Remembered unto thee & to the Rest of our friends & relations Let my Bro understand that wee are all indiffrent well & Know of no alteration Since I wrote by Thomas Musgrave my Wifes dear Love is Remembered in perticular to Robert Hoop and Elenor; having often desired to hear from them Soe having not Else at present but remain thy friend
"George Harlan"
I Thomas Child being weak of body but of perfect memory doe make this my last Will & Teastament as followeth.
first I Give unto Michaell Harland & son George my Plantation & Land with 20 acres which I purchased but wants a Title to it desiring that Michaell may keep it in order till his son George Come of Age.
2ly I Give Michaell Harland two black mares & my Eldest Horse & a Black Colt Coming two yeres old & a fily Coming one.
3ly I Give unto George Harland one Horse Coming three yeres old.
4ly I Give Mary Malings three daughters by Thomas Conoway one young Mare fower year Ould & a Mare Colt Coming one yere Ould.
5ly I Give unto Dinah Harland one Red Cow white in the face.
6ly I Give unto Hannah Harland one Heifer Coming two yeares ould.
7ly I Give unto Samuell Underwood one Red Cow being now abroad.
8ly I Give all my Corn & Hoggs to Michaell Harland with all my Utencells & Clothes he paying & receiving my Debts.
9ly I Give unto Elizabeth Dickson one sorrill filly with a white face.
10ly I Give unto Michaell Harland's Daughter Abigail one Heifer Calfe.
I Appoint my true friends George Harland and Michaell Harland to be my Executors of this my Last Will & Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this 3 & 10/m 1694.
HENRY HOLLINGSWORTH. THOMAS CHILD (Seal)
SAMUEL HOLLINGSWORTH. his Mark & Seal.
JACOB CHANDLER.
A true Coppy of ye Testament of Thomas Child.
THO: PIERSON
George Harlan first belonged to Newark Meeting, but after his removal up the Brandywine and westward, he was too remote from this meeting for punctual attendance, especially in the winter, and at a requeat of himself and others, a meeting "beyond Brandywine" was established. From the Monthly Meeting records of Center Meeting, as the meeting was called, we read: "This meeting appoints George Harlan, Thomas Hollingsworth, Alphonsus Kirk, & Samuel Groves, to take ye oversight of ye building of ye Centre Meeting House requesting ym with all convenient speed to let out ye work to some workmen in order yt it may more speedly done & return as acctt to ye next meeting how they proceed." The deed for the land had been conveyed by Alphonsus Kirk, while yet a member of Newark, to John Craig, Samuel Groves and John Richardson. The consideration was L12,5s.
George Harlan soon became one of the foremost citizens of the colony. He had been one of the provincial governors of the "three lower counties," now the state of Delaware, in 1695, and was a member of the Colonial Assembly in 1712. His colleagues in the latter were Caleb Pusey, David Lloyd, William Davis, John Baker, Nathaniel Newlin, Nicholas Fairlamb, John Wood, Isaac Taylor and John Maris.
Upon the first day of March, 1713, he deeded 203 acres to his son-in-law, William Webb, for a consideration of 30 pounds. On the ninth day of the same month, "in consideration of the Natural Affection & fatherly love which he hath" and also "for divers other good causes and valuable considerations," he deeded 200 acres each to his sons James and Joshua.
George Harlan died in "Fifth Month" (July), 1714. The date of the death of his wife is unknown, but in his will he requests that he be buried beside his "deare wife in the new burying grounds."
I George Harlan of Brandywine Creek and in the Township of Kennet and County of Chester in the province of Pennsylvania Yoeman. Being weak at this time in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory & calling to mind the certainty of Death & the uncertainty of the time thereof doe make & ordain this my last will & Testament in manner & form following, That is to say, ffirst I yield up my soul into the hands of almighty God as unto a ffaithful Creator hoping through the merrits sufferings Resurrection & mediation of my blessed Savior Jesus Christ to find mercy & forgivness with compleat salvation & my body to be buried by my deare wife in the new burying place on Alphonsus Kirks land at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named. Also my will is that all my Just debts & funeral Expenses be fully paid & discharged. Also I Give unto my son Aaron my clock & my Great Brass Ketle. Also I Give unto my Brother Michael the young Susquhana Mare. Also I Give unto my servant woman named Mary Mathews at the expiration of her time one cow & calf & one young mare not less than three yeares old. And lastly I make nominate & appoint my sons Ezekiel & Aaron Harlan Executors of this my Last Will & Testament & also appoint my brother Michael Harlan aforementioned & my son Samuel Hollingsworth Trustees & assistants to my Executors aforementioned in the performance & Accomplishment of this my Last will & Testament. Also my will is that after my debts Legacies Bequests & expenses aforesaid are fully payed & satisfied that what shall then remain of my moveable & personal Estate if any so there be then it shall be equally divided between all my children Sons & Daughters share & share alike. In witness thereof I have to this my said will set my hand & seal this one & twentieth Day of the Second month called April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fourteen.
Sealed signed & published & declared by Testator George Harlan to be his last will & Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names as Witnesses hereunto in his presence.
DANIEL MCFARSON.
NATHAN MADDOCK.
THOMAS PIERSON.
An Inventory of the Goods, Chattles Rights & Credits which were of George Harlan late of Kennet in the County of Chester valued & appraised by us whose names are hereunder written the twentyeth Day of October in the yeare of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & fourteen.
George Harlan's estate "paid Isaac Taylor for Physic as per his receipt Dated ye 25:1 mo: 1715, L 18, 13s.
11. JAMES HARLAN(4) [George(3), James(2)], Friend, yoeman, b 8, 19, 1692, New Castle Co. (now in) Delaware: d., it is said, in Frederick Co., Md., but perhaps on Frederick Co., Va.; probably bur. at Hopewell Meeting House on the latter county. In the year 1715, while yet a resident of Kennett Twp., Chester Co., Pa., he m. "by a Priest," and contrary to the usages of Friends, ELIZABETH -, who was also a member of that society. Issue:
(Signed). JEAMES HARLAN"
James and Elizabeth settled upon a farm given him by his father, by a deed bearing date, "6th Day of First Month Called March 1713," for 200 acres, the consoderation and location being: "Consideration of ye natural affection and paternal love, which he hath & doth bear unto his Beloved Son James Harlan, and also for good causes & valuable considerations him at this time present more especially hereunto moveing... Situated within ye limits of ye Manor of Staneing on ye South side of ye Brandywine Creek in ye sd County of Chester," etc.
They remained on this land in Kennet until five children were b. to them, or until, "About 1727, James Harlan removed into Nantmeal Twp., in the Northwest part of Chester Co. He settled there upon a tract of 500 acres but did not get a deed for it. By a deed bearing date 4, 7, 1731, he conveyed his right to this land to James Gibbons. It seems that he then left the county, and possibly went to Virginia."
From the will of Aaron Harlan (No. 51) to be found upon record on the courts of Frederick Co., Va., and who d. in 1760, James and his wife were then living; hence their deaths occurred subsequent to 1760, and as I have already remarked, I believe that they d. in Frederick Co., Va., and were bur. at Hopewell Meeting House in that county.
45. GEORGE HARLAN(5) [James(4), George(3)], farmer, Friend, b. Feb 22, 1718/19, in Kennet Twp., Chester Co., Pa.; d. between 1760 and 1762 in Federick Co., Va.; bur. there, at Tuscararo Meeting House. He m., probably in Federick Co. (now in Washington Co.), Md., ANN HUNT, b. there; d. Federick Co., Va., about 1762, and bur. beside her husband. They were the parents of four sons and two daughters:
From the papers of William Harlan, a grandson of the above George Harlan: "I once saw amongst the papers of Stephen Harlan (No. 49) an account of George Harlan being baptized at Mount Yarmouth, in Old England, date not recalled; from there he and his wife Deborah moved into Ireland from there to America. The account gave the name ... of James, who ... was my grandfather. (He was his great grandfather.) My connections in my grandmother's line were of Welsh descent. I saw ... my father's grandmother. She was very old and I think blind. She lived on Licking Creek, Washington Co., Md. My father's mother was Ann Hunt. My mother's father was Wiliam Porterfield, born in the County of Donegaal, Ireland. Her mother's name was Martha Alexander, born in Ireland, but came to America with her parents when but three years old. William Porterfield had seven sons and two daughters: Charles, Jonah, John, William, Alexander, Mathew, George, Rachel, and Mary, my mother. Charles was killed by the Indians on Opequan Creek, now in Berkeley Co., W. Va., when my mother was a child. Jonah settled upon New River in Virginia. John moved to Carolina. The others remained in Berkeley Co., Va. My grandfather died in his 74th year. William lived to be an old man, and died since I left Virginia. George died last year (1842) in the 87th year of his age.
216. JAMES HARLAN(6) [George(5), James(4)], farmer, Presby-terian, b. 9, 8, 1755, in Berkeley Co., Va., (now in) W. Va.; d. 8, 7, 1816, in Mercer Co., Ky.; bur. on the "old farm," in Boyle Co., same state. He m. about the year 1785 in then Lincoln Co., Ky., SARAH CALDWELL, B. 1762 in Prince Edward Co., Va.; d, 12, 28, 1831, on the "old homestead," and was bur. beside the husband. She was the dau. of Henry and Martha Caldwell (farmers), and residents, at that time, of Lincoln Co., having gone there from Prince Edward Co. prior to their daughter's marriage. Issue:
Collin's HISTORY OF KENTUCKY.
James Harlan, in the War of 1812, was a Captain of Infantry.
"Dec 9, 1826: At John Harlan's (No. 844) in Todd County. Dec. 12: Came 37 miles yesterday. Dec. 14: Started before day from Mr -, came through the little town of Perryville, and then to the widow Harlans (widow of No. 216). Yesterday we came 30 miles, crossed the Rolling Fork, at Salt River, and slept at Mr McClanes, eat dinner in a little town called New Market, in Washington county, and near night through another called Lebanon. Dec. 15: At cousin James Harlan's old habitation in company with his dear old widow, a very agreeable and worthy Christian woman, and this morning I seen her son Jehu (No. 843) and they are all kind and good. Dec. 16: I am still with these dear relations, and this morning I had the happiness to meet Silas (No. 840) and James (No. 845) a Lawyer, a thing that was very unexpected to me, as I had never heard that cousin James had a lawyer in his family. Dec. 17: I am still with my blessed relations, last night I stayed with Jehu, and am much pleased with his blessed wife and beautiful children. After breakfast I came to the widows'. Dec. 18: I am still with this blessed family.... Yesterday was the Sabbath, and I went to visit the grave of cousin James, and wept over it for sometime, and a serious melancholy rested upon me all day. Dec. 27: I am at the widow Harlan' Dec. 29: I am still with these dear people."
From the Journal of R. R. HARLAN
844. JOHN CALDWELL HARLAN (7) [James(6), George(5)], farmer, merchant, Presbyterian, b. 3, 25, 1797, in Mercer Co., Ky.; d. 2, 8, 1854, in Murray Co., Tenn.; bur. there, on Zions Church Burying Grounds. He m. 3, 8, 1821, in Mercer Co., MARIA ANDERSON (Presbyterian), b. 5, 15, 1802, in Greene Co., Tenn.; d. 8, 16, 1886, at the residence of her son-in-law, Benjamin Harlan in Maury Co.; bur. in Zions Church Burying Grounds; a dau. of Pouncy and Ann Anderson, farmers in Mercer Co., Ky.
From the minutes of Center Monthly Meeting, 1, 2, 1716/17:
"Whereas complaint having been made concerning Jeames Harlan takeing a wife Contrary to the good order established amongst Friends, and hath been labored with from time to time to bring him to a sense of his weekness in so doing; but he yett seams to be insensable thereof, Wherefore the meeting appoints Robert Johnson and Gayen Miller to speak to him & desires him to Our next Monthly Meeting to see if he will condem the said action, and that he give an account to the next meeting alsoe."
"To the Monthly Meeting held at ye Senter this 4th Day of ye 3d Month 1717 Whereas I Jeames Harlan have sometime agoe Married a wife from amongst Friends Contrary to the good order established amongst them which proceedings I am right sorry for and give this as a Testimony against myself for said disorderly doings. Given under my hand the day and year above said.
m. Mary Porterfield.
m. Sarah Caldwell.
"In the month of May, 1774, James Harlan, then aged 19 years, and his brother Silas, two years his senior, joined a company of adventurers from Pennsylvania and Virginia, then being raised by Captain James Harrod.
m. Sarah Moore, 10 Mo., 1815.
m. Clarissa Black, 3, 27, 1822.
m. Maria Anderson, 3, 8, 1821.
m. Eliza S. Davenport, 12, 23, 1822.
m. Robert I. Moore, 2, 28, 1823
No further record.
"They embarked in periouges, of canoes, on the Monoogahela and Ohio rivers, and thence to the mouth of the Kentucky River, which thhey ascended to the mouth of a creek, called (from the fact) 'Landing Run,' now Oregon on the lower end of the present county of Mercer, east of the village of Salvisa; thence across to Salt River, at 'McAfees Station,' and up that river to Fountain Blue, and to the place where Harrodsburg now stands."
About the year 1822 John and Maria, with one child, moved from Mercer into Todd Co., and settled near Trenton, where they remained until 1823, at which time they em. to and settled upon a large tract of land in Maury Co., Tenn., and upon which John d. He was a man of great business capacity, and at times in his life was a large dealer in livestock and a packer of hogs. Of these he drove vast numbers of them from his home in Kentucky to Baltimore, Md., market. From fragments of his life gathered by the compiler, he was a truely useful man in all communities in which he lived, and by his neighbors and acquaintances highly respected and honored. He had issue: