Harlan Family History & Genealogy

James Harland, Yeoman and member of the Episcopal Church, was born about the year 1625 in the "Bishoprick, nigh Durham, England," and is the earliest paternal ancestor known to the first in America bearing the name Harlan. He lived and died an Englishman, and was buried upon English soil. Tradition says that the name of his father was William. 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" [Note: Monkwearmouth Monastery was founded by Benedict Biscop in the year A.D.672. It is situated in a town of the same name in the east division of Chester in County Durham and is one-half mile north of Sunderland. It receives its name from its location near the mouth of the river Wear. Burned and plundered time and again, only the tower and some detached parts of the church remain of the once celebrated monastery. In 1790 the parish registers, with the exception of some of the late records, were destroyed by fire, and it is very probable that information of untold value to us perished in the flames. Source: Harlan Family Genealogy, p. 2, Alpheus H. Harlan

Elizabeth Duck, dau. of Ezekiel Duck and Hannah Hoope, b. May 5, 1660 at Lurgan in the Parish of Shankill, County Ardmagh, Ulster Province, Northern Ireland. On Nov. 27, 1678 there at the Lurgan Monthly Meeting of Friends, Elizabeth m. George Harlan, s. of James Harlan, b. at Bishoprick at County Durham in far northeast England where he was baptized March 11, 1650/1 at the Monastery of Monkwearmouth within the City of Sunderland, county Durham. After bearing four children in Northern Ireland, Elizabeth and her husband emigrated to near Centerville, in present-day New Castle County, Delaware where five more children would be born. It is unknown when Elizabeth died, but some would claim it was on Nov. 12, 1712. Unforunately, no Friends MM record contains the date of Elizabeth and husband George's death. George died testate and a widower calling himself in his will "of Brandywine Creek in the Township of Kennett & County of Chester in the Province of Pennsylvania," which today is in the southern portion of Chadds Ford Township, Delaware County, Penn. He died between Apr. 21, 1714 (the date of his will) and Oct 2, 1714 (the date of probate). Some claim George d. on July 5, 1714, but again no record can be found stating his actual date of death. Alpheus Harlan in his History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family claims only that George died in the "Fifth Month" (July) of 1714. Family records used by Alpheus Harlan state George and Elizabeth were buried at "the new burying grounds on Alphonsus Kirk's land, which was afterwards, and is yet today, the Center Meeting Burying Grounds" in Centreville, New Castle County, Delaware. George Harlan and Elizabeth Duck had nine children who are outlined in their father's memorial.

Dinah (Dixon) Harlan was born in 1668 in Armagh, Armagh County, Northern Ireland United Kingdom. She was married to Michael Harland in 1690 in Chester County, Pennsylvania United States, and had a child Thomas Harlan. Dinah Harlan died at age 67 years old in 1735 in Chester, Delaware County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Dinah (Dixon) Harlan.

[As the Harlan's were Quakers and the custom of Quakers is to enter the month in numerical terms, prior to the English calendar year of 1752 the number of the stated month must be converted to the proper name of that month in the Old English (Julian) calendar. Prior to 1752, when the English adopted the modern Gregorian calendar, the 1st month of the year was March and 1st day of the Julian year was March 25th.] Ezekiel Harlan, eldest child of George Harlan and Elizabeth Duck, b. 6 (Aug.), 16, 1679 at Donnahlong, county Down, Ulster Province, North Ireland. He d. 4 (June), 15, 1731 in England of smallpox while attending affairs of his deceased father. He purportedly was buried at "Bunn Hill Fields" in England, but the "Harlan Genealogy" does not say where that place is, or once was. Yet, purely by a stroke of luck, see , which is also where George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends, was interred. On or soon after Jan. 13, 1700/1 Ezekiel m. 1) Mary "Bezer" under auspices of the Concord MM of Friends in Chester (now Delaware) County, PA.[1] She was the dau. of William "Bezer" of Chichester Twp, as proved in the Sept. 25, 1728 will of Philip Roman of Chichester. She purported died at Christiana Hundred, New Castle, Delaware in 1702 shortly after the birth of her only child. The only child of Ezekiel Harlan and Mary Bezer is: • i. William Harlan, b. 9 (Nov.), 1, 1702, d. Oct. 22, 1783 at West Marlborough Twp, Chester County, PA; m. 12, 14, 1721" (Feb. 14, 1721/2) at the Kennett MM of Friends, Margaret Farlow, b. Nov. 1, 1703 in Ireland and d. June 12, 1767 in West Marlborough Twp, Chester, PA. Nine children of the family. Ezekiel Harlan m. 2) 1, 13, 1705 (Mar. 13, 1705/06) Ruth Buffington under auspices of the Concord MM of Friends at Chester (now Delaware) County, PA. She was the dau. of Richard and Ann Buffington, b. in Great Marle in Buckinghamshire, England. She d. testate betw. Jan. 10, 1743/4, date of her will, and Feb. 12, 1743/4, date her will was proved. Ezekiel and Ruth lived their married lives at Kennett Twp, Chester County, PA where all their children were born. Their births are listed in the records of the Kennett MM of Friends. The Kennett Meeting House east of Kennett Square, PA, now on the National Historic Register, was erected initially in 1710-11 on land patented to Ezekiel by William Penn. The children of Ezekiel Harlan and Ruth Buffington are: • ii. Ezekiel Harlan, Jr., b. 5 (July), 19, 1707, d. on an unknown date and place, not as otherwise claimed by the Harlan Genealogy; m. 10 (Dec.), 23, 1724 under auspices of the Concord MM of Friends, Hannah Oborn, dau. of Henry Oborn and Hannah Cooke, b. 2 (Apr.) 21, 1707 at Concord Twp, Chester (now Delaware) County, PA. Seven purported children of the family, several of whom are suspect as actually being Ezekiel and Hannah's children. • iii. Mary Harlan, b. 4 (June), 12, 1709, d. 4 (June) 7, 1750 at Kennett Twp; m. 9 (Nov.), 28, 1727 at the Kennett MM of Friends, Daniel Webb. Six children of the family. Daniel d. testate at Kennett bet. Oct. 11, 1741, the date of his will, and Oct. 20, 1741, when his will was proved. Letters of admin. were given to his wife Mary and brother-in-law Ezekiel Harlan, Jr. • iv. Elizabeth Harlan, b. 5 (July), 19, 1713, d. aft. 1770; m. 6 (Aug.), 8, 1728 at Christ Church (Episcopal) in Philadelphia, PA, William White. Eight children of the family. • v. Joseph Harlan, b. 6 (Aug.), 14, 1721; m. 3 (May), 21, 1740 at the Kennett MM of Friends, Hannah Roberts. He was living in Aug., 1752 at Wilmington, DE and d. Aug. 12, 1753 at Chester County, PA. Five children of the family. • vi. Ruth Harlan, b. 1, 11, 1723 (Mar. 11, 1723/24); m. 3 (May), 28, 1740 at the Kennett MM of Friends, Daniel Leonard. Seven children of the family. • vii. Benjamin Harlan, b. 8 (Oct.), 7, 1729, d. unmarried with verbal will at sea Aug. 4, 1752 aboard the Brig "Nancy." [1] Concord Monthly Meeting, the 13th of the 11th mo. 1700 (Jan. 13, 1700/01) held at George Pearces. Ezekiel Harland & Mary Bazer Appeared [at the meeting] and laid their intention of Marriage with this meeting it being the second time. Friends finding [nothing to prevent said marriage] gave their allowance to proceed to solemnize their said intention according to the good order of truth. Robert Pyle is ordered to attend the marriage and see that things be decently managed and to make report to the next monthly meeting (no such report is entered in the next monthly meeting dated the 10th of the 12th mo. 1700 [Feb. 10, 1700/01].

Thomas Harlan was born on June 24, 1694 in Chester County, Pennsylvania United States to Michael Harland and Dinah (Dixon) Harlan. He married Mary (Carter) Harlan on September 1720 in New Garden, Chester County, and had a child Thomas Harlan. Thomas Harlan died at age 50 years old in February 1745 in Chester County, and was buried in 1745 at Kennett Friends Burial Ground in Kennett Square. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Thomas Harlan.

Mary (Carter) Harlan was born on December 11, 1699 in Chester County, Pennsylvania United States. She was married to Thomas Harlan on September 1720 in New Garden, Chester County, and has a child Thomas Harlan. Mary Harlan died in Chester County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mary (Carter) Harlan.

Ezekiel Harlan, Jr., eldest child of Ezekiel Harlan and his 2nd wife Ruth Buffington, b. 6 (Aug.), 17, 1707, not 6, 19, 1707 as claimed by the Harlan Genealogy, at Kennett Twp., Chester County, PA. [re: actual Kennett Friends MM Birth Record.] On 10 (Dec.), 23, 1724 at the Concord Friends MM at Chester Twp., Chester (now Delaware) County, PA, Ezekiel m. Hannah Oborn, dau. of Henry Oborn and Hannah Cooke. She was b. 2 (Apr.), 27, 1707 at Concord Twp., Chester (now Delaware) County, PA. Unfortunately, portions of the subsequent family structure in the Harlan Genealogy range from suspect to unbelievable. Harlan claimed Ezekiel died intestate before May 13, 1754 near Doe Run Village at West Marlborough Twp, Chester, PA, the date Daniel Calvert was appointed Administrator of his estate. Unfortunately, the cited probate record was the appointment of Calvert as the Administrator de bonis non [*1] of the remaining estate of Ezekiel's father not administered by Ezekiel's widowed mother Ruth, who was sole executor of her husband's estate, before her death and estate probate in 1744. More later as factual research unfolds including why Daniel Calvert versus an immediate member of the Harlan family was appointed to finalize the administration of the 1731 estate of Ezekiel Harlan, Sr. The published family structure consists of seven children, to which the writer has added additional details not included in the Harlan Genealogy: • i. Ezekiel Harlan, 3rd b. circa 1726, not 1732-1736 per the Harlan Genealogy. [more later] • ii. Susanna Harlan, b. 12, 26, 1727 [Feb. 26, 1727/8], d. Apr. 20, 1793; m. 9 (Nov.), 14, 1750 at London Grove Friends Meeting House, her cousin George Harlan, grson of Michael Harlan and Dinah Dixon. The Friends marriage certificate calls them "George Harlan son of George Harlan late of Newlin, dec'd, and Susanna Harlan daughter of Ezekiel Harlan of West Marlborough" and "having consent of parents concerned." Susanna's father Ezekiel was the first of her immediate family to sign the marriage certificate. • iii. Hannah Harlan, b. 5 (July), 17, 1730, d. Jan. 29, 1817; m. 1) 10 (Dec.), 5, 1750 at London Grove Friends Meeting House, Isaac Hayes, s. of Joseph Hayes, dec'd, b. 8, (Oct.) 26, 1727. He d. before Aug. 30, 1759 when adm. was granted to the widow Hannah. Their Friends marriage certificate calls them "Isaac Hayes son of Joseph Hayes late of East Marlborough, dec'd, and Hannah Harlan daughter of Ezekiel Harlan of West Marlborough" and "having consent of parents and relations concerned." Hannah's father Ezekiel was the first of her immediate family to sign the marriage certificate. Three children of the marriage. Hannah m. 2) Apr. 22, 1760 at Immanuel Episcopal Ch. in New Castle, Delaware, John Buller, by whom she reportedly had 10 children. He d. in 1813 and she in 1817. • iv. Ellis Harlan, b. per the Harlan Genealogy circa 1732, d. in 1815 in the Cherokee Nation, probably that part now southeast Tennessee; m. circa 1776 in the Cherokee Nation as his second "wife", Ka-Ti, the full-blood Cherokee dau. of Tsu-la (aka Kingfisher) and Nanye'hi (aka Nancy Ward), latter the last "beloved woman" of the Cherokee Tribe. Ka-ti was b. circa 1752 probably in present-day Georgia. Six children b. in either present-day southeast Tennessee or northwest Georgia. • v. Jonathan Harlan, b. per the Harlan Genealogy circa 1734; was given a personal property tax discount in 1757 by Chester County for military service during the French and Indian War, and was subsequently disowned by Friends in July 1758 for his military service as well as for excessive drinking; the Harlan Genealogy has Jonathan relocating in 1764 to North Carolina where he purportedly m. a Bathsheba Young. However, the two children detailed by the Harlan Genealogy were not born until Jonathan was purportedly 70 years old and above, which is not believable. • vi. Ruth Harlan, b. 3 (May), 10, 1737; m. according to the Harlan Genealogy in Feb. 1760, Jesse Marsh, since suggested to have been Joseph Phillips. However, the Kennett Friends MM Records clearly call her Ruth Marsh, who was married by "a Priest" with multiple visits made by men and women Friends to dissuade her from disunity with Friends' ways, and her unsatisfactory response to such visits led to her being disowned by Friends. No record has been uncovered to verify the name of her husband and no record has been found regarding her after disownment in 1760. • vii. Elizabeth Harlan, b. circa 1740; m. per the Harlan Genealogy Mar. 20, 1760 to Jonathan Hayes; no such marriage can be found, with the Kennett Friends MM Records indicating in 1762 that Elizabeth, the widow Hayes, had been married by a Priest, and had since married a second husband also by a Priest, and was referred for disownment by Friends for being out of unity. [*1] De bonis non administratis, Latin for "of goods not administered." The legal term for assets remaining in an estate after the death or removal of the estate administrator.

Mary (Harlan) Webb was born on June 12, 1709 in Kennett Township, Pennsylvania United States to Ruth Buffington and Ezekiel Harlan, Sr, and had a brother Ezekiel Harlan. She was in a relationship with Daniel Webb, and had a child George Webb. Mary Webb died at age 40 years old on June 7, 1750 in Kennett Township. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mary (Harlan) Webb.

Thomas Harlan was born in June 1724 in Chester County, Pennsylvania United States, and died at age 41 years old on April 21, 1766. Thomas Harlan was buried in 1745 at Kennett Friends Burial Ground in Kennett Square. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Thomas Harlan.

Mary (Bailey) Harlan was born on April 26, 1737 in Chester County, Pennsylvania United States. She was married to Thomas Harlan on December 12, 1757 in London Grove Township, Chester County, and they were together until Thomas' death on April 21, 1766. She had a child Israel Harlan. Mary Harlan died at age 81 years old on June 21, 1818 in Delaware County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mary (Bailey) Harlan.

Israel Harlan was born on January 17, 1765 in Chester County, Pennsylvania United States, and died at age 79 years old on April 14, 1844. Israel Harlan was buried in April 1844 at Kennett Friends Burial Ground in Kennett Square. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Israel Harlan.

Hannah (Webb) Harlan was born on March 1, 1779 in Chester County, Pennsylvania United States, and died at age 69 years old on May 27, 1848 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Hannah (Webb) Harlan.