Jacob Harlan

Notes:

From minutes of Center Monthly Meeting on 1/2/1717: "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 wekness 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 at 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 Senter this 4th day of of 3rd 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." was signed by him.
They were given 200 acres by deed by his father on 3/6/1713 in Chester Co. and remained there until 5 children were born. In 1727 they moved to 500 acres in Nantmeal Twp. [Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 28 Tree #0285]

James married Elizabeth _____ in 1716 in Kennett Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America. Elizabeth was born on 9 Oct 1694 in New Castle County, Delaware, British Colonial America; died after 1760. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Elizabeth Harlan

Other Events:

• Religion: Society of Friends (Quakers)
• Baptism: 11 Mar 1650, Durham, England; [11d 1st m 1650]; Address:
  Monkwearmouth
• Immigration: 1687, Christiana Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, British Colonial America
• Will: 1 Apr 1714, Chester County, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America; [21da 2mo 1714]
• Probate: 2 Oct 1714, Chester County, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America

Notes:

George Harlan "Ye sone of James Harland of Monkwearmouth, was Baptised at the Monastery of Monkwearmouth in Oald England, ye 11th day of First Month 1650." As young men, in company with his brothers Michael and Thomas crossed into Ireland and located in the Parish of Donnahlong, County, Down. Marriage records indicate that all three sons of James Harland had become Quakers.

Most Harlans are descendants of two English brothers, George and Michael Harlan, who arrived in 1687 at New Castle, Delaware - then part of the colony of Pennsylvania - and of a third brother, Thomas, who never came to America but some of his sons arrived fifty years later. James Harland, son of William is the earliest paternal ancestor of the Harlans in America that we know much about. He was born near Durham, England, about 1625 and was the father of Thomas, George and Michael Harlan. His three sons were baptized in the Church of England, at the formerly Catholic monastery of Monkwearmouth near Durham.

A 16th-century religious revolution in the Christian Church, called the Reformation, caused Britain to be in constant religious conflict and resulted in the establishment of Protestant churches. As George and Michael were growing up in the mid 1600s, a radical religious movement swept over England led by the Reverend George Fox, known as the Society of Friends, more often called Quakers. These groups, stressed an individual approach to religion, strict discipline and the rejection of an authoritarian church, had no clergy, practiced freedom of worship and opposed all forms of violence including war and slavery. They refused to take oaths and would not pay tithes to the Church of England. Both the civil and religious authorities were perturbed and began to persecute the preacher and his followers.

George and Michael Harlan and their brother Thomas became Quakers, and were forced to flee England to northern Ireland where they located in the Parish of Donnahlong, County, Down, only to find that English persecution followed them there. While residing there he married by ceremony of Friends, November 27, 1678, Elizabeth Duck of County, Armagh. At the time of his residence in Ireland, William Penn was urging Friends of England to become settlers upon his new lands in America. He cautioned them against "leaving their own country out of idle curiosity or of a rambling disposition."

Members of the Society of Friends began to emigrate to the American colonies. They settled in New Jersey and the Pennsylvania colony, which was granted to William Penn and where they found a haven. In the early months of 1687, George in the company of his wife Elizabeth and four young children, Exekiel, Hannah, Moses and Aaron and brother Michael sailed from Belfast, Ireland to the new colony of Pennsylvania. After arriving in Delaware, they had five additional children, Rebecca, Deborah, James, Elizabeth and Joshua...all recorded as hvaing been born in New Castle County, Delaware. The first Friends meetings in Delaware were those located at New Castle and at Newark, both being established during the years 1682-85. The meeting at Newark was located about three miles northeast of present day Wilmington. Newark Friends generally lived along the little Shellpot Creek. Their leader was Valentine Hollingsworth.

Delaware was originally created as part of Pennsylvania and became the "Three Lower Counties". George Harlan had bought land in Pennsylvania (now Delaware) before leaving Ireland. They came up the river Delaware and landed at the town of New Castle, and settled near the present town of Centerville. He became one of the leading citizens, and in 1695 when William Penn decided that the "three lower counties," were so remote from Philadelphia that they needed their own government, he appointed George Harlan one of the governors. Soon, however, around 1698/99 George bought land higher up the Brandywine Creek and moved his family to what is now Pennsbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania and settled as a farmer near where his brother Michael had already settled.

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 request of himself and others, a meeting "beyond Brandywine" was established and called Centre Meeting House. In those early days, Newark, New Castle, Centre, and "Old" Kennet meetings were all part of Newark Monthly Meeting. The strongest meetings of this group came to be Centre and Kennet, and by 1720 the monthly meetings for business tended to alternate between these two places.

While living in Kennet township, George had for neighbors a settlement of Indians who lived in the "Great Bend" of the Brandywine. After they had gone he obtained, in 1701, a warrant for 200 acres of land in the bend, which was granted to him "in regard for the great trouble and charge he had borne in fencing and maintaining the same for said Indians while living thereon."

George was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1712, but died two years later, leaving nine children. His brother Michael, about ten years younger, married three years after reaching America. He was not as prominent as his brother, but his will and the inventory of his estate show him to have been a prosperous farmer. Michael died in 1729, leaving eight children. Many of his descendants moved to New York and then westward along the northern tier of states. Meanwhile their brother Thomas's descendants arrived in Pennsylvania from Ireland.

On the first day of March, 1713, George 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. He died in "Fifth Month" 1714. He left an estate valued at L355-12-00, exclusive of land, which was considerable for those days. It is puzzling that there is no mention of his land in either his will or his inventory.

After coming to America George and Michael dropped the final "d" and the name was spelled Harlan. The family's history includes two members of Congress, a U.S. Senator, a member of President Lincoln's cabinet, and two justices of the United States Supreme Court, the first Sheriff of Warren County, Ohio, a Warren County, Judge, and Warren County, Commissioner, among others.

WILL
I George Harlan of Brandywine Creek and in the Township of Kennet and County, of Chester in the province of Pennsylvania Yeoman. 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 Kettle. Also I Give unto my Brother Michael Harlan the young Susquhanna Mare. Also I Give unto my servant woman names Mary Mathews at the expiration of her time on cow & calf & one young mare not less than three yeares old. And lastly I make nominate & 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 call Aprill in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fourteen.
George Harlan (Seal)

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 Mc Farson
Nathan Maddock
Thomas Pierson.

*(note: dates prior to 1751 are given "old style", counting March as the first month of the year)

George married Elizabeth Duck on 17 Nov 1678 in Parish of Shankill, County Armagh, Ireland. Elizabeth (daughter of Ezekiel Duck and Hannah Hoope) was born on 5 May 1660 in Parish of Shankill, County Armagh, Ireland; died before 1714 in Pennsbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America; was buried in Pennsylvania, British Colonial America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Religion: William Penn stock of Friends (Quakers)
• Immigration: 1687, Christiana Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, British Colonial America

Notes:

Immigration:
emigrated to America, and settled near Christian Hundred

Notes:

Transcript of Marriage record:
George Harland in the parish of Donnahlong in ye County, of Down and Elizabeth Duck of Lurgan in ye parish of Shankill and County, of Armagh, having intentions of marriage (according to God's ordinance) did lay their said intentions before ye men and womens meetings who taking it into their considerations, desired they waite a time in which time several Friends were appointed to make enquiry in ye several places where their residences are or of later years have been wheather ye man is free of all other women, and ye woman free from all other men and wheather their relations and parents are satisfied with their said intentions. And they presenting themselves the second time before ye men and womens meetings and an account being brought to ye meeting, where all things being found clear and their intentions of marriage being several times published in ye meeting to which they do belong, and nothing appearing against it.
A meeting of ye people of God was appointed at the house of Marke Wright in ye parish of Shankill on the twenty seventh day of ye ninth month anno 1678, where they being contracted the said George Harland declared publickly and solemnly in the presence of God, and of his people in these vows, I take Elizabeth Duck to be my wife, and said Elizabeth Duck declared in like manner, I give myselfe to George Harland to be his wife and I take him to be my husband, as witness our hands.
George Harland
Elizabeth Harland
1678

Daniel Stamper.......................Timothy Kirk............................Wm. Porter
George Bullock.......................George Hodghson...................Michel Scaife
John Wright.............................Alphonsus Kirk.......................Ann Hodghson
Henry Hollingsworth................William Crook........................Ann Peirson
John Calvart............................Deborah Kirk..........................Thomas Atkinson
Francis Hillary.........................Elinor Hoope..........................Mary Walker
Alexander Noble.....................Robert Hoope..........................Mary Rea
George Lowder.......................Thomas Harland......................Elinor Greer
Roger Kirk...............................Bridgett Harland
................................................Mark Wright
................................................Ezekell Bullock

Other Events:

• Religion: The Church of England (Episcopalian)

Notes:

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 family in America bearing the name Harlan. He lived and died an Englishman, and was buried upon English soil, no one today knows where. Tradition says that the name of his father was William.

James was married according to the usages of the the Established Church. His children were baptized and recorded therein; and established by the fact that the earliest record we have of his son, George, is that he was "Baptise at the Monastery of Monkwearmouth in Oald England." We have no record giving the name of his wife and mother. So far as known, James Harland was the father of three sons.

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, County, Durham, and 1/2 mile north of Sunderland. It receives its name from 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. In 1790 the parish registers, with the exception of some of the late records, were destroyed by fire. [Resource: Alpheus H. Harlan, "History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family", (Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore, 1988) pg. 1]

Other Events:

• Name: Ezekieliah Duck

Ezekiel married Hannah Hoope. Hannah was born in 1632; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]