Harlan Family

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Harlan Family In America

Most Harlans/ Harlands/ Harlins alive today are direct descendants of Harlands who emigrated from England and Ireland. The family genealogy is documented in "The History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family" by Alpheus Harlan, originally published in 1914. The first Harlans to immigrate to the American colonies were brothers, George and Michael who came to William Penn's Colony at New Castle, Delaware in 1687. These Harlans were Quakers and came to the new world seeking religious freedom. A third brother, Thomas Harland, remained in Ireland. Fifty years later some of his descendants also immigrated to America.

James Harland

From "History & Genealogy of the Harlan Family," by Alpheus H. Harlan
"James Harland, Yeoman and member of the Episcopal Church, was b. 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 d. an Englishman, and was bur. upon English soil, no one to-day knows where. 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 Monkwearmouth* in Oald England." We have no record giving the name of the wife and mother. So far as is known, James Harland was the father of three sons:"
Thomas, b. ---;d.---;m. Katherine Bullock and Alice Foster
George,b.---;d.---,1714;m. Elizabeth Duck
Michael,b.---;d.---,1729; m. Dinah Dixon
* " 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 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 probable that information of untold value perished in the flames."

Michael and George Harland

Michael and his brother George were yoeman farmers typically looking for better land. They were, or became Quakers and migrated to northern Ireland, presumably as part of the Anglo-Scottish "colonization" of that troubled area begun by Oliver Cromwell. They moved to the New World after George's marriage and settled in Pennsylvania in Chester Co. about 1687. (From: John Marshall Harlan, by LP Beth)

Michael, a "yeoman, Friend", was born "Nigh Durham, in Bishoprick, England, about the year 1660," and in early life emigrated with his brothers into Ireland and settled with them in the County of Down. Here he remained until 1687, when he accompanied his brother George to America. "And ye beginning of ye yeare 1690," Michael Harlan m. Dinah Dixon, "ye Daughter of Henry Dixon and settled first Neer ye Senter Meeting House." They afterward removed into London Grove Twp., where Michael died the "Fourth Month" (June), 1729, and was bur. in Friends' Buring Grounds. His wife doubtless buried there also." [History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family, by Alpheus H. Harlan]