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Review of Ben Macintyre’s Book
The Man Who Would Be King by Ray King
Now I ask you—am I to add to my list of prominent Harlans (Supreme
Court justices, senator, president’s daughter-in-law) another one:
Josiah Harlan?
I had never heard of him until Dan Harlan’s drama about Harlans at
the 2002 national reunion and a piece about him in The Harlan Record
that year. But “prominent”? Army doctor, spy, Punjab governor
and Afghan army commander ... and Afghan king! ? Now that’s
something else. That’s prominent.
I’m staring at page 335 of “The Book”—Alpheus
Harlan’s History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family— where he
lists Josiah Harlan (#1200). Meager information. Yet the paragraph
slowly swells to the size of a 300-page book, The Man Who Would Be
King—The First American in Afghanistan, by Ben Macintyre (Farrar,
Straus and Giroux, 2004).
Macintyre, a London Times correspondent, has been in Afghanistan several
times. He found references to Josiah Harlan there that reminded him of
“Daniel Dravot” in Rudyard Kipling’s The Man Who Would Be
King. He researched Josiah’s story there and in America. And in a
small museum in Chester County, Pa., he found a tattered yellow
manuscript written by Josiah, plus letters, poems, drawings and—
incredibly—a 170-year-old document naming the American as the king
of Ghor in Afghanistan. It had been thought that Josiah’s papers,
including his autobiography, had been lost in a house fire in 1929. With
the discovery of Josiah’s writings, Macintyre was able to use
actual quotations from Josiah while writing his book.
Macintyre tells a fascinating story of reckless adventurer, with
political intrigue, extreme personal danger, plots and sub-plots,
accomplishment and frustration. Of the many risks Josiah took, the
author says, “Harlan enjoyed only the protection of his abilities.
They were more than sufficient.”
Josiah came to love Afghanistan in his twelve years in that region. As a
botanist he reveled in their gardens and productivity. He learned their
language and culture and had close friends there.
He was in the service of Shah Shujah, deposed Kabul ruler who, in exile,
lived in Ludhiana, in farthest west India. Josiah first went to Kabul to
spy out the feasibility of the Shah’s return to power there. He
concluded it wouldn’t happen without British armed support.
He next was governor of Gujrat under the Maharaja Ranjit Singh, King of
LahorePunjab. He spent most of the time as a close companion and
army commander for Dost Mohammed Khan, ruler of Kabul, who had
threatened to kill Josiah while the latter was an envoy of Ranjit Singh
in peace talks.
Kipling’s “king” was evidently inspired by Josiah’s
military campaign northwest of Kabul to put down a warlord who was
raiding villages and selling all inhabitants into slavery. It was on
that venture that Josiah received the written document declaring him a
king. It wasn’t won by conquest but conferred in an agreement with
the Mohammed Reffee, of the Hazara people. It was to secure
Josiah’s help in civil and military development in the Hazara
region. We’ll never know how it would have worked out because
Josiah was never back there again.
In recruiting an army years before, and on this military campaign,
Josiah flew the Stars and Stripes with no authority from America to use
this ensign for military exploits there. It seems a bizarre kind of
colonizing— maybe even misrepresentation.
From boyhood, Josiah was an admirer of Alexander the Great. He thought
often of Alexander while there. He stood in places where Alexander stood
and followed the same route the Greek chose when coming from the north
into Afghanistan. He imagined himself a successor of Alexander—with
the same objective to bring
righteous progress to an oppressed people by taking up arms against the
systems then in place.
Josiah was in Afghanistan when the British army won a devastating
victory over the Afghans in 1839. Later, when back in America, he
published a scathing criticism of the British brutal misrule of Afghans.
He said they sowed the seeds of their own death by wholesale massacre in
1842, after only two years and five months of British rule. Needless to
say, his book was so inflammatory that he could find no publisher for
his other writings.
Josiah returned to America in 1841. He had been removed from membership
in the Quaker Meeting in Chester County, Pa., because of his military
service. He was reinstated and married Elizabeth Baker in 1849 in a
Quaker ceremony. With the onset of the Civil War in 1861, he recruited a
cavalry unit for the Union
Army. After a difficult training period involving conflict with junior
officers, Colonel Harlan became too ill to continue and left the army in
1862.
He died in 1871 in San Francisco, where a city directory listed him as
“Harlan, J., physician, dwelling at 1091 Market Street.”
(Actually, Josiah wasn’t trained as a doctor but had some of his
brother’s medical books, making him more of a medic than a
doctor.)
If we could, we might add the details Ben Macintyre provides to Alpheus
Harlan’s account on page 335 and conclude, “And that’s
the rest of the story.”
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Editor’s Note: Ben Macintyre’s book has received a fair
amount of media attention since it was published in May, particularly
because of current events in Afghanistan and Iraq. Harlan cousins have
sent in notices and reviews from several publications, including <
nytimes.com > (Macintyre compares 19th-century British military
activities in Afghanistan to America’s activities today in this
commentary posted May 8), the New York Review of Books (May 13),
Publishers Weekly (date unknown), The Spectator (June 26),
The New Yorker (May 17), and BBC News Online (May 26).
The BBC news article states that two great, great, great-grandsons of
Josiah Harlan have been located—Scott Reiniger, a Hollywood actor
who starred in the 1978 horror film Dawn of the Living Dead, and
his younger brother, Harlan. The brothers are descendants of Josiah and
Elizabeth’s daughter, Sarah Victoria. Ben Macintyre attempted to
track Josiah’s heirs but ran into difficulty since his only child
was a daughter.
Scott remembers his father talking about Josiah and showing him the
adventurer’s sword, which is now owned by brother Harlan.
As a result of a signed treaty, the title “Prince of Ghor” is
to be granted, in perpetuity, to Josiah’s heirs. Scott learned that
he is prince of the Afghan province of Ghor when brother Harlan read
reviews of Macintyre’s book and notified Scott. Scott’s
initial reaction was that the news was “incredibly surreal.”
He said he has no intention of claiming the title and added that his
brother should have it since he has the Harlan name and is the family
historian.
Macintyre is quoted as saying, “The treaty remains in effect,
although it would be a brave man who attempted to reassert his claim to
be the Prince of Ghor.”
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The Harlan Record
The Harlan Family in America
E-mail to: C. J. King, Editor or mail to the organization’s address shown above. Editorial Board: John L. Harlan, Diana Harlan Wells, Ed Wynn
If you want an electronic version of The Harlan Record, e-mail
your request to:
harlamb@aol.com
Note: Deadline for next newsletter is February 15, 2005. |
Genealogy Book Still Available
The book, The History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family and
Particularly of the Descendants of George and Michael Harlan,
compiled by Alpheus Harlan and The cost of the book is $60, postpaid. Make check payable to The Harlan Family in America. |
|
Remembrance Fund In Memory of ....
Zona Irene Brindle,
C. L. Harlan,
Connie and Lowell Harlan,
David Franklin Harlan,
Ida Harlan Kelly,
James R. Matthews II, |
Harlan Family in America Fund from March 1, 2004 - September 1, 2004
|
Wayne Harlan Gives Blood—Lots of It
Some information taken from a June 21, 2004, article by Hali Cartee of
the Palladium-Item newspaper staff, Richmond, Ind.
Wayne Harlan of Liberty, Ind., has donated blood since 1940 when he was 16 years old. Now 79, he has donated almost 43 gallons.
He got started when his high school coach asked him and a school mate to give blood for the coach’s aunt who happened to be Wayne’s neighbor. Blood was then collected in glass bottles. Since then he has donated when called upon, including for the American Red Cross during World War II.
Wayne has been active in Freemasonry for over 58 years, once serving as Master of his lodge and as secretary for the last 34 years. In the 1980s, his Masonic Lodge in Liberty established a blood bank for both lodge members and anyone else in need.
He remembers one night when he received a phone call about a man with
cancer who needed blood. Lodge members provided 21 pints of blood to the
man, and the thought still brings tears to his eyes. Wayne recalls how
grateful the man’s mother was and said, “Things like that are
just a part of living. You give to each other.” His philosophy is
simple: give blood if you can.
Wayne continues to give to his neighbors and community in a number of
ways. He mows the old school yard in Kitchel, Ind., and every Wednesday he
drives a Dodge van to take veterans to the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical
Center.
While at the VA, he helps at the information desk, directing patients or providing wheelchairs and escorting patients to appointments. He volunteers his time through the Wayne County Veterans Council.But it’s the listening that is important.
“Each person has his own story to tell. The best thing is to listen,” he said. “I’d go every day if they’d let me.”
Wayne has helped provide Masonic funeral services for members since 1952. In April 2004, he conducted a Masonic service for his brother, Lowell B. Harlan, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. “It was not easy,” he said.
Wayne has often wondered how many of the extended Harlan Family are Masons
and has expressed a wish to hear from them. If you’re a Mason, you
may contact him at 3847 E. Kitchel Rd., Liberty, Ind. 47353.
Reno To Be Site of 2007 Reunion
The Harlan Family in America board of directors held its annual meeting in
Reno, Nev., April 17, 2004, and picked that city as the site for its next
national reunion.
Reno is less than an hour’s drive from the infamous Donner Pass, which proved deadly to some western migrants in the winter of 1846-47, but was the gateway to a new life in California for the luckier Harlan party. Not only does the area provide an important site for learning about Harlan history, it also abounds in natural beauty, western amusements and history, and adult and family entertainment.
The reunion will be held July 12-15, 2007, at the John Ascuaga’s
Nugget Hotel. Tentative plans are for registration, tours, and an opening
reception on Thursday; offsite group activities on Friday; workshops
(including one on the Harlans’ western trek), a banquet on Saturday;
and a church service and closing
brunch on Sunday. Several direct descendants of George Harlan #852, who
led his group’s wagon train, will help to plan the program.
The hotel will provide complimentary meeting and function space on the second floor, where children can also enjoy the pool and a video arcade. On the hotel’s first floor are casino spaces and nine restaurants. Movie theaters are across the street, and parks, bowling alleys, and Lake Tahoe are nearby.
The hotel has guaranteed that the base rate for its rooms will be no more than $95 a night, single or double. Guests can use the hotel’s fitness center, spas and pool free of charge. The area offers a whole range of accommodations, including motels and camping.
William K. (Bill) Harlan, of California, a descendant of wagon train leader George Harlan, was elected to fill an opening on the board. He has also agreed to present information about his great-grandfather for the 2007 reunion.
Coordinators for the various areas of responsibility have been selected to begin planning the reunion. Participation from other Harlan cousins is welcome— please let us know how you would like to help!
The board also voted to donate $750 to the All Hallows Church at Sutton-on-the-Forest in York, England, which has 15 monuments to two dozen Harlans. The church still uses a silver chalice presented to the church by Richard Harland, who lived from 1592-1689, and who is buried there. In May 2003, the Harlan family group that toured Northeast England visited this church as well as other Harlan-related sites (see page one story in The Harlan Record, Fall 2003).
The board’s next meeting will be held in Sacramento, Calif., on April
23, 2005.
For a sneak preview of the Nugget hotel, visit its Web site:
www.janugget.com and the Visitor
Authority’s Web site:
www.renolaketahoe.com
Reunion updates will be in our twice yearly newsletter, with full details in the spring of 2006.
First Reunion for Descendants of Joe Ryan Family
Each of the five grown children of Joseph Patrick Ryan and Olia Elgin
(Bryant) Ryan was represented at the first Ryan reunion at Lake Wappapella
State Park in southeast Missouri. Forty-six family members came for the
August 14 gathering. Joe descends from Rebecca Jane Harlan (#2379).
Activities included horseshoe-pitching, swimming, card playing, a marshmallow roast, singing, visiting among cousins, aunts, and uncles, and sharing genealogy research. A park pavilion was the scene of the noon potluck meal, and the next day, 16 members of the family enjoyed a float trip on the Current River out of Van Buren, Mo.
The Ryans’ oldest son, Jerry Patrick, was represented at the reunion by his widow, Laura, and daughter, Joy, of Crystal City, Mo.
Daughter Gertrude Olia Ryan Downie resides in a care home in Nevada, Mo. and did not attend. However, each of her four children were there: Donald and Lorraine Downie of Athens, Ga.; Norman and Rosemary Downie Noel of Bronaugh, Mo.; Karl and Sharon Noel, Bryant, Chase and Evan of Carl Junction, Mo.; Henry and Amy Noel Lampazzi, Peter and Noel of Houston, Texas; Stuart and Patty Noel, Ian, Andrew, Jessie, and Sammy of Lee Summit, Mo.; Rod and Ginger Downie of Covington, La.; and Patricia Downie, Matt and Erin of Glenburnie, Md.
Representing Arnold Linden Ryan were his widow Nola, Greenville, Texas, and daughter-in-law, Stacy Ryan, of Arlington, Texas. (Note: A story about the late Arnold Ryan, a coach, was in the 2004 Spring issue of The Harlan Record.)
Carl Willard Ryan attended with two children and families: Mike and
Stephanie Ryan Fisher, Jason and Peter of House Springs, Mo.; and John and
Beth Ryan, Cameron and Cole of Springfield, Mo. Thad Bryant and Phyllis
Ryan attended with their two children and families: Jerry and Toni Ryan
Dement, Lindsay and Jami of Cape Girardeau, Mo.; and Keith and Carmella
Ryan, Jessica and Jake Bryant of Fenton, Mo.
Fifty-fifth Harlan Reunion in Texas
The Texas Harlans are meeting again—their 55th Annual Reunion will be held at the Blue Ridge Baptist Church on Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3. The church is located on FM-1771 about 10 miles east-southeast of Marlin.
From 2:00-5:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, there will be visiting, family stories and tours of Harlan ancestor gravesites in the Blue Ridge Cemetery.
Saturday evening’s event is a 6:30 gathering at Los Pepes Cafe in Marlin for a Dutch treat meal.
The Sunday schedule is:
10:00 - Sunday School
11:00 - Church service
Noon meal ($7.50 catered buffet lunch; please RSVP by September 30 to M.
F. Turner (972-252-1194) or to Robert Powers (254-399-9564).
1:00 Harlan Reunion business meeting
1:30 Founders Tour
3:00 Blue Ridge Cemetery Association meeting
Reunion functions will be held under the new metal pavilion between the church and cemetery, weather permitting.
Any corrections or additions to the mailing list should be sent to:
Robert Powers
7100 Canterbury Drive
Waco, TX 76712-3964.
Scrapbook Is Full of Harlan History
A California resident, Marjorie Ingram, recently received her great-great-great-grandfather’s scrapbook which contains many original letters, family records, and newspaper articles. They give an invaluable look at Missouri, Indiana and the Dakotas in the 1800s, as well as revealing the political climate of the time.
Judge Andrew Jackson Harlan (#1761) was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1815 and at the age of 21, he left for Indiana. In 1838, he married Delilah Hendrix, and they had a daughter and son. In 1861 the family settled on a claim in the Dakota Territory, but according to Marjorie, they were chased out of the area by Indians and lost everything. They later lived in Wakeeny, Kans., and Savannah, Mo., where they are buried.
According to Alpheus Harlan’s genealogy book, Judge Harlan represented the Marion (Indiana) District for two years in the Lower House of Congress, and later served a term in Missouri’s General Assembly. He was also a member of the Constitutional Convention of the Territory of Dakota, a judge, and spent four years as a postmaster in Wakeeny.
After receiving the scrapbook items, Marjorie searched the Internet and
located the Harlan Web site. She was surprised that a newer version of The
Harlan Record was being published. She descends from Adelia (#4902)
daughter of Judge Harlan.
Reminder...When sending e-mails to anyone connected with The Harlan Family in America, please put “Harlan” in the subject line.
Robert E. Harlan Elected to Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
The chief financial officer and president of the Green Bay Packers Football Team, Robert E. Harlan, was inducted into the 2004 Packers Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the franchise. The July 17 event was held in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
He has been with the Packers organization for 33 years, first serving as
assistant general manager. He later became corporate general manager,
corporate assistant to the president, executive vice president, and then
was elected president and CEO in 1989. His latest achievement is the
recent completion of a $295 million renovation of Lambeau Field which is
now a 365-day-a-year tourist destination which will assure the team’s
financial future.
Originally from Iowa, Bob is a graduate of Marquette University. He began
his sports career at his alma mater as sports information director and
once served as public relations director for the St. Louis Cardinals,
resulting in ownership of a 1967 World Series ring. He also has a Super
Bowl ring from the Packers’ championship in 1996.
Bob and wife, Madeline, have three sons—Kevin, a well known sports announcer; Bryan and Michael.
(Note: Information was taken from the Web site of the Green Bay Packers
Football Team: www.packers.com/news/releases
The date of the news release was November 21, 2003.
Also, an article on the Packers and Robert Harlan,
“Football’s Lean, Green Revenue-Generating Machine” by
Dale Buss, appeared in the September 9th Wall Street Journal.)
Record Keeping by Quakers Proves to Be Invaluable
Information from“Shaking Your Family Tree”, a column by Myra Vanderpool Gormley
As early as 1675, a system of record keeping for Quakers was devised by George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends. These records were meticulous and extensive, providing genealogists invaluable tools for researching their roots.
Friends “meeting” records often contain characteristics and a language of their own, so it takes some study to be able to use them. Special research procedures are needed.
The book, Our Quaker Ancestors: Finding Them in Quaker Records, by
Ellen Thomas Berry and David Allen Berry, gives some background and
history of the American Quakers, including patterns of migration, the
contents of monthly meeting records and how to locate and search them.
Tips on finding and using Monthly
Meeting Records are covered, and a chapter is devoted to the various
Quaker repositories. It aids in searches for both birthright members of
the Friends Society and for those who became members through
"convincement” or marriage.
For those wanting to follow Quaker ancestors into the Midwest, it is necessary to become familiar with certain migration patterns. A large southward movement began in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, going through the Monocacy region of Maryland around 1725, and crossing the Potomac into Frederick County, Va., in 1732. Another migration went from Maryland into North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
Other resources include:
• Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, by William Wade Hinshaw and available in many libraries;
• New England Historical and Genealogical Pennsylvania, a collection of information from records of various Friends meetings;
• Unpublished Quaker records, located in the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa.;
• Other reference books and records in public libraries.
Tree Dedication Honors Harlan Ancestors
The Florida State Society Daughters of the American Revolution had a dedication to the Millennium Forest, honoring their Patriot Ancestors by planting a long leaf pine at Hillsborough River State Park.
A seedling pine was planted for Aaron Harlan, Sr., and Aaron Harlan, Jr., who were in the Revolutionary War.
Pictured at the dedication were (L to R): Orrin and Freddie Wright of Bartow, Fla., Sara Jo Reynolds of Plant City, Fla., and Barbara and Mike Fite, Fla.
(Editor’s Note: The Wrights had their power off for over a week as a result of Hurricane Charlie. Do we have any other Harlan cousins who would like to share news from these storms?)
Colonial Dames Membership Made Possible by George
Mary Ann Hastings Estep, who lives in Muncie, agreed to organize a new
chapter of Colonial Dames XVII Century in Delaware County, Ind. As
organizing president, she had to submit three names for the new chapter:
“George Harlan,” “Valentine Hollingsworth” and
“Brandywine Creek,” names from the early days of Harlans in
America.
Mary Ann’s second choice, “Valentine Hollingsworth” was selected by the national organization for the name of Chapter IN-15. Her membership was proven through George Harlan.
She also serves as Regent of Paul Revere Chapter, Daughters of the
American Revolution, and is currently the Registrar of the de la Warr
Chapter of the Daughters of the American Colonists. Proven ancestors for
both organizations include early Harlans.
Mary Ann’s Harlan lineage is George #3, Aaron #8, Aaron #41, Aaron
#194, Samuel #703, Stephen #2327, Joshua #5919, Arthur Brooks, Leoaldin
Franklin and Mary Louise Harlan Hastings.
J. F. Harlan’s Unusual Professions
Editor’s Note: The following is a compilation of information from
two biographical sketches written by John B. Harlan, subject of the
story titled “John Bailey Harlan Was Shrewd Detective” on page
8 of the Spring 2004 Harlan Record. Juanita Creighton, of Richmond, Va.,
submitted the detective piece and the two sketches complied here. John
B. Harlan was the brother of her grandfather, Howard Hinton Harlan
(7956iii).
One of our Harlan cousins, James Forbes Harlan (#7956i), had some unusual
professions. His brother, L&N Railroad detective John B. Harlan
(#7956v), provided the following information.
Born in Albemarle County, Va., on July 12, 1851, James moved with his
family shortly after the Civil War to Mountain Grove, Bath County, Va.,
where they resided in a cabin on property owned by Colonel A.C.L.
Gatewood, of Confederate fame. The farm was situated at the fork of Little
Back Creek and Big Back Creek.
“Mountain Grove was a little scattering village consisting of a Post
Office, Blacksmith and Wheelwright shop, and a Manufacturing Mill
belonging to old Colonel Gatewood,” brother John recalled. It was
located with Warm Spring Mountain to the east and the Allegheny Mountains
to the west. “The little valley stretched up Big Back Creek perhaps
eight or ten miles and ranged from two hundred and fifty feet to half a
mile in width. In that section at that time, the mountains abounded with
game, bear, deer, wolves, wild cats, panthers, catamount,
wild turkey, pheasants, and in fact all manner of game, and our chief
occupation while in that section was hunting, trapping, and fishing,”
John wrote.
In 1873 or ’74, the family moved to Greenbrier County, crossing the
Allegheny Mountains in ox carts. They lived for about a year on Captain
William Reed’s farm, about a mile and a half northwest of Frankfort.
They then lived for three years on the Lewis Creigh farm, then moved to
Monroe County, to a section known as Swopes Knobs in the mountains near
Johnson’s Crossroads, about 15 miles from Union. Later the family
moved to Henry County, Ky.
During the years that James lived in Greenbrier and Monroe counties, he
worked most of the time as a “professional hacker of brush” on
the mountains near Cranberry Glades in Pocahontas County, according to his
brother.
“While so engaged he came in contact with a Professor of Music from
Richmond, Va., L.J. Whitt, who was also a Professor of Penmanship,”
John continued, “and the two became very much interested in each
other, and Professor Whitt induced Mr. Harlan to travel with him and give
music lessons and also take lessons in penmanship from him. They traveled
together for two years or more, making quite a success in their
profession. After Professor Whitt had returned to Richmond from West
Virginia, Mr. Harlan took up his profession of teaching penmanship as well
as giving music lessons on banjo and violin, more especially on the
banjo.” James became well known by traveling around to the crossroads
school houses and teaching music and penmanship.
James Harlan’s first banjo was a large gourd strung with horse hair,
made for him by his grandfather’s servant, known as Uncle Lewis, who
drove the family carriage.
“After young Harlan got so he could strike a few tunes, there was a
young lady in the neighborhood, Miss Mollie Clark, who took an interest in
him, and being a good performer on the banjo herself, she taught him all
the fundamental principles that she knew concerning banjo picking,”
John wrote.
He was considered a “very great entertainer,” according to his
brother, who added, “Young Harlan was always ready to play for the
old fashion dances or help entertain the youngsters in the several
communities in which he lived, but never charged anything for this
service. It was always rendered cheerfully. However, he made a nominal
charge for lessons in penmanship and music.”
The family moved to Henry County, Ky, near New Castle, in 1881. In
Kentucky, James Harlan continued to teach music and penmanship for a
number of years, teaching in Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, and Tennessee as
well.
Around 1915, he began to work for the railroad in Alabama, Tennessee, and
Kentucky. In 1927, the year John Harlan wrote his sketch, his brother was
located in Covington, Ky., and had been working for the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad Company for three years. He was planning to travel back
to Virginia to participate in the Old Fiddler’s Contest at
Ronceverte.
Any Changes???
• If you’ve moved, please send new address to: The Harlan Family
in America
P. O. Box 1654, Independence, MO 64055
or e-mail to: Ruth Harlan Lamb <
harlamb@aol.com >
• Send e-mail addresses and changes to: Junior Harlan <
harlanjay@cox.net >
who maintains a confidential file for the Cousins link.
• Addresses are not given out without your permission.
Donna McCreary Presents Mary Todd Lincoln in Mt. Pleasant
The Harlan-Lincoln House Renovation Committee of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, will present four different sessions of a one-woman show depicting Mary Todd Lincoln on October 28-29 at Iowa Wesleyan College.The four presentations, acted by Donna McCreary and funded by the Haselmayer Endowment for the Arts, will be as follows:
• Thursday, October 28, 11 am. “Love is Eternal, Mrs.
Lincoln.” With the Civil War nearly over, the First Lady defends
herself and her husband’s political views and discusses the
devastation the war has brought to her family. A number of her relatives
supported the Confederacy, and she was criticized by politicians and
reporters as a result. She also describes her family life and the
Lincolns’ interest in theater, poetry, and politics.
• Thursday, October 28, 2 p.m. “A Portrait of the Robert Todd
Lincolns.” Ms. McCreary studied letters written between Robert Todd
Lincoln, Mary Harlan Lincoln, and their children to the Helms family
cousins for this presentation.
• Thursday, October 28, 7 p.m. “Mary, the Widow of
Lincoln.” Public performance with ticket sales to support the
Harlan-Lincoln House project ($10 adults, $5 children). This 90-minute
one-act play tells the story of Mary Lincoln after Lincoln’s
assassination. Through memories sparked by letters, pictures, and sounds,
Mary remembers her life and family. The audience is taken back on the
memorable journey and allowed to see the complexity of one of
America’s most controversial women.
• Friday, October 29, 10:30 a.m. “Mourning: It’s a Way of Life.” Ms. McCreary explains the complicated and strict rules of mourning during the time of Mary Todd Lincoln.
For more information, contact Iowa Wesleyan College archivist Lynn Ellsworth at 319-385-6320; iwcarch@iwc.edu; or 601 N. Main St., Mt. Pleasant, Iowa 52641.
Ms. McCreary has BS and MS degrees in Secondary Education with teaching certification in English, US History, Speech, and Theater. She travels extensively researching the Lincoln and Todd families, using information from original documents to bring history alive to her audiences.
Friends of the Harlan-Lincoln House
Iowa Wesleyan College announces the establishment of the Friends of the
Harlan-Lincoln House for providing resources to support its preservation,
renovation, education and outreach projects. Annual Friends memberships
are available from $30 upward. For information in becoming a Friend of the
Harlan-Lincoln
House, please contact Johanna Chapman at 800-582-2383.
Letters on File in Clinton County Historical Society
Submitted by Darlene Cobb
Harlan-Carter-Harvey-Hadley—do these names strike a chord in the
history of your family? The Clinton County Historical Society in
Wilmington, Ohio, has this correspondence in its files:
• No date—Enoch and Edith Harlan to Nathaniel Carter
• No date—Rebekah Carter and Hannah Justice to Edith Harlan
• 1806—Jonathan and Solomon Harlan to Mother and family
• 1807—Stephen Carter to Edith Harlan
• 1808—Rebekah Carter to Elizabeth and Edith
• 1808—John and Ann Carter to Calub Harvey
• 1809—Isaac Harvey to Enoch Harlan
• 1810—William Carter to Elizabeth Harvey and Edith Harlan
• 1814—Rowena Harlan to Rebecca Harlan
• 1825—James Hadley for Hannah Justice to John, Lidia Hadley,
Elizabeth
Harvey and Edith Harlan
• 1828—Rebecca Hampton to Edith Harlan
Anyone wishing copies of these letters may contact Kay Fisher, Director;
Clinton County Historical Society; P. O. Box 529; Wilmington, Ohio,
45177-0529.
Phone: 937-382-4684. The charge is 25 cents per copy, plus postage.
Updated Genealogy Lists - September, 2004
Corrections and updates to book, History and Genealogy of the Harlan
Family
#1648p.178 ELIZABETH ROBBINS m. James Benjamin Crawford
Contributed by Marilyn Ramsey Nickless
#2796p.261 JOEL WRIGHT HARLAND m. Jeanette Sly
Contributed by Phyllis A. Harland
#4904p. 860 JONATHAN HARLAN
m.(1) Elnora M. Logue m.(2) Hazel Bostick Contributed by Wayne C. Harlan
#6199p.555 SARAH E. HARLAN m. Thomas H. Benton McDow*
*The book says m. Benton Dow. Contributed by Roberta M. McDow
#6836p.612 JULIA ANN HARLAN m. James A. Hays*
*The book says Hayes. Contributed by Melissa J. Gough
Send any genealogy updates to: Esther Harlan Wells bewell123@sbcglobal.net
Director of Genealogy: Cynthia Rhoades cr.rhoades@comcast.net
• Irene Harlan Hulce was born July 26, 1906, in a claim shack at Hilmoe, S.D., and was raised on a farm near Vivian, S.D. She married John A. Hulce, and the couple raised four children while farming near Vivian all their lives. Irene died April 4, 2002.
• Howard M. Donboch, 89, a direct descendant of George Harlan #3, passed away March 31,
2004. His grandfather was Franklin Harlan Milson #7920. He was a life long
resident of the Philadelphia area and in October, 1999, he attended a
gathering of Harlans in Chadds Ford. Howard served in the 88th Division of
the U.S. Army in WWII and was a recipient of a Purple Heart and Bronze
Star. He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Helen, in 1990.
• Staff Sgt. James William Harlan, 44, was killed in Iraq in May, 2004, when a suicide bomber attacked a
convoy he was leading. He was from Owensboro, Ky., and was a reservist
with the 660th Transportation Company out of Cadiz, Ohio. James had spent
two decades in the military and reserves and re-enlisted in
the service after the 2001 terrorist attacks. He died while on his second
tour of duty in Iraq. He is survived by five children and was engaged to
be married.
I found this poem a while ago and think it is very appropriate for those who are “hooked” on researching their family heritage. It certainly fits many Harlan descendants who have pursued their family lineage.
Keep climbing those trees!
Cynthia Rhoades, Director of Genealogy
ANCESTORS
The dusty libraries we’ve delved,
Over massive tomes we’ve poured.
And lore about our ancestors
Have gleamed as our reward.We’ve found their names ’mid emigrants
Who left Old England’s shore
On “Mayflower”, “Ann” and “Hercules”
And other ships galore.The search for hidden ancestors
Is an alluring quest
Which never gives its devotees
A single moment’s rest.To all whose minds are in a groove,
Or prone to slothful ease,
We recommend the exercise
Of climbing family trees.by Minerva Isabel Freeman
August 7, 1925
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comments or suggestions to Ruth Harlan Lamb
harlamb@aol.com