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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. |
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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
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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@insightbb.com
• 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