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Thank you, Dan Harlan

Those of us who read this newsletter and who use The Harlan Family in America association to help us with family history research proudly call each other “cousin.” Our family lines may be very distant, but we know we have at least the main root in common. Though we might not have known each other through the everyday circumstances of our lives, we have come to feel like family because The Harlan Family in America association has brought us together.

Many of us have helped other Harlans by sharing a piece of information that fits their genealogical puzzle, or by teaching someone how to use Alpheus Harlan’s book. But there are a few cousins who have impacted the whole lot of us in even more profound ways than that.

Alpheus Harlan comes to mind. He spent over two decades diligently collecting information on family lines, and the result is the book that, arguably, many of us could not do without. [We are collecting stories from those who have copies from the book’s original printing … see below.]

Daniel Dunaway Harlan is another cousin who has been essential to our community. When Dan realized that the 300th anniversary of the Harlans arriving in America was approaching, he thought there should be a national reunion, and he didn’t just say, “Someone else should do it.” He undertook the project himself and got the ball rolling. It’s not an exaggeration to say that The Harlan Family in America association would not exist today without his efforts. Dan served as president of the Harlan association from 1997 to 1999.

We all have stories to tell about how we came to be interested in the family history quest. We asked Dan to tell us his story, as a way to pay him special tribute, and here is what he wrote:

“I have been a student of history since my introduction to the subject in the fifth grade. But my special interest in family history began some fifteen years later in the majestic Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., where I was working on a paper for a course at The American University.

“I digressed from my AU assignment to explore a volume I found there, Alpheus Harlan’s History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family in America. In 1951, my father, living in Ohio, and slightly acquainted with 59-year-old William and 71-year-old Maude Harlan, the unmarried son and daughter of the late Alpheus, drove to their New Burlington, Ohio, home to acquire a copy of this book. Later, Dad and his older brother, Harry, supported local Harlan reunions in the Zanesville, Ohio, area by attending with family members of their five other siblings, including me. It gave Mary Ann an opportunity to meet my extended Harlan family.

“But it was a trip which Mary Ann and I made to England and Ireland in 1976, which really stimulated my attention toward the broader history of the Harlan family. There we visited Monkwearmouth, near Durham, the site of the 1650 baptism of George Harland, where we met a Joseph Harland, and then traveled to Lurgan in Northern Ireland, the site of George and Elizabeth’s wedding.

“A few years later, aware of the upcoming three hundredth anniversary in 1987 of the arrival of George and Michael Harlan in Pennsylvania, we drove to New Castle, Delaware, to check out the site of the first landing of the Harlans and visited the Historical Society in Chester, Pa., where we obtained copies of George Harlan’s plat of land on the Big Bend of the Brandywine.

“After setting a tentative date for a reunion, we reserved Battery Park for a picnic. When asked how many would be present we said, ‘Five or five hundred’ — we didn’t know. Our friend and neighbor, Roger Gould, a commercial artist, created the logo. Most importantly, we named the prospective event, ‘Celebration 300.’

“I had received a letter in the mail asking, ‘Wouldn’t you like to buy a directory of 3,000 Harlans for $29,’ which I bought, and which gave me a starting point for organizing a national reunion. We sent letters to 650 Harlans. We went through the list and wrote to every fifth name east of the Mississippi, and every tenth name west of the Mississippi. In my first general letter I stated, ‘I am not a genealogist but do possess a love of history. It is because of this historic interest rather than genealogical that I believe the tricentennial of the arrival of the Harlan family in America deserves to be commemorated.’

“People began receiving the announcement and began writing to their daughters and to their sisters and cousins, so we built up quite an extensive mailing list. We held organizing meetings in St. Louis and Denver and, of course, in New Castle. And, as they say, ‘the rest is history.’” Some 800 people attended that reunion, and a decision was made to plan another reunion in ten years. That was the 1997 reunion in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where it was decided to start holding reunions every five years instead.

Dan Harlan has also been at work for many years on a book about his parents’ lives. He completed it in 2005 and brought it to the reunion in Reno last year. A copy of this 500-page book, titled A Goodly Heritage, The Ancestry, Life and Faith of Pearl Archer Harlan, A Latter-Day Circuit Rider, will be deposited with the other Harlan archival books and papers at the Chester County, Pa., Historical Society.

Dan says that his book “is a biographical storybook, not a genealogical treatise. My purpose in writing the book was to illuminate and preserve for my scattered family, detailed knowledge of the life, times and antecedents of those from whom my immediate family is descended. I wanted to illustrate a belief which I have long espoused, that it is not only the rich and famous who live fascinating lives; quiet, modest individuals in all walks of life, have colorful, alluring and productive stories to tell.”

Dan is one of those modest individuals. He declined to provide many details about his own life in response to our questions about his interest in history, preferring to tell about others, and saying that he wasn’t sure that his professional life would be of much interest to others. But a look at his resume provides some clues to a fascinating life.

Dan was born in Ohio on December 25, 1923. The son of a Methodist pastor, he attended public schools in southeastern Ohio and went on to earn a bachelor’s in Communication (Journalism) from The American University in 1951, and a Master of Divinity from the Boston University School of Theology in 1954, where he has also completed an additional 30 hours of graduate work in church history and biblical studies.

He married Mary Ann Austin of Washington, D.C., 59 years ago. In addition to raising children, Mary Ann worked as a public school teacher in Maine and New Mexico and a bookkeeper for an agency serving the developmentally disabled in New Mexico.

Dan and Mary Ann have four daughters: Christina Harlan, who is on the faculty of the School of Public Health, Univ. of N. C., Chapel Hill; Karen Marysdaughter, a bookkeeper with a social service agency in Maine; Rachel Harlan, a children and youth librarian for the Arlington County, Va., Public Library; and Natalie Harlan, who works at the Flagstaff Medical Center. Dan and Mary Ann have two granddaughters and two grandsons.

Dan’s career has included four distinct phases. He worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as an agricultural economist in Washington D.C., from 1942-1951, and he worked for the Maine Department of Agriculture as a research associate and later as Deputy Commissioner. He received the Honor Award for Excellence in Administration from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture in 1983 and chaired the Maine Committee for Heifer Project International from 1976-1980.

Dan was a Methodist pastor for many years, serving parishes in Maine, Alaska, New Mexico, Virginia, and Baltimore, Md. He was a delegate to World Methodist Conference in Dublin, Ireland, in 1978 and was a member of the UM General Council on Ministries 1976-1980. He also served on conference boards in Maine.

He also owned a book store in Caribou, Maine, for a couple of years. In addition to his book, A Goodly Heritage, he is the coauthor of the book What God Hath Wrought!, the centennial history of Grace UMC, published in 2002, and he is the author of Without Haste! Without Rest! The ministry of a Latter-Day Circuit Rider, Pearl Archer Harlan, 1917-1961, published in 2007, and of The Rise and Demise of Northern Methodism in Alamogordo, New Mexico, published in 2006.

Dan has touched the lives of so many of us. Junior Harlan, vice president of the association, wrote that, “Having had the opportunity to meet and get to know Dan, I can say that I greatly admire him as he has taught me to appreciate family history, not as just genealogy, but also in the stories that have surfaced from family members through the Harlan association. I have met so many wonderful people through the association and it has enriched my life. Without his effort in celebrating the 300th, the association would not exist, and I have seen it grow to something that we can all be proud of.”

OFFICERS OF THE HARLAN FAMILY IN AMERICA 

President - Robert R. Harlan
1716 Clark Ave., Yuba City, CA 95991

Vice President - Junior F. Harlan
6218 Betty Elyse Ln.
Scottsdale, AZ 85254

Secretary - Gerry Harlan Lundgren
2517 - 190th, Stanton, IA 51573
[email protected]

Treasurer - John R. Harlan
422 Aumond Rd., Augusta, GA 30909

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

at Fluetsch (CA)
Joe Hannon (CA)
Katherine M. Harlan (PA)
Robert A. Harlan (PA)
William K. Harlan (CA)
Becky Hines (FL)
Ruth Harlan Lamb (MO)
Mary Harlan Murphy (PA)
Liz Harlan Sly (VA)

BOARD MEMBER EMERITUS

Dan Harlan (NC)

The Harlan Record is published semiannually by

The Harlan Family in America
P. O. Box 1654
Independence, MO 64055
a permanent organization established to document the historical contributions made by Harlans in America. Submissions of articles are welcome. They are subject to editing and may be held until a future issue if space is limited.

E-mail to: C. J. King, Editor
[email protected]

or Ruth Harlan Lamb, Layout/Mailing
[email protected]

or mail to the organization’s address shown above.

If you want an electronic version of The Harlan Record, e-mail your request to: [email protected]. The e-mail newsletter will be sent close to the time that printed newsletters are mailed. The Harlan Record is also available on the Harlan Web site: www.harlanfamily.org under the link “Newsletter.”

Contributors to The Harlan Family in America

Donations received from Feb. 1, 2008 - Aug. 1, 2008

AL - Lisa Harlan Belcher
CA - Dennis Harlan
Shirley Suttle
FL - Molly Meadows
KS - Keith & Beverly J. Hysom
KY - Marcella & Frank Melton
MO - Virginia Harlan Hess
James N. & Dorothy Harlan
MT - Eva & James Funke
OH - Marjorie & Wallace Ritchey
VA - Juanita G. Creighton

Many thanks for your support.

THE HARLAN FAMILY IN AMERICA

FINANCIAL REPORT

August 1, 2008

Checking Account Balance:
2/1/2008 $ 4,753.13

INCOME:
Contributions since 2/1/08 $ 723.10
Harlan Gen’logy Bk. Sales 660.00
Interest from CD 865.81

TOTAL INCOME $ 2248.91

DISBURSEMENTS:
Board Mtg. Expense $ 571.06
Donation, Chester County 125.00
Newsletter Printing 1,200.00
Donation, Harlan-Lincoln House 500.00
Book Shipping 67.82

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS $ 2,463.88

Checking Account Balance:
8/1/2008 $ 4,538.16
Certificate of Deposit $ 30,000.00
Net worth 8/1/08 $ 34,538.16

Remembrance Fund

in memory of.....

Mary Rose Harlan Doke
by Sandy Doke Woleben - IL

Franklin James Harlan
by his daughter, Helen Harlan Allan-WI

Ridge L. Harlan Memorial Gift
The two-manual reed organ, once owned by the Abraham Lincoln family, is now being restored, thanks to a gift from The Harlan Family in America, in memory of Ridge Latimer Harlan. Ridge was coordinator of the national Harlan reunion held in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in 1997 and a long time supporter of the Harlan Family organization.

The organ is now at the Harlan- Lincoln house in Mt. Pleasant. Two residents of the town, Bill and Kathy Layne, are taking the organ apart, repairing damaged parts and then rebuilding it. A dedication ceremony will take place when the restoration is complete.

Reminders . . .

For The Harlan Record, send postal and e-mail address changes to

The Harlan Family in America
P. O. Box 1654
Independence, MO 64055

or e-mail [email protected]. If you’d like to be on the Harlan e-mail registry, send your address and any changes to Junior Harlan at [email protected]. Addresses are kept confidential unless permission is granted.

2008 Army Times Soldier of the Year

by Brendan McGarry and reprinted with permission from the July 29, 2008, issue of Army Times

FORT LEWIS, Washington - First Sgt. William C. Harlan remembers seeing the pothole. He could not see the bomb hidden inside.

Harlan was standing in the squad leader hatch of a Stryker armored vehicle, leading a patrol in Mosul, Iraq. The Stryker passed directly over the pothole and the bomb erupted with massive force, catapulting the 20-ton vehicle several feet into the air.

Harlan was immediately ejected, blasted some 30 feet away.

“A staff sergeant, two vehicles back, he saw me fly out,” Harlan recalled of the March 2006 incident. “I looked like a rag doll. He was convinced I was already dead.”

The platoon medic, accompanied by soldiers, rushed over to administer first aid. Harlan, though critically injured, remained calm and directed the security and evacuation plan before being taken to a field hospital.

He earned a Purple Heart for his service that day in Iraq. But for leadership demonstrated last year in helping other wounded troops cope with suffering and rehabilitation, Harlan is the 2008 Army Times Soldier of the Year.

“He could have easily taken a medical discharge, which he could have done with honor. But he chose to stay and chose to serve,” Col. John G. Norris said in an interview. Norris was one of several soldiers who nominated Harlan for the honor.

News of the bombing frightened Harlan’s family, especially his children, Katy, 13, and Andrew, 11. Harlan had returned safely from previous tours in Afghanistan in 2002-03 and Iraq in 1990-91.

“We were all scared because none of us knew what was going to happen,” Katy said as tears welled in her eyes. “Our mom told us our dad was hurt really bad, he was blown up, and that he might not pull through.”

Harlan was hospitalized stateside for three months. He underwent 16 major surgeries to repair dozens of broken bones in his legs, and torn ligaments in his right knee. He recovered and walks again, and despite lingering physical and mental pain from the injury, elected to continue serving on active duty.

Indeed, even before he was medically cleared for duty, Harlan volunteered to help establish the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Lewis, Wash., a unit designed to help rehabilitate injured combat soldiers. Harlan also volunteered to spend time with the children of fallen soldiers as part of the post’s Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).

“I needed to give something back to those who had helped me recover,” he said.

Harlan, 39, grew up in Walnut Creek, Calif. He enlisted in the Army at age 20 in part because he wanted to serve his country. He opted against becoming an officer.

“I really decided I had more to offer the Army as an NCO than an officer,” he said. “It’s a personality thing. You have much more direct influence on young soldiers’ lives as an NCO than you do as an officer.”

His enthusiasm for the job hasn’t been lost on his colleagues. “Leadership from the front, always,” Capt. Matthew T. Kirby wrote of Harlan. “Once in a career, you get the opportunity to serve with someone of his caliber.”

Harlan has received numerous awards during his military career, which he began as a mortarman with the 82nd Airborne Division. His Purple Heart and a pair of Bronze Stars adorn the walls of his apartment near Fort Lewis.

Harlan said an investigation into the Stryker bombing indicated the improvised explosive device was likely pressure-triggered and placed there by Sunni insurgents. Still, he said, he would return to Iraq without hesitation. Above all, Harlan said, he hopes his story inspires others. “I look at this as a great thing for all wounded soldiers who have struggled to come back,” he said.

Sgt. Harlan’s Headquarters Company is Fort Lewis, Washington. His assignment is to the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. He has served two tours in Iraq, in 2005-06 and 1990-91, and in Afghanistan in 2002-03.

Quote from the actual citation naming 1st Sergeant William C. Harlan as 2008 Army Times Soldier of the Year:

“First Sgt. Harlan’s enthusiasm for his job is evident to all as he leads from the front. A true American hero who is essential to the continued success of our overall military operations stateside and overseas. We are proud to recognize First Sergeant William C. Harlan, as the 2008 Army Times Soldier of the Year.”

For other news stories about Sgt. Will Harlan, visit: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/332836_grief24.html or the Web site archives for KTVU, CNN, or Fox News.

Will’s father is William K. Harlan, co-coordinator of the 2007 national Harlan Reunion in Reno, Nevada, and board member of The Harlan Family in America. Will was able to attend the reunion in Reno.

Jacob Wright Harlan’s California 1846-1888
Subject of Talks

Earlier this year Eyewitness to the Settlement of the West: Jacob Wright Harlan’s California 1846-1888 was the subject of two talks at historical societies in Pennsylvania.

Bruce Mowday, who worked with The Harlan Family in America in reprinting Jacob Wright Harlan’s book, gave the talks at the Tredyffrin-Easttown Historical Society in Chester County and the Okahocking Society in Delaware County. Mowday is also scheduled to give a talk at the Chris Sanderson Museum in Chadds Ford, Pa., later this year.

The Tredyffrin-Easttown Historical Society gave the book, which includes an updated history of the Harlan family, a favorable review in its Spring 2008 publication. Bonnie Haughey, co-editor of the publication, wrote to Mowday, “Your story of reprinting the first-hand account of a pioneer of local provenance is most interesting and I’ve found the ‘voice’ of Jacob Wright Harlan a little haunting. I’m transported back in time as I read about his life and adventure.”

A portion of the sale of the book is contributed to The Harlan Family in America. Sales have been brisk since the book’s release a year ago. Copies are still available from Squire Cheyney Press.

Orders are being taken by Squire Cheyney Publishing. The cost of the book is $19.99, and shipping and handling is an additional $3.01 for a total of $23.00. Make sure to include your mailing address.

A check for $23.00 for each book should be sent to:

Squire Cheyney Books
P.O. Box 439
Downingtown, PA 19335

Jacob Wright Harlan was born in Wayne County, Indiana, on October 14, 1828, and died on March 7, 1902, in San Leandro, California. During his seven decades of life, Jacob took part in many of the historic events that led to the settlement of the West, including the gold rush and the fight for California independence. He also traveled with the ill-fated Donner party. His eyewitness accounts of the settlement of the West are an important part of our nation’s history.

Do you have an original Alpheus Harlan Book?

Tell us your story

Many of you own or have inherited an original print of “History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family”, compiled by Alpheus Harlan (# 4816) and published in 1914. The original book is larger than the reprinted copies, measuring 8 x 10 1/2 inches. Reprinted copies are exact duplicates but with smaller margins of white space. In the last 20 years, there have been five reprints of the book, totaling 2,500 copies, and currently there are only 59 copies left. There are no plans to reprint the book as a company not connected to the Harlan Family has placed it on the Internet for a fee.

If you have an interesting story about how your original book was acquired, let us know (addresses of organization and newsletter editor are above).

Here is one account by Virginia Harlan Hess of Windsor, Mo.:

Back in 1957, I was new on the staff of Christian College (now Columbia College) in Columbia, Mo., and at lunch one day I met a Mrs. Harlan* who was a dormitory housemother on the campus. I told her my maiden name was Harlan, and after some discussion (during which time she told me she had two fine sons), she asked me if I had ever seen the book about the Harlan family. I had never heard of it, so she gave me the name of a football coach at the University of Missouri who had family connections. I went to see him and his book, and I was hooked after finding my greatgrandfather’s name right there on page 610, # 6807.

The coach gave me the name and address of Ruth Leist in Miamisburg, Ohio, who was the granddaughter of the book’s compiler, Alpheus H. Harlan. Since one of my Harlan uncles was with the Ohio Department of Education, I sent him the information, and he made it a point to look her up. She had a number of unbound copies of the book, so Uncle Louis Harlan was able to purchase some for family members, including my father. I later ordered one, myself, and she had it bound in red buckram. The cost? $15.00!

I felt at the time that the book would become a treasure some day and wished I could have purchased them for future distribution. I have always wondered what became of the dormant stock of unbound books Mrs. Leist had in her possession. I’m sure Alpheus would be gratified to know that his lifetime obsession with the chronicling of the family history is now so valued and appreciated.

*In 1986, during the planning of the Harlan Tricentennial Celebration, I was happily surprised to learn that Dale Harlan, the Christian College housemother, was the mother of Lane and Ridge Harlan, to whom we owe so much for the founding of The Harlan Family in America.

A reprinted copy of Alpheus Harlan’s book may be ordered from

Peggy Harlan Talley
104 Fern
Poteau, OK 74953

Make check payable to The Harlan Family in America - $60, postpaid.

The Republic According to John Marshall Harlan

by Linda Przybyszewski
Reviewed by Clinton F. Cross

John Marshall Harlan was a justice on the United States Supreme Court during a period of time when the court validated segregation of the races, denied citizens of American territories Constitutional rights, and restricted the government’s power to regulate business. In important cases in each of these areas, Justice Harlan often stood against the popular views of his generation and the legal opinions of his associates on the court.

In Plessy v. Ferguson the Supreme Court upheld the right of a state to segregate people according to their race in spite of the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantees, establishing the infamous “separate but equal” doctrine. Justice Harlan dissented, passionately arguing that the Constitution was “color blind.” In the Insular Cases Harlan argued unsuccessfully for the extension of the traditional rights of citizenship to territorial residents. Finally, Harlan sometimes supported in economic cases the government’s right to regulate business activities. For instance, in Lochner v. New York he dissented when the court struck down a New York statute regulating working conditions of people employed by bakeries.

In spite of these opinions, Justice Harlan did not always appear to hold “progressive” views. During the Civil War, he opposed the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1882 he voted with a unanimous court approving a law that punished an adulterous interracial couple more harshly than an adulterous couple of the same race. In 1897 he enthuiastically supported the Spanish-American War, in spite of significant anti-imperialistic public opposition, and then in the Insular Cases ruled to extend constitutional protections to the residents of the newly acquired American territories.

Could Harlan be trusted? Was he a “flip-flopper”?

After the U. S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education (which in effect embraced Harlan’s dissenting opinion in Plessy), many writers began to lionize Harlan as a “justice ahead of his time.” Certainly, Brown was an important decision — perhaps the most important U.S. Supreme Court decision in this century. But was Justice Harlan really a “progressive” thinker? Was he really “ahead of his time”? In The Republic According to John Marshall Harlan (Chapel Hill: Univ. of N. C. Press, 1999), Linda Przybyszewski attempts to answer some of these questions.

She believes that Harlan was in many ways a product of his time. She explains his decisions in terms of his family, religious, and national values. She argues that he was in fact a consistent thinker, not a selfserving “flip-flopper.” Justice Harlan, she contends, can be understood by studying his commitment to certain “myths”: his family values (for the most part revealed by his wife Malvina Harlan in her memoirs), his religious faith, and his belief in American “constitutional nationalism.”

Justice Harlan’s thinking was profoundly shaped by his family. His father, James Harlan, was a religious slave-owning Kentucky politician who believed in a structured society whose leaders should benevolently and responsibly care for citizens who were less fortunate and powerful. He also believed that owners of slaves should care for their property in the same way.

“(Justice) Harlan embraced a political party that championed revolutionary legal change in order to preserve some semblance of the paternalism he had learned in his father’s house,” states the author.

Like his parents and many of his earliest ancestors, Justice Harlan was deeply religious. His religious values were reflected in his opinions. Justice Brewer once commented that Harlan “goes to bed every night with one hand on the Constitution and the other on the Bible, and so sleeps the sweet sleep of justice and righteousness.”

Although religious belief was almost universal among justices at the time, Harlan distinguished himself from the other justices by being committed to a particular brand of religion (perhaps a mixture of Quaker and Presbyterian values) that featured paternalism and fairness.

Harlan’s family values blended with his belief in God and his belief that the United States was a “providential nation.” Harlan believed that God had established a moral foundation for law and that the United States was on a divinely appointed mission dating back to colonial times. “He used the same word — ‘fathers’— when speaking of the founding fathers and the church fathers.” Perhaps for these reasons, he believed after the Spanish-American War that residents of the newly acquired American territories should receive the benefits of American citizenship.

During his tenure on the court, most of the justices adhered to the idea of a ranking of rights: civil rights, political rights, and social rights. Most, including Harlan, agreed that the Constitution protected the first two. Przybyszewski contends that because of his commitment to his particular family, religious and national values, Harlan believed that access to public places (theaters, inns, railroads) fell into the category of civil rights and that right to access to these places was therefore protected. In the arena of economic regulation, Justice Harlan’s belief in responsible paternalism and opposition to slavery of all kinds (including economic servitude) led him to advocate in some cases (such as Lochner) that the government had the right to regulate abusive business practices.

While it does not tell “the whole story,” The Republic According to John Marshall Harlan by Linda Przybyszewski is an interesting, thought provoking, and well-written book.

Calling All Harlans!

After several years of questions about having another family trip to England and Ireland, the trip is planned and ready to go in early spring.

The dates are: arriving in Manchester, England, the morning of April 2 and returning from Dublin, Ireland, on April 9. Visits will include important Harlan sites such as Durham Cathedral; Sutton Park — a stately home near York built in the 18th century by Philip Harland; the nearby Parish of All Hallows Church; Sunday morning church services at St. Peter’s Church in Monkwearmouth (baptism site of George Harland); coffee with the Lord Mayor of Belfast; a visit to the Harland and Wolff Shipyard; and a visit with the historian and members of the congregation of the Lurgan Meeting House and Cemetery in Lurgan, Ireland. Along the way, we will travel through the areas where our ancestors lived over 300 years ago before emigrating to America for religious freedom.

If you have an interest in joining the group or just in getting a copy of the full itinerary, please e-mail Marjory Harlan Sgroi: [email protected] or call her at 716-667-3359 for complete details. Reservations must be final by November.

The Grabers Retire

After 15 years, Judi and Gene Graber are retiring from the task of maintaining the Harlan address list and preparing labels for the Harlan Record and other mailings as needed. This is a behind-the-scenes job that is essential to getting the Record out to more than 1,700 Harlans.

Judi and Gene, we all express our appreciation for your dependable and excellent service over the years and wish you well in your retirement. Liz Harlan Sly, Harlan Family board member, has agreed to fill the slot.

Genealogy Notes

A database of updated family lines from Alpheus Harlan’s book to the present time is maintained by volunteer Fred Harlan of New Castle, Pa.

If you have updated a family line and wish to submit it, or if you want to inquire about one, contact Fred at [email protected].

Another volunteer is Cynthia Rhoades, Director of Genealogy, and she may be reached at [email protected].

New 90 Plus Club Member

Barbara Glew Haythorn was born March 30 in Creston, Iowa, during the 1918 pneumonia epidemic. Her mother, Mary Harlan (#10037), was one of the last entries in Alpheus Harlan’s book.

She and her husband, Willis, lived in the Chicago area for 32 years before retiring to Tryon, NC in 1978.

To celebrate her 90th birthday, Barbara and relatives, including two sons, nieces, nephews, and a cousin, gathered in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

Barbara and her relatives are also listed in Volume 1 of the Texas Red Books.

In Memory of ...

James Rogers Harlan, 90, of Urbana, Ill., passed away February 7, 2008. He is described as being the “leader of our clan,” and was greatly interested in genealogy as well as philosophy, politics, reading, and research on the Internet. His wife, Marjorie More Harlan, died six weeks later. She was a school psychologist, social worker and involved in many community organizations. They are survived by a daughter, Patricia Harlan-Marks, son-in-law and grandsons.

Leah Harlan Kenworthy, 90, passed away January 13, 2008, in Richmond, Ind.

Joel Talley, husband of Peggy Harlan Talley, passed away August 2, 2008, after a short illness. Peggy has been the custodian of the Harlan genealogy books for many years and handles the orders for Alpheus Harlan’s book.

New Castle, Pa., Harlan Reunion

The 83th annual Harlan family reunion was held Saturday, August 8, at Pearson Park in New Castle, Pa. The descendants of Jonathan Harlan (#443) have gathered together each year since 1929 when their first meeting was held in Harlansburg, Lawrence Co., Pa.

Among the 65 in attendance at this year’s event were Dorothy Harlan McConahy, age 92, who was edged out for the oldest person in attendance by her second cousin, Gladys Harlan Montgomery, 93.

Unable to attend this year but represented by his son and daughter was 99-year-old Gearald Harlan, who will be 100 in November. Another regular attendee who was absent this year was 94-year-old Elmer Harlan.

Ninety-year-old Harlans in this part of the country are common place. It seems old Jonathan passed on some pretty good genes.

Raffle Prize Winners Enjoyed Meadowood Get-away

William Harlan, owner of Harlan Estates Winery and founding partner of Meadowood, an exclusive Napa Valley resort in St. Helena, Calif., could not participate in the 2007 Harlan Reunion in Reno, but he did offer a very generous contribution to support the organization — a two night stay at Meadowood, which became the raffle grand prize at the reunion, valued at $1,600.

John and Annette Harlan contacted Mr. Harlan about the reunion after seeing the Harlan Estates address in a wine shop at the Sacramento airport. He is not directly related to the Harlans who came West in 1846. He did attend UC Berkeley around the same time as the Bill Harlan who was instrumental in organizing the Reno reunion, but they have never met.

We thank William Harlan for his contribution to The Harlan Family in America association reunion. A visit to www.meadowood.com will give you some idea of what was in store for the Grand Prize Get-away winners. Meadowood is vast and luxurious.

“Meadowood is reminiscent of a private estate in a bygone era. Gracious hospitality defines the style of service … Meadowood is a place of great beauty and rare seclusion,” the Web site attests, and the pictures there prove it. Located in a beautiful 250-acre valley, the property has eighty-five guest rooms, suites and cottages; championship croquet lawns; seven tennis courts; a ninehole walking golf course; resident croquet, tennis, and golf pros; hiking trails; a swimming pool; a fullservice health spa; wine tastings and tours; a wine educator, and a restaurant recently named the “Most Romantic Restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

Kurt and Susie Harlan of Molalla, Oregon, won this raffle prize. What follows is their account of the trip:

“Our adventure started at the Harlan Family Reunion (2007) with the purchase of a few raffle tickets. We wanted to win one of the secondary prizes, so we put all but one of our tickets into the boxes for the other prizes. Never did we think that our single ticket would be the lucky one for the Grand Prize. We were totally surprised when our number was called.

“We anticipated our visit to Meadowood, as we coordinated it to happen on the ninth anniversary of our wedding, and we looked forward to our pending visit eagerly.

"We left our home in Molalla, Oregon, and took a leisurely drive to the Oregon Coast, and down the coast to Northern California, then headed inland to our destination in the Napa Valley. This region is home to some of the world’s finest wineries.

“We arrived at Meadowood on a very nice summer day. It was very early so we called ahead and they were nice enough to let us arrive early. We arrived at the front gate and there is a person there making sure everyone who enters has a reservation or is a guest. It is very luxurious. Our impression of Meadowood was that it was very spendy but very nice. [Editor’s note: A look at the room tariffs on Meadowood’s Web site will confirm this!] The people were very nice and wanted to help in any way possible.

“The grounds were lush and well attended. We drove to the main building and checked in, and then we walked to the croquet court and sat down to just enjoy the view. There was no one playing at the time but it was a beautiful setting. We then went back to the office after a while and they had our room ready.

“It wasn’t just a room — it was more like a little cabin. It was connected with the other rooms but in a very private way. It was the most beautiful room I have ever seen. They had fruit and wine waiting for us and each night they would turn the bed down with a cookie on the pillow. It had a soaking tub and the best soap and shampoos that you could ever ask for. They were “Molton Brown” and they are the best. (Susie’s emphasis!)

“They did have plenty to do. They had golf, tennis, croquet, swimming, and hiking trails all over the property. Our tour of a local winery was also made through Meadowood. The tour was very informative, and we enjoyed the opportunity.

“The food at Meadowood was most excellent, prepared by those who enjoy the finer points in food preparation, and presentation. Our two days there were a most welcome respite from the usual 9- 5, and we will treasure the experience.”

For more information about Meadowood, call (800) 458-8080 or visit them online at www.meadowood.com.

Next National Reunion Set For July 2012 in San Antonio!

San Antonio, Texas, one of America’s hottest vacation destinations, is the site for the next Harlan Family in America National Reunion!

Mark your calendar now for July 5-8, 2012, for the Marriott Plaza San Antonio Hotel (Google it for a great tour) for four days of family fun, tours, social events and seminars.

The Marriott Plaza is a cozy 250-room facility with unparalleled spacious and well-manicured grounds and ample conference facilities that will serve well for Thursday evening’s welcoming reception, Friday’s Texas-style barbeque picnic, Saturday night’s gala banquet and Sunday’s scrumptious brunch.

Each reunion also includes a non-denominational church service which is planned in an historic church just a short walk from the hotel.

San Antonio, of course, is home to numerous tourist attractions and is a clean, friendly city. A good Web site to view is www.visitsanantonio.com. An eight member reunion planning committee personally visited our host city in July to experience the many attractions and to select the host hotel. The city and the Marriott Plaza won over their hearts.

The committee will continue to work to deliver a reunion that will bring a lot of value for a modest price. You can help. We are looking for donations to help offset the cost of the 2012 Reunion. A donation form appears above. Donations will be collected to offset some of the costs for our four-day gathering, making the event attractive for our family members.

You can also volunteer to serve on the Reunion Committee. We are looking for Harlans in the San Antonio area to assist with the planning and running of this great event. You can e-mail our President, Bob Harlan, at: [email protected].

Be looking for reunion planning updates in future Harlan Record newsletters and on our family Web site at: www.harlanfamily.org. We know you’ll share in our excitement for what’s in store for our Harlan Family in 2012!

GENEALOGY CORNER: Helpful Information

In today’s world most researchers find the easiest place to begin to do research is on the computer. So many Web sites are popping up all of the time. It is hard to know where to go to find what. I can remember when I first looked at Cyndi’s List, I didn’t have a clue what category I might want. And to be honest I haven’t even been to that listing for a long time. I do know many of the resources I used several years ago are no longer free. So my quest for this newsletter was to find some new sources (at least to me) that offer free information.

Under the heading of “investigative resources” I found several Web sites I thought were interesting. One is called www.spiesonline.net. It is a Web site that has a number of selections listed under the link “Investigative Resources.” After you select the category you want, the Web site then gives you suggestions as to where to go for the type of records or information for which you are looking. As an example: under birth records there are four topics listed.

1. Obtain a copy of a birth certificate – if, for genealogical purposes you just want to verify a birth, this is the way to go.
2. County courthouse locater – gets the address and phone number for a specific courthouse to obtain records.
3. < BirthDatabase.com > is a Web site where you can obtain a birth date free.
4. CDC National Center for Health Statistics – tells you where to write for vital statistics.

Another Web site I found most interesting is called www.refdesk.com. It has a list of 89 genealogy resources from Ancestral Findings to www.YourFamily.com. Ancestral Findings gives a list of today’s free databases (it changes very frequently) and a host of other Web sites and information. www.YourFamily.com gives tips for finding missing people.

The only problem I can foresee with you using these Web sites is you will get sidetracked and spend a lot more time than you planned to spend. If any of you have been especially successful with a particular free Web site please let me know, and I’ll share the information with our Harlan cousins.

Cynthia Rhoades,
Director of Genealogy

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