? A second Harland sept in Ireland
In Sanford Harlan’s undated annotation (circa 1964), entitled ‘In Hare Land’, (presumably quoting from Alpheus Harland’s earlier work) it states that James Harland, a yeoman, was born in ‘Oald England’ in 1625 and that his first son “Thomas was born ‘Nigh Durham’ in Bishoprick, England”. It is important to know that This name ‘Bishoprick, England’ is not a single town of village – rather, it is the whole of the territory ruled by the Bishop, in this case the bishop in charge of the Palatinate of Durham, which was an area only slightly smaller than the whole of modern County Durham. James Harland is known to have had three sons, Thomas, George, and Michael. It also said that George was baptized in Monkwearmouth Monastery on 11 January 1650, so it is safe to assume that the family lived somewhere between Durham City and the area now known as Sunderland, some 12 miles northeast of the cathedral city. [Modern Sunderland nowadays includes Monkwearmouth within its boundaries].
It is believed that in early adult life the three brothers changed their religious affiliations from the established church to the Society of Friends. It is highly probable that this explains why the three of them joined the plantation of Ulster circa 1670 ‘and located in the Parrish of Donnahlong Co. Down’; [this name must have been transcribed incorrectly]. It seems safe to assume that these Harlands from County Durham England will have leased land from William Waring in his newly acquired holding at Waringstown in the civil parish of Donaghcloney. Old records confirm that Thomas Harland lived, at this time, in this parish; and from the evidence above it appears almost certain to be in the townland of Corcreeny. The townland of Corcreeny was only separated by the townlands of Knocknashane and Tirsogue from Peter Harland’s leasehold in the townland of Ballyblagh; so the homes would have been less than two miles apart. Either coincidence or planning could have brought these two Harland families so close to each other geographically. However, nobody knows the truth of it.
The Prodigals
George and Michael Harlan (as they subsequently spelled their surname) immigrated to the Americas in 1687 to a Quaker settlement that is now Delaware, leaving their older brother behind. (v. SOURCES) It is they who are credited with the creation of the Harlan dynasty in America, going back to less than 200 years after its discovery by Columbus. Before their departure “George Harland of Donaghcloney married Elizath Duck of Lurgan at Mark Wright’s on 27 September 1678” . The contents of a letter from America, written by George Harlan to William Porter in Ireland dated 27 October 1696 are still in existence. The wording is a reminder that they used, in speech and writing, the English of Shakespeare’s time, with some specific Quaker usage such as the use of numbers for the months of the year.
In Sanford Harlan’s undated annotation (circa 1964), entitled ‘In Hare Land’, (presumably quoting from Alpheus Harland’s earlier work) it states that James Harland, a yeoman, was born in ‘Oald England’ in 1625 and that his first son “Thomas was born ‘Nigh Durham’ in Bishoprick, England”. It is important to know that This name ‘Bishoprick, England’ is not a single town of village – rather, it is the whole of the territory ruled by the Bishop, in this case the bishop in charge of the Palatinate of Durham, which was an area only slightly smaller than the whole of modern County Durham. James Harland is known to have had three sons, Thomas, George, and Michael. It also said that George was baptized in Monkwearmouth Monastery on 11 January 1650, so it is safe to assume that the family lived somewhere between Durham City and the area now known as Sunderland, some 12 miles northeast of the cathedral city. [Modern Sunderland nowadays includes Monkwearmouth within its boundaries].
It is believed that in early adult life the three brothers changed their religious affiliations from the established church to the Society of Friends. It is highly probable that this explains why the three of them joined the plantation of Ulster circa 1670 ‘and located in the Parrish of Donnahlong Co. Down’; [this name must have been transcribed incorrectly]. It seems safe to assume that these Harlands from County Durham England will have leased land from William Waring in his newly acquired holding at Waringstown in the civil parish of Donaghcloney. Old records confirm that Thomas Harland lived, at this time, in this parish; and from the evidence above it appears almost certain to be in the townland of Corcreeny. The townland of Corcreeny was only separated by the townlands of Knocknashane and Tirsogue from Peter Harland’s leasehold in the townland of Ballyblagh; so the homes would have been less than two miles apart. Either coincidence or planning could have brought these two Harland families so close to each other geographically. However, nobody knows the truth of it.
The Prodigals
George and Michael Harlan (as they subsequently spelled their surname) immigrated to the Americas in 1687 to a Quaker settlement that is now Delaware, leaving their older brother behind. (v. SOURCES) It is they who are credited with the creation of the Harlan dynasty in America, going back to less than 200 years after its discovery by Columbus. Before their departure “George Harland of Donaghcloney married Elizath Duck of Lurgan at Mark Wright’s on 27 September 1678” . The contents of a letter from America, written by George Harlan to William Porter in Ireland dated 27 October 1696 are still in existence. The wording is a reminder that they used, in speech and writing, the English of Shakespeare’s time, with some specific Quaker usage such as the use of numbers for the months of the year.
Letter from George Harlan to his friend William Porter in Ireland.
27th of the 10th month of 1696"
"LOVING FRIEND"
"William Porter This may acquaint thee that I have received 4 letters from thee all of one date and tennor [tenor?] being the 20th of the 9th m.[month?] '95 in Relation to Mary Child whose son Thomas died Something more than two years since at Vallentine Hollingsworths, he happening to fall Sick there, & as to what is Reported Concerning his Bequest to his mother I have here Sent thee the Copy of his Will on the other side.
...I was with him in time of his sickness and he being about to make his will I put him in mind of his Relations in Ireland and his answer was thus he had never Received any Letter Since he had been in the country from any of them. Replying further he had been troublesome to his friends in his Life time & Questioning by Reason of the Wars and Mortality that had been of Late in Ireland which of his relations might be living or dead and to Impose So troublesome an undertaking upon his friends (as the making Sale of what he had & turning it into money... he would not do it.
"Mine with my Wifes dear Love is Remembered unto thee & to the Rest of our friends & relations Let my Bro understand that we are all indifferent well & Know of no alteration Since I wrote by Thomas Musgrave. My Wifes dear Love is Remembered in particular to Robert Hoop and Elenor; having often desired to hear from them, Soe [so?] having not Else at present but remain thy friend
"William Porter This may acquaint thee that I have received 4 letters from thee all of one date and tennor [tenor?] being the 20th of the 9th m.[month?] '95 in Relation to Mary Child whose son Thomas died Something more than two years since at Vallentine Hollingsworths, he happening to fall Sick there, & as to what is Reported Concerning his Bequest to his mother I have here Sent thee the Copy of his Will on the other side.
...I was with him in time of his sickness and he being about to make his will I put him in mind of his Relations in Ireland and his answer was thus he had never Received any Letter Since he had been in the country from any of them. Replying further he had been troublesome to his friends in his Life time & Questioning by Reason of the Wars and Mortality that had been of Late in Ireland which of his relations might be living or dead and to Impose So troublesome an undertaking upon his friends (as the making Sale of what he had & turning it into money... he would not do it.
"Mine with my Wifes dear Love is Remembered unto thee & to the Rest of our friends & relations Let my Bro understand that we are all indifferent well & Know of no alteration Since I wrote by Thomas Musgrave. My Wifes dear Love is Remembered in particular to Robert Hoop and Elenor; having often desired to hear from them, Soe [so?] having not Else at present but remain thy friend
