Moses
Harlan
1786-1842
Moses
Harlan served with Abraham Lincoln in the Illinois Legislature in 1838-40
representing Peoria County, Illinois. Lincoln and Harlan were members of the Whig Party
and often but not always voted together.
The
Harlan family in America was founded by George and Michael Harlan, Quakers who
came to Pennsylvania in 1687 from England. The family history was compiled in
the "History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family," by Alpheus H.
Harlan in 1914. On page 224, it states that:
“Moses
Harlan (#676), son of George (#180), farmer (Friend or Quaker),
born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in 1786; died in Peoria, Ill., 1842, and
is buried there in the cemetery at Radnor Township, Peoria County, Ill. He was married near
Ridgeville, Warren County, Ohio, in 1813 to Ann Jennings, daughter of John and
Sarah (Hopkins) Jennings, who was born in 1791 and died in 1824. She is buried
in Friends burying ground, Miami Meeting House.
Moses was descended from George Harlan #3; Aaron Harlan #8; George Harlan # 37; George
Harlan #180; Moses Harlan #676;
There are several books in the Peoria and Dunlap,
Illinois libraries that describe the early settlement of Peoria
County. Napoleon Dunlap in the Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria
County Volume II tells
us that many of the early settlers of Radnor came mostly from New York,
Massachusetts, Ohio, and other Eastern States. Many of them came overland by
emigrant wagons, consuming weeks in making the journey. He states that “Moses Harlan was County Commissioner in 1838,
and two years in the Legislature,1838-40. His son, George B. Harlan, settled on
Section 2 of Radnor Township in 1836. He was a Justice of the Peace for some years and a member of
the Board of Supervisors for one or two years, besides holding other local
offices.”
Dunlap also states that
Moses’s sons Lewis Harlan was elected Assessor and George B. Harlan elected Justice of the Peace. He further
states that:
“Moses Harlan came to Radnor Township in 1833 and purchased land from the Government on Section 22, the title deeds of his land having been signed by President John Tyler. Moses Harlan was an old line Whig, and served as a member of the Legislature and a County Commissioner.”
“Moses Harlan came to Radnor Township in 1833 and purchased land from the Government on Section 22, the title deeds of his land having been signed by President John Tyler. Moses Harlan was an old line Whig, and served as a member of the Legislature and a County Commissioner.”
Mr. William Logan Miller In the Old Settler's
Book in the Dunlap Library states that “In
the fall of '36 Moses Harlan
moved in from Indiana with a large family. Then they had to build. They took up
land south of father. There were three families: Aaron Wilkinson was a
son-in-law of Moses Harlan, George Harlan was a Justice of the Peace. John
Harlan was a young man; and there were also Lewis and Thomas. There was one
young lady Rice McMillen married; her name was Phoebe Harlan.
The first inkling I had that my Great Great Great Grandfather had
served with Lincoln in the Illinois Legislature was when I read the history of
Dunlap Township. It is surprising that his descendants did not pass along this
interesting item. But Moses died very
young and this memory died with him, at least for our branch of his
desdendants. I did visit the Lincoln Library in Springfield and read the
records of the two years that Moses served with Lincoln. Moses often but now always voted with
Lincoln, who was the leader of the Whig Party to which they both belonged.
Despite the Quaker heritage of the Harlan family, a number of Moses’
sons and grandsons served in the Civil War. His sons John and Lewis Harlan and
his grandsons Harrison and Perry Harlan served in the war.
Moses son Lewis Harlan was my Great Great Grandfather. http://lewisharlan.blogspot.com/ His
biography in the Harlan family history shows that Moses also lived in Pikes
County, Indiana from 1828 to 1836. So
Moses like many Harlans moved west as the frontier advanced west, starting in
Pennsylvania, then Ohio, Indiana and finally Illinois.
Moses was 50 years old when he came to Illinois, an advanced age
to take on a new country. He brought a number of his adult children with him. He
only lived to be 56 so it is remarkable that he was chosen to represent Peoria
County in the Illinois Legislature.
Moses Harlan m. Ann
Jennings in Warren Co., 1813, b. in 1791; d 1824 She is buried in Friends burying ground, Miami Meeting House.
Issue:
2286. George Baker, b. 9, 27, 1813; d. 11, 15, 1885; m Sara Cornelison.
2287. Sarah Hopkins, b. 3. 2, 1815; living, 1899; m. Aaron G. Wilkinson
2288. John, b. 12, 30, 1816; living, 1887; m. Caroline Please
2289. Phebe, b. 6, 14, 1818, in Warren Co., Ohio, m. David D. McMillan
2290 Milton, b. in Warren Co., Ohio, 11,14,1819; d. in Peoria Co. 9, 19, 1884
2291. Lewis, b. 8, 17, 1823; m. Eveline Chapin
Moses Harlan m. again in Warren Co., 7, 2, 1827, Mary Butler, b. in Jefferson Co., VA., 8, 9, 1797; d. in Henry Co, Ill., 11, 21, 1876
2292 Joseph, b. 10, 6, 1830; d. 5, 11, 1911; m. Araminta Hadsell.
2293. Thomas, b. in Peoria Co., Ill., 9, 23, 1834; m Sarah E. Sterns
2294. Mary Ann, b. in Peoria Co., Ill., 9, 7, 1837; unm., 1912.
2295. Margery in, b. 3, 7, 1840; living. 1912, m. Ross F. Schoonover
Descendants of Moses include Junior F. Harlan of the Harlan Association and Craig Harlan Hullinger as shown below:
Issue:
2286. George Baker, b. 9, 27, 1813; d. 11, 15, 1885; m Sara Cornelison.
2287. Sarah Hopkins, b. 3. 2, 1815; living, 1899; m. Aaron G. Wilkinson
2288. John, b. 12, 30, 1816; living, 1887; m. Caroline Please
2289. Phebe, b. 6, 14, 1818, in Warren Co., Ohio, m. David D. McMillan
2290 Milton, b. in Warren Co., Ohio, 11,14,1819; d. in Peoria Co. 9, 19, 1884
2291. Lewis, b. 8, 17, 1823; m. Eveline Chapin
Moses Harlan m. again in Warren Co., 7, 2, 1827, Mary Butler, b. in Jefferson Co., VA., 8, 9, 1797; d. in Henry Co, Ill., 11, 21, 1876
2292 Joseph, b. 10, 6, 1830; d. 5, 11, 1911; m. Araminta Hadsell.
2293. Thomas, b. in Peoria Co., Ill., 9, 23, 1834; m Sarah E. Sterns
2294. Mary Ann, b. in Peoria Co., Ill., 9, 7, 1837; unm., 1912.
2295. Margery in, b. 3, 7, 1840; living. 1912, m. Ross F. Schoonover
Descendants of Moses include Junior F. Harlan of the Harlan Association and Craig Harlan Hullinger as shown below:
John Harlan #2288; ________________ Lewis Harlan #2291
Harrison Harlan #5862; ___ Marion Harlan #2291-4
Fred Harlan #5862-9; ______________ Pearl J. Harlan Hullinger #2291-43
Harold V. Harlan#5862-94 __________ Clifford Harlan Hullinger #2291-431
Junior F. Harlan #5862-942 __________Craig Harlan Hullinger #2291-4311
Harrison Harlan #5862; ___ Marion Harlan #2291-4
Fred Harlan #5862-9; ______________ Pearl J. Harlan Hullinger #2291-43
Harold V. Harlan#5862-94 __________ Clifford Harlan Hullinger #2291-431
Junior F. Harlan #5862-942 __________Craig Harlan Hullinger #2291-4311
The Harlan Homestead in Illinois.
References and more information
about Moses and his family are on the blogs below.
