What is it with England and crematoriums? You are never far from one. I know this because for some strange reason, there are signs for them everywhere. No matter where you drive, you are never far from a crematorium, and possibly, a pet crematorium.
Another odd tidbit I have learned about the English... Ironing everything, including unterwäsche. Why?? Why would you spend a second iron ANYTHING that is not absolutely necessary? (Cheers Andrea!)
This blog post is about the middle part of the road trip my mother and I took in March 2011. Our first stop was Norwich. Next we drove north to Sunderland, which is 60 miles south of Hadrian's Wall, to visit the church where our Harlan ancestors were baptised (detailed in this blog). Then we ended the trip visiting Pemberley, aka, Chatsworth.
Around 1625, James Harland was baptised in the bishoprick of Durham, in the abbey of Monkwearmouth. According to tradition, his father's name was William, but there is no document to prove it. William would be my great (x9) grandfather.
The abbey was founded in 674 by Benedict Biscop, first with the establishment of the monastery of St Peter's, Monkwearmouth on land given by Egfrid, King of Northumbria (Egfrid is high on my list of dog names). His idea was to build a model monastery for England, sharing his knowledge of the experience of the Roman traditions in an area influenced by Celtic Christianity stemming from missionaries of Melrose and Iona. A papal letter in 678 exempted the monastery from external control, and in 682 the king was so delighted at the success of St Peter's, he gave Benedict more land in Jarrow and urged him to build a second monastery. Benedict erected a sister foundation, St. Paul's, at Jarrow, appointing Ceolfrid (pronounced Chólfrid, good name for a cat) as its superior, who left Wearmouth with 20 monks (including his protégé the young Bede) to start the foundation in Jarrow. (Wikipedia and me)
It was moving to sit in an ancient church and see a rite that has been repeated for ages. And I must say I love babies, even the pasty white ones.
James Harland had at least three sons, Thomas, George and Michael, who emigrated to Ireland. Then in 1687 George and Michael sailed for America. George is my great (x8) grandfather.
They lived in a time of religious turmoil, and at some point the brothers converted from Church of England to the Quaker faith.
The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) began in England in the late 1640s, in a context of social upheaval which included increasing dissatisfaction with the established church, the execution of King Charles I, and the rise of Nonconformist movements. (Wikipedia)
The founder of Quakerism is generally accepted to have been George Fox. He became convinced that it was possible to have a direct experience of Jesus Christ without the mediation of clergy. He began to spread this message as an itinerant preacher and found several pre-existing groups of like-minded people; he felt called to gather them together, eventually becoming accepted as their leader. (Wikipedia)
So after watching the baptisms in St. Paul's, Toni tucked a 20 pound note into an old lady's hand and asked her to add it to the collection, and we scooted out to find St. Peter's, where our ancestors were baptised.
In the words of Paris Hilton, total bummer!
An attached hall was open and two or three people walked in to set up for a scout meeting. Scouts are big in England...
We walked into St. Pete's not knowing what to expect. Services had recently ended and we asked if we could take photos, and mentioned why we were visiting. "Well, you're in luck! Our official church historian and guide is here today." A portly bald gentleman led us over to the elderly, handsome silver haired fellow in the above photo and quickly ran away.
Two and a half hours later, my polite mother interrupted our guide's passionate soliloquy debating the true meaning of the last chapter of the Venerable Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History of the English People), with, "So sorry, but we have to leave now."
We seriously learned a LOT about the church where our ancestors were baptised.
For example, the shortlegged knight buried here is none other than the great grandpappy of Ms. Paris Hilton (from the 1400s). Sir Hilton fought valiantly so that his offspring might someday party sans unterwäsche!
The official name is The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Wearmouth-Jarrow. Jarrow became the center of Anglo-Saxon learning in the north of England, producing the greatest Anglo-Saxon scholar, Bede (that's SAINT Bede to you and me). The two churches of St. Peter's and St. Paul's have been nominated by the UK for World Heritage Site status, and the decision will be made this year.
St. Peter's is one of the UK's oldest churches and one of the first stone churches. The monks who lived and worked in the abbey created illuminated volumes of the Bible which weighed 75 to 85 pounds, and required the skins from 515 calves to produce vellum for the 2060 pages.
In England, Quakers were the target of a series of oppressive legislative measures passed between 1662 and 1665, including the Quaker Act, the Five-Mile Act, the Test Act, and the Conventicle Acts, and it is said that more than 300 Friends died in jail, and 200 were transported as slaves to the West Indies. It was not until 1689 that these oppressive laws were repealed with the passage of the Toleration Act, but in the meantime many Quakers had been severely mistreated. (Irish Interlude)
Quakers refused to pay tithes, nominally a tenth of income, the main source of income for the Established Church. As non-Anglicans, Quakers regarded tithing unjust, and refusing to pay, exposed themselves to prosecution. Those offenders lucky enough to escape jail had crops or property forcibly seized in lieu of payment, and opposition to tithing undoubtedly explains why many early Quakers left their homelands. This process sometimes involved a series of moves, and the Brothers' peregrinations fit this pattern.(Irish Interlude)
My great (x 7) grandfather had his tithes taken forcibly. "In 1680, George Harland, of County Down had taken from him in Tithe, by Daniel MacConnell, twelve stooks and a half of oats, three stooks and a half of barley, and five loads of hay, all worth ten shillings and ten pence." (William Stockdale: A Great Cry of Oppression, [cited by A. C. Myers: Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania 1682-1750 , p. 321])
George Harland was christened in St. Peter's church March 11, 1650.
As an adult he became a Quaker and together with his brothers Thomas and Michael moved to County Down, Ireland. He married Elizabeth Duck (daughter of Ezekiah Duck and Hannah Hoope, born on 5 May 1660 in Shankill, Armagh, Ireland. Lurgan Parish) on September 17, 1678, in Down Co., Ireland. There's an Irish relative for you, Nin!
"In the early months of the year 1687, in company with his wife and four children, and his brother Michael, then unmarried, he took ship at Belfast for America. They had bought lands before coming which were within that part of the Province of Pennsylvania now embraced in the County of New Castle. Ascending the river Delaware they landed at the town of New Castle (now in Delaware State), and settled near the present town of Centreville. Here the elder brother remained for some years, and about 1698/99, having purchased higher up the Brandywine Creek, he moved his family and settled in what is now Pennsbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania." ("History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family" by Alpheus Harlan, 1914)
I had a tough time writing and organizing this blog post. I was sucked into the story of my grandfather Maurice Harlan's family. Learning about the history of this family, my family, our family has inspired me. To contemplate their decisions and struggles, to see their strength encourages me to keep trying to be good. I wrote before about my fear of meeting my great grandmother Katter in heaven...well all this thought about my dead relatives' lives has made me think about my living ones and about my own life as well. I want to chat with my dad, hear my great grandfather play the violin, and meet lost loved ones, but much more than that, I want to love on those living in the here and now.
A little more than eight years ago, my sister, Barb and I, and our husbands(!) had a party where we invited the Be Good Tanyas to perform. We were thrilled out of our minds as we drove to the airport in several cars to pick up the band. We rolled down our windows and screamed to each other from car to car, ''IT'S HAPPENING!!"
Every once in a while my sister and I still say that to each other, really to remind ourselves that it IS happening. This life is happening. This is it!
Having my mom visit us was a precious gift. We went on a road trip through England! We laughed a ton, and we cried now and then (some of us more than others...better yet, I'll call it a tie). We had many relaxing dinners and lunches. We ate more than our fair share of clotted cream (really it was obscene), and enjoyed a glass or two of champas as often as we could manage. I love my mom, I loved spending time with her. She's brave enough to expect great things from life, and she never gives up. And you should see her teeth cleaning routine! The healthiest gums this side of the Himalayas.
Alpheus Harlan, in 1914, included this note in his book about the Harlans:
William, James, George, James, George, George, John, William, Walter, Maurice, Toni, Anne, (William, Anna, Michael, Dominic), ...
John Harlan (875), b. Boyle County, Kentucky, 7/7/1811, m. Sarah D. Byers 10/15/1835, d. 7/2/1896 Burlington, Coffey County, Kansas.
George Harlan (220), b. Cumberland County, Pennsylvania 6/21/1761, m. Catherine Pope, d. 1/24/1837 Boyle County, Kentucky.
George Harlan (45), b. Kennet Twp., Chester County, Pennsylvania 2/22/1718, m. Ann Hunt. d. between 1760 and 1762 Frederick County, Virginia.
James Harlan (11), b. New Castle County (now in Delaware 8/19/1692, m. Elizabeth ______ unknown date. d. subsequent to 1760, Fredrick County, Virginia.
George Harlan (3), b. Nigh Durham in Bishoprick, England sometime before the date of baptism: 11th day of first month 1650. m. Elizabeth Duck 9/17/1678 County of Down, Ireland. immigrated to America in 1687, d. July 1714 Chester County, Pennsylvania. (dropped the 'd' from Harland after coming to America.)
James Harland (1), b. Bishoprick, nigh Durham, England about 1625. d. unknown. His father's name said to be William.
Harlan Family in America http://www.harlanfamily.org/index.htm
St Peter's Church
St Peter's Way
Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
SR6 0DY
United Kingdom
Thank you so much to Mr. Shields, for the impromptu, in depth, and thoughtful tour of St. Peter's!
Another odd tidbit I have learned about the English... Ironing everything, including unterwäsche. Why?? Why would you spend a second iron ANYTHING that is not absolutely necessary? (Cheers Andrea!)
This blog post is about the middle part of the road trip my mother and I took in March 2011. Our first stop was Norwich. Next we drove north to Sunderland, which is 60 miles south of Hadrian's Wall, to visit the church where our Harlan ancestors were baptised (detailed in this blog). Then we ended the trip visiting Pemberley, aka, Chatsworth.
Around 1625, James Harland was baptised in the bishoprick of Durham, in the abbey of Monkwearmouth. According to tradition, his father's name was William, but there is no document to prove it. William would be my great (x9) grandfather.
 |
| St. Paul's, Jarrow. |
The abbey was founded in 674 by Benedict Biscop, first with the establishment of the monastery of St Peter's, Monkwearmouth on land given by Egfrid, King of Northumbria (Egfrid is high on my list of dog names). His idea was to build a model monastery for England, sharing his knowledge of the experience of the Roman traditions in an area influenced by Celtic Christianity stemming from missionaries of Melrose and Iona. A papal letter in 678 exempted the monastery from external control, and in 682 the king was so delighted at the success of St Peter's, he gave Benedict more land in Jarrow and urged him to build a second monastery. Benedict erected a sister foundation, St. Paul's, at Jarrow, appointing Ceolfrid (pronounced Chólfrid, good name for a cat) as its superior, who left Wearmouth with 20 monks (including his protégé the young Bede) to start the foundation in Jarrow. (Wikipedia and me)
 |
| St. Paul's, Jarrow. |
Our first stop was to visit St. Paul's, which is old, mossy and charming. We arrived in time for Sunday service, and it was baptism day! We got to see two English fatties get dipped.
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| Toni in front of St. Paul's, Jarrow. |
It was moving to sit in an ancient church and see a rite that has been repeated for ages. And I must say I love babies, even the pasty white ones.
 |
| Wall of St. Paul's, Jarrow. |
James Harland had at least three sons, Thomas, George and Michael, who emigrated to Ireland. Then in 1687 George and Michael sailed for America. George is my great (x8) grandfather.
 |
| Jarrow Abbey ruins. |
They lived in a time of religious turmoil, and at some point the brothers converted from Church of England to the Quaker faith.
 |
| Norman tower, St. Peter's, Monkwearmouth. |
The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) began in England in the late 1640s, in a context of social upheaval which included increasing dissatisfaction with the established church, the execution of King Charles I, and the rise of Nonconformist movements. (Wikipedia)
 |
| Norman doorway to St. Peter's...we're BACK! |
The founder of Quakerism is generally accepted to have been George Fox. He became convinced that it was possible to have a direct experience of Jesus Christ without the mediation of clergy. He began to spread this message as an itinerant preacher and found several pre-existing groups of like-minded people; he felt called to gather them together, eventually becoming accepted as their leader. (Wikipedia)
 |
| Detail of Norman tower... |
In the first few years of the movement, Quakers thought of themselves as part of the restoration of the true Christian church after centuries of apostasy. (Wikipedia)
 |
| St. Peter's. |
So after watching the baptisms in St. Paul's, Toni tucked a 20 pound note into an old lady's hand and asked her to add it to the collection, and we scooted out to find St. Peter's, where our ancestors were baptised.
 |
| Saints George and Michael, St. Peter's. |
To our delight, we found it, and it was gorgeous. Big, mossy, stone building. Our hearts swelled with emotion as we walked through the old gate, imagining our people, long ago doing the same. I was verklempt thinking about my grandpa Harlan.
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| Baptismal font with upside down crucifix of St. Peter, not the one in which our relatives were dunked. |
It was closed.
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| Names of curates from the time of the Harlands. |
In the words of Paris Hilton, total bummer!
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| Monk, St. Peter's, right Bubbe??? |
An attached hall was open and two or three people walked in to set up for a scout meeting. Scouts are big in England...
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| Roman altar stone, repurposed. |
Bubbe and I asked if there was anyone who could open the church for us. We explained that we were in town for only one day. The answer to that was no.
So we continued chatting with the friendly northerners and mentioned that we had come to see the place where our relly was baptised in 1625.
So we continued chatting with the friendly northerners and mentioned that we had come to see the place where our relly was baptised in 1625.
"You're in the wrong church." A very nice, shy, mother of a scout insisted. "St. Andrew's didn't exist in 1625." Say what? She gave us directions and sent us on our way.
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| The face of Christ? That wasn't the answer he was looking for... |
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| Ceolfrith. |
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| And so then...I went to this conference...and it was so...boring... |
We seriously learned a LOT about the church where our ancestors were baptised.
 |
| Oh my heavens what illustrious offspring! |
For example, the shortlegged knight buried here is none other than the great grandpappy of Ms. Paris Hilton (from the 1400s). Sir Hilton fought valiantly so that his offspring might someday party sans unterwäsche!
 |
| We loved the ceiling. |
The official name is The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Wearmouth-Jarrow. Jarrow became the center of Anglo-Saxon learning in the north of England, producing the greatest Anglo-Saxon scholar, Bede (that's SAINT Bede to you and me). The two churches of St. Peter's and St. Paul's have been nominated by the UK for World Heritage Site status, and the decision will be made this year.
 |
| Example of an illustrated page from the abbey. |
St. Peter's is one of the UK's oldest churches and one of the first stone churches. The monks who lived and worked in the abbey created illuminated volumes of the Bible which weighed 75 to 85 pounds, and required the skins from 515 calves to produce vellum for the 2060 pages.
 |
| Wall tomb of Mary, So chaste an honest wife, died in childbed 1617. |
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| More of the quaint ceiling. |
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| St. Peter's. |
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| No Harland gravestones were found. |
George Harland was christened in St. Peter's church March 11, 1650.
 |
| Possibly in this font! |
As an adult he became a Quaker and together with his brothers Thomas and Michael moved to County Down, Ireland. He married Elizabeth Duck (daughter of Ezekiah Duck and Hannah Hoope, born on 5 May 1660 in Shankill, Armagh, Ireland. Lurgan Parish) on September 17, 1678, in Down Co., Ireland. There's an Irish relative for you, Nin!
 |
| George and Elizabeth's marriage declaration. |
"In the early months of the year 1687, in company with his wife and four children, and his brother Michael, then unmarried, he took ship at Belfast for America. They had bought lands before coming which were within that part of the Province of Pennsylvania now embraced in the County of New Castle. Ascending the river Delaware they landed at the town of New Castle (now in Delaware State), and settled near the present town of Centreville. Here the elder brother remained for some years, and about 1698/99, having purchased higher up the Brandywine Creek, he moved his family and settled in what is now Pennsbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania." ("History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family" by Alpheus Harlan, 1914)
I had a tough time writing and organizing this blog post. I was sucked into the story of my grandfather Maurice Harlan's family. Learning about the history of this family, my family, our family has inspired me. To contemplate their decisions and struggles, to see their strength encourages me to keep trying to be good. I wrote before about my fear of meeting my great grandmother Katter in heaven...well all this thought about my dead relatives' lives has made me think about my living ones and about my own life as well. I want to chat with my dad, hear my great grandfather play the violin, and meet lost loved ones, but much more than that, I want to love on those living in the here and now.
A little more than eight years ago, my sister, Barb and I, and our husbands(!) had a party where we invited the Be Good Tanyas to perform. We were thrilled out of our minds as we drove to the airport in several cars to pick up the band. We rolled down our windows and screamed to each other from car to car, ''IT'S HAPPENING!!"
Every once in a while my sister and I still say that to each other, really to remind ourselves that it IS happening. This life is happening. This is it!
Having my mom visit us was a precious gift. We went on a road trip through England! We laughed a ton, and we cried now and then (some of us more than others...better yet, I'll call it a tie). We had many relaxing dinners and lunches. We ate more than our fair share of clotted cream (really it was obscene), and enjoyed a glass or two of champas as often as we could manage. I love my mom, I loved spending time with her. She's brave enough to expect great things from life, and she never gives up. And you should see her teeth cleaning routine! The healthiest gums this side of the Himalayas.
Alpheus Harlan, in 1914, included this note in his book about the Harlans:
"After a third of a century of almost continuous endeavor, I am handing this work to my people for their approval. I do it with the earnest prayer that the present and future generations shall strive hard to uphold the standards as set and maintained by their forefathers."
William, James, George, James, George, George, John, William, Walter, Maurice, Toni, Anne, (William, Anna, Michael, Dominic), ...
Maurice Cooper Harlan, b. Rooks County, Kansas, 4/15/1908, m. Ruth Otilia Katter, 6/8/1934, d.11/2/1988 Tucson, Arizona;
Walter Lunt Harlan, b. Dallas County, Iowa, 1/25/1883 m. Carrie Pearl Cooper, 9/20/1905, d. March 1958 Des Moines, Iowa;
William Henry Harlan (3116), b. Hendricks County, Indiana, 1/21/1849 at Perry, Dallas County, Iowa, m. Mattie Corey Lunt 1/10/1887, d.----.
John Harlan (875), b. Boyle County, Kentucky, 7/7/1811, m. Sarah D. Byers 10/15/1835, d. 7/2/1896 Burlington, Coffey County, Kansas.
George Harlan (220), b. Cumberland County, Pennsylvania 6/21/1761, m. Catherine Pope, d. 1/24/1837 Boyle County, Kentucky.
George Harlan (45), b. Kennet Twp., Chester County, Pennsylvania 2/22/1718, m. Ann Hunt. d. between 1760 and 1762 Frederick County, Virginia.
James Harlan (11), b. New Castle County (now in Delaware 8/19/1692, m. Elizabeth ______ unknown date. d. subsequent to 1760, Fredrick County, Virginia.
George Harlan (3), b. Nigh Durham in Bishoprick, England sometime before the date of baptism: 11th day of first month 1650. m. Elizabeth Duck 9/17/1678 County of Down, Ireland. immigrated to America in 1687, d. July 1714 Chester County, Pennsylvania. (dropped the 'd' from Harland after coming to America.)
James Harland (1), b. Bishoprick, nigh Durham, England about 1625. d. unknown. His father's name said to be William.
Harlan Family in America http://www.harlanfamily.org/index.htm
St Peter's Church
St Peter's Way
Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
SR6 0DY
United Kingdom
Thank you so much to Mr. Shields, for the impromptu, in depth, and thoughtful tour of St. Peter's!
Great blog! I found it while searching for "Elizabeth Duck" (she's also one of my ancestors); I ended up reading the whole piece, and thoroughly enjoyed it. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story. I came across it looking for my ancestors prior to 1400. I'm back to William Frank of 1470"s, but there I remain !
ReplyDeleteAgain, a great story, thank you