Biographical Sketch of Hon. Abram Douglas HARLAN (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 652-4. "HON. ABRAM DOUGLAS HARLAN, ex-State senator and present marshal of the United States circuit court of appeals for the Third circuit, is one of the active public-spirited and influential men of the county and State, who is honored for the usefulness of his public services and the integrity of his private life. He is a son of Ezekiel and Hannah M. (Buller) Harlan, and was born in West Marlborough township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, September 3, 1833. He received his education in the public and private schools of his county, and then engaged at an early age in the mercantile business at Coatesville, which he followed until 1862. In the spring of that year he entered the service of the Christian commission and labored diligently and successfully in caring for the sick and wounded soldiers at Fortress Monroe, Harrison Landing, Washington city, and Antietam. After Lee's retreat from Antietam he was so impressed with the necessity of his country for soldiers that he felt it to be his duty to take up arms in defense of the Union and at considerable financial loss he left his business and voluntarily entered the army, October 16, 1862. He served as a private soldier in an independent company of cavalry, and was first lieutenant and regimental quartermaster of the 157th Pennsylvania volun- teers, and was honorably discharged, July 31, 1863, at Harrisburg, Penn- sylvania. "Returning from the army to Coatesville, he became an extensive dealer in real estate, and through his efforts much of the farm land at that time within and adjoining the borough limits was laid out into lots on which houses have been erected and along which streets have been opened. In order to carry out this building up of his borough he organized the Coatesville Building association, and today a large number of houses and several beautiful streets are evidences of his successful efforts for the prosperity of Coatesville. He was the first to suggest gas works and to conceive the idea of Fairview cemetery, while in the educational interests of the borough he was as active as in its material progress and develop- ment. He served for twenty-one years as a member and officer of the school board and in many ways was instrumental in securing advancement in the schools and increased efficiency in their management. Since eighteen years of age Mr. Harlan has been a member of the Coatesville Presbyterian church, of which he was elected a ruling elder in 1871, and of whose Sun- day school he has served as superintendent for nearly forty years. In 1880 he was sent as a commissioner to the Presbyterian general assembly by the Presbytery of Chester. "On January 1, 1857, Mr. Harlan married Elizabeth Boyd Scott, who was a daughter of Samuel W. and Jane (Boyd) Scott, who died November 21, 1883. They had three children: Walter L., who died in infancy; Justin Edwards, born September 27, 1860, and now practicing dentistry at West Chester; and Wallace Scott, who was born March 28, 1862, and is a member of the Chester county bar. On June 18, 1885, Mr. Harlan wedded for his second wife, Mrs. Ella Whyte, daughter of Abner and Hannah E. Baldwin, of this county. "Abram D. Harlan is a lineal descendant in the sixth generation from Michael Harlan, who with his brother, George, was the founder of the Har- lan family in the United States, which has been prominently identified with the history of Chester county almost from its origin. Michael Harlan was born in England about 1655, and in 1687 came to Kennett township. His son, George Harlan, was the father of the George Harlan who was born in 1725, and whose son, Silas Harlan (grandfather), was born March 26, 1754. He was a farmer by occupation, and a member of the Society of Friends. He married Hannah M. Buller, and died August 1, 1837, at eighty-four years of age. His son, Ezekiel Harlan (father), was born June 11, 1804, in West Marlborough township, and followed agricultural pursuits until within a few years of his death, which occurred at Coatesville, February 8, 1868. Ezekiel Harlan was an old-line whig and republican in politics, and had been a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church for many years before his death. He was an industrious and useful citizen, and on January 8, 1828, married Hannah M. Buller, by whom he had three children: Mary A., wife of E. S. Koons; Susan A., wife of Col. W. B. Mendenhall, president of the American Sewing Machine Company, at Philadelphia; and Hon. Abram D. Mrs. Harlan was born February 23, 1806, and is a daughter of William Buller, who wedded Mary (Brenneman) Buller, and whose father, John Buller, married Hannah Harlan, a daughter of Ezekiel and Mary (Bezer) Harlan, who was a granddaughter of George Harlan, brother of Michael Harlan, who was married in 1687 in Ireland, and who was among the first white settlers on the Brandywine in this county. "Abram D. Harlan is a stanch republican, and his political career commenced in 1864 when he became transcribing clerk of the Pennsylvania house of representatives. He served as clerk of the same body during the sessions of 1865, 1866 and 1867, and five years later served as a representative delegate from his county in the Republican State convention of 1872. He was one of the assistant clerks of the constitutional convention of Penn- sylvania during its entire session of 1872-73. He next served for two years as a special clerk in the internal revenue department under Hon. A. P. Tutton, and at the end of that time became assistant cashier of customs at the port of Philadelphia, where he served for six and one-half years under Hon. A. P. Tutton and Maj. Gen. John F. Hartranft. He resigned as cashier on December 31, 1882, and returning to his native county, was elected on March 31, 1883, as State senator, to fill the unexpired term of Hon. James B. Everhart, from the Nineteenth senatorial district, com- posed of Chester county. In November, 1884, he was re-elected by a majority of thirty-six hundred and thirty-six, for the full senatorial term of four years, and his course in the State senate was such as to win him the commendation of the republicans, while it secured him the respect of all parties. In 1888 he was renominated and elected by a majority of four thousand and twenty-one, but resigned on June 16, 1891, to become marshal of the United States circuit court of appeals for the third cir- cuit, which position he has held ever since. "Senator Harlan worthily ranks with the prominent and useful men of his county, and his repeated election to the State senate by popular suffrage is cumulative evidence of merit and distinction."