Frederick Fowler Harlan (1866 - 1942)

Born 13 Mar 1866 in San Ramon, Contra Costa County, California, United States

Ancestors

Died 22 Oct 1942 at age 76 in Martinez, Contra Costa County, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Russell Kruse [send private message]

Biography

Buried in Chapel of Memories Columbarium, Oakland, Alameda County, California, USA; PLOT: Laurel, A-1-9.

Obituaries: Frederick Fowler Harlan was the son of Joel Harlan and Minerva Jane (Fowler) Harlan. He married Martha Louise Wight. He is inurned with a sister (Mary Harlan Llewellyn), a sister (Helene Harlan Osborn) and his wife (Martha Louise Wight.)

Contra Costa Gazette (Martinez, California) October 22, 1942 (Thursday)

"COUNTY PIONEER'S DEATH CLOSES CHAPTER OF PAST. A chapter in the colorful history of Contra Costa closed today with the death in a Martinez hospital of Frederick Fowler Harlan, the last of ten children of Joel Harlan, famed San Ramon settler of the 1850's.

Harlan is survived by a widow, Martha Wight Harlan, sister of [?] Ralph Wight of Martinez, and a niece, Mrs. Carmen Geldermann of San Ramon Valley.

His body will be at the Scott Greene chapel until noon Saturday and cremation services will take place in Oakland Crematorium at 2 p.m. Rev. W.W. Rasco of Danville will officiate and Mrs. Rosalind Solomon of Berkeley will play violin solos.

Harlan was born in the old family home March 13, 1866. He was educated in county schools and took up the life of a farmer. After Mrs. Harlan's retirement from her teaching post at the Ambrose school, they moved back to the family homestead in San Ramon.

Harlan's father was one of the most distinguished of the county's pioneers. Joel Harlan crossed the plains in 1846. He moved with his family to San Jose Mission, later locating and building a house that later became a landmark defining the line between Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

The name "Joel Harlan" became legend in Contra Costa. He was married to Minerva Fowler, a native of Bellevue, Ill., in Sonoma April 1, 1849, by Ex-Governor Boggs. In 1852 he purchased a tract of land in Amador valley, and when the county of Alameda was created, one of the points defining the boundary was the "House of Joel Harlan."

His son who died today lived in a second dwelling on the Norris tract built in 1856." END

AND

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) November 1, 1942 (Sunday)

"Last of a Clan

The recent death of Frederick Fowler Harlan in Contra Costa County wrote finis to one of the colorful generations of that historic family. Harlan, a resident of San Ramon, died in Martinez at the age of 76. He was the last of nine children of Joel Harlan, who settled in the San Ramon area in the '50's. Born in the old family home on March 13, 1866, he was educated in county schools, and later took up the life of a farmer, the favorite occupation of his forebear[er]s. Though the name of Harlan is one frequently mentioned in Contra Costa County, it was Joel Frederick's father, who carried on the pioneer tradition and handed it down. Joel, who shared with several other historical figures Wayne County, Illinois [Indiana], as his birthplace, was the son of George Harlan, who was born in 1802 in Lincoln County, Kentucky. Joel was born in 1828. George married Elizabeth Duncan in 1823, and then in 1846 came across the plains by ox-drawn covered wagon, being the first train to traverse the great desert south of Salt Lake. He was accompanied by his wife and children and William and Henry Fowler, according to county histories. Henry Fowler allegedly worked on the General Vallejo home for awhile. Joel Harln and other members of the family stopped at Mission San Jose prior to their location in San Francisco, which at that time purportedly had a population of 250. When gold was discovered he sold his business and went to Coloma, where he opened a general store. Later moving to San Lorenzo, he finally settled on a ranch located between the Alameda and Contra Costa County lines in 1852. Joel was marred in 1848 to Minerva Jane Fowler, native of Illinois. The wedding was performed in Sonoma by ex-Governor Boggs of Mississippi [Missouri]. Frederick, one child of Joel's sizable family, left a widow and a niece as surivivors at the time of his death last week. His widow, Martha, is a sister of Ralph Wight, Martinez city attorney. The niece is Mrs. Carmen Geldermann of San Ramon Valley, who lives on historic acrege which is a part of the original Harlan holdings." END

Sources

• Findagrave.com Memorial #26761674.