Ellis Harlan (abt. 1731 - 1815)

Born about 1731 in Marlborough, Chester, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Ka-ti (Cherokee) Harlan — married about 1778 in Cherokee Nation (East)

Descendants

Died Sep 1815 at about age 84 in Cherokee Nation (East)

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Biography

Ellis Harlan was born in Pennsylvania about 1732. He was the son of Ezekiel Harlan and Hannah (Oborn) Harlan.^[1]

In June 1764, the Society of Friends (Quakers) monthly meeting at London Grove reported that Ellis Harlan "...hath been guilty of drinking to excess, and also suffered such an unguarded disposition to prevail as to quarrel with and strike several persons, and while under dealing by that meeting, hath gone as is apprehended to Carolina."^[2] Later that year, on 03 Nov 1764, he was disowned from the Society of Friends due to that previous drunken quarrel. The monthly minutes report:

"Whereas Ellis Harlan hath had a birthright amongst us the people called Quakers but for want of taking heed to the Grace of God in his own heart, which would have preserved him from Evil, he gave way to his own evil inclination, so far as to drink strong liquor to excess and also suffered his passion to rise so high as to strike several persons therein at different times, and when friends treated with him he did not seem in a suitable disposition nor inclinable to condemn the same, therefore for the clearing of truth and friends we do hereby disown him to be of our Christian society, until he come to see the evil of his ways, and by repentance and amendment of life, he return to truth and friends, which is our desire he may."^[3]

The family moved to South Carolina, near the Cherokee Nation. It's not known exactly when he began trading with the Cherokee, but he was one of a number of traders present at the signing of the Henderson Purchase in Mar 1775.^[4]

In Oct 1776 Harlan carried a flag of truce from the Overhill Cherokee to Virginia commander William Christian. When he returned with the message that the Americans still planned to attack, Dragging Canoe threatened to scalp him.^[5]

He fathered a daughter with an unknown Cherokee woman:

1. Susannah (Harlan) Otterlifter (~1777)

Emmet Starr lists Susannah Harlan as the daughter of Ellis and Ka-ti,^[6] but court documents related to funds due to him from the Revolutionary War make it clear that Susannah had a different mother.^[7]

He married Ka-ti, the daughter of Cherokee Nan-ye-hi (Nancy) Ward about 1778. They were the parents of at least the following children:^[8][9]

1. George Harlan (~1781 - 1848)
2. Nancy (Harlan) Starr (~1779 - 1841)
3. Ezekiel Harlan (~1783 - 1817)
4. Ruth (Harlan) Phillips (~1787 - 1845)
5. Sarah "Sally" (Harlan) West (~1789 - Oct 1837)
6. Ellis Harlan (~1791 - 1791)
7. Elizabeth (Harlan) Hildebrand (15 Aug 1793 - 19 Sep 1826)
8. Katie Harlan (~1795 - 1795)

According to two 1788 letters from Joseph Martin, Harlan was living in Chota until attacks from white settlers made it unsafe for whites or Cherokee to remain. He left on 25 Jun 1788.^[10][11]

At the time of the 1790 Census, he was living in Pendleton County, South Carolina (modern day Pickens, Oconee, and Anderson Counties). He owned two slaves. He lived next door to Ezekiel Buffington, a cousin.^[12]

In 1792, he purchased several hundred acres of property in the District of Ninety-Six in Pendleton County with Ezekiel Buffington.^[13]

In 1797 Silas Dinsmore, then the U.S. agent to the Cherokee provided a list to Governor John Sevier of Tennessee of white men authorized to be in the Cherokee Nation. The list included "Ellis Harlin Trader, licenced 18th January for 2 years."^[14]

At the time of the 1800 Census, he was still living in Pendleton County, South Carolina. He owned three slaves. He was still living next door to Ezekiel Buffington.^[15]

He passed away in Sep 1815 in the Cherokee Nation.^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ Harlan, Alphaeus H. History and Genealogy of the Harlan Family : and particularly of the descendants of George and Michael Harlan, Who Settled in Chester County, PA., 1687. Vol. 1. Ancestry. North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
2. ↑ US Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935. Pennsylvania, Chester, New Garden Monthly Meeting. Minutes, 1746-1768. Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA.
3. ↑ US Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935. Pennsylvania, Chester, New Garden Monthly Meeting. Minutes, 1746-1768. Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA.
4. ↑ Cumfer, Cynthia. “Nan-Ye-Hi (Nancy Ward) (c. 1730s–1824): Diplomatic Mother.” In Tennessee Women: Their Lives and Times. Edited by Sarah Wilkerson Freeman, Beverly Greene Bond, and Laura Helper-Ferris. University of Georgia Press, 2009. pp 5–6.
5. ↑ Brown, John P. Old Frontiers. Kingsport, TN: Southern Publishers, Inc., 1938. pp. 11, 156-157.
6. ↑ Starr, Emmet. History of the Cherokee Indians. Tulsa, OK: Oklahoma Yesterday Publications edition, 1979. pp. 350.
7. ↑ Hampton, David K. Cherokee Mixed-Bloods. Lincoln, AR: Arc Press of Cane Hill, 2005. pp. 236.
8. ↑ Hampton, David Keith. Nancy Ward and Her Descendants. Vol. 1. 2021. pp 85-86.
9. ↑ Bean, Ruth (Starr). "Cherokee History: Sketch of Granny Ward, a Noted Cherokee Woman." Fort Gibson New Era. Fort Gibson, OK. 30 Oct 1913.
10. ↑ US, Continental Congress - Papers 1774-1789. Fold3. The National Archives. Item Number: 71 Publication Number: M247 Item Description: Virginia State Papers, 1775-88 Item Title: State Papers, VA Volume Number: 2 Page: 623.
11. ↑ US, Continental Congress - Papers 1774-1789. Fold3. The National Archives. Item Number: 150 Publication Number: M247 Item Description: Letters and Reports from Maj. Gen. Henry Knox, Secretary at War, Nov. 1787-July 1788 Item Title: Ltrs from Maj Gen Henry Knox Volume Number: 2 Page: 445.
12. ↑ "United States Census, 1790." FamilySearch. Fri Oct 06 22:56:17 UTC 2023. Entry for Ellis Harling, 1790.
13. ↑ South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina, Online Record and Image Search, State Plat Books, Archives ID: Series: S213190 Volume: 0028 Page: 00069 Item: 001; South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Search for "Harling, Allis."
14. ↑ letter in Tennessee State Archives, transcribed by Helen Hewitt, posted on genealogy.com https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/dinsmore/646/
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1800." FamilySearch. Thu Oct 05 23:17:37 UTC 2023. Entry for Ellice Harlin, 1800.
16. ↑ Caleb Starr Affidavit. Ellis Harlin File. The National Archives. Record Group 75. Preliminary Inventory Item 236: Miscellaneous Claims, 1836-1839.