USA > Maryland > Cecil County > Portrait and biographical record of Harford and Cecil counties, Maryland. Containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties. Together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 12
USA > Maryland > Harford County > Portrait and biographical record of Harford and Cecil counties, Maryland. Containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties. Together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 12
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At Callao Dr. Harlan was transferred to the "North Carolina," a line of battle ship of one hundred guns, and as large and fine a ship as there was in the navy. While at Callao, a Chilian fleet of thirty-two sail, including men-of-war and transports, came into the harbor. They landed a force of five thousand and four hundred men,
including one thousand horsemen, which while proceeding toward Lima were attacked by the Peruvians within sight of the "North Carolina." The engagement began about four o'clock and continued for two hours after dark. The seintil- lating flashes of the musketry and the dark bursts of flame offered a brilliant sight and occasioned the opinion on board the "North Carolina" that it was a hotly contested and sanguinary fight, but the killed on both sides did not exceed four hun- dred. The result was the Chilians entered Lima. The Peruvians had four men-of-war in the harbor of Callao. To prevent them from falling into the hands of the Chilians, they sold two of them and English flags were hoisted to cover them. The other two were dismantled and one of them sunk, the other was abandoned and the Chilians carried it off. These results were ae- complished by a good deal of cannonading by sea and many skirmishes on land, most of which were in sight of the "North Carolina" and on one oeeasion she with other neutral ships found it necessary for her own safety to move out of range of the shot. The fortunes of Peru were now at a low ebb, and it looked as if the Chilians would conquer the whole country, but Santa Cruz and his army returned and the Chilians retired before him and embarked on board their fleet. Upon his return to Lima after driving out the Chilians, Santa Cruz was greeted by the people as their deliverer, with the most extrava- gant demonstrations of joy. He visited the "North Carolina" one day before she sailed.
February 9, 1839, the "North Carolina" sailed for New York. The home voyage was unevent- ful. She touched at Valparaiso, rounded Cape Horn, stopped about two weeks at Rio Janeiro and anchored within sight of Sandy Hook June 28, 1839, whence four years and two months before Dr. Harlan had started on his first voyage. After spending about three weeks in New York harbor on board the "North Carolina," he was granted the usual leave of absence for three months, which he spent at his home in Harford County. His leave of absence was extended and he went to Philadelphia, where he took a course of lectures at the University of Pennsylvania. He
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was next assigned to duty at the naval asylum, Philadelphia, and continued for two years to attend the medical lectures at the University and the clinics at the Pennsylvania and Blockly hos- pitals. July 8, 1841, he was examined and com- missioned as past assistant surgeon, and in Octo- ber was ordered to the schooner "Madison" for service on the coast of Florida, in pursuit of lios- tile Indians in the Everglades. In a few weeks lic was attacked with yellow fever at Key West, and as soon as able to travel was sent home by a medical survey. After many months of conva- when the boats with the first division struck the beach. Instantly the men and officers jumped out, and as soon as they had planted their foot- steps on Mexican soil they were greeted with three cheers. They immediately formed in line and charged to the top of the nearest hill, expecting to find Mexicans behind it. When the first en- sign bearer reached the top and his standard was seen outlined against the western sky, the stars and stripes received such a united and sponta- neous cheer from the thousands mounted in the tops and rigging of the ships that it thrilled every lescence he was assigned to shore duty at the . heart; no one with an American heart in his breast could remain quiet, and I cheered as loud as I could." We know now that this small army of twelve thousand men was destined to conquer an empire for their country and gain for themselves a reputation unsurpassed in the annals of the world for victories over superior numbers, strongly intrenched, a crown of glory for which one-fourth of them paid with their lives.
Naval Rendezvous, Baltimore. In October, 1844, he joined the brig "Somers" of the West India squadron. Starting from Philadelphia, he went to several ports in the island of San Domingo, and thence to the Gulf of Mexico, visiting Key West, Pensacola and Vera Cruz. In October, 1845. he was transferred to the steamship "Prince- ton," of the gulf squadron, and December 6 was promoted to the rank of surgeon.
The following May war was declared with Mex- ico and the "Princeton" was employed in block- ading Vera Cruz. The blockade continued many months and the ships engaged in it were frequently exposed to violent gales from the north and west, and in one of these northers the brig "Somers," from which he had so lately been transferred, was overturned and sunk with thirty-one of her men and two officers. March 9, 1847, the "Princeton" left Anton Lizardo, the place of rendezvous for General Scott's army of invasion, and proceeded to the point selected for landing the troops, oppo- site the island of Sacrificios. The "Princeton" had on board four hundred and eighty soldiers. They arrived at Sacrificios about two o'clock and before midnight the whole army of twelve thou- sand men had been landed without mishap or opposition from the enemy, though a succession of sand hills coming down close to the beach gave a good cover from which a small force could have seriously harassed then. Dr. Harlan's journal thus describes the landing of the first line as seen from the "Princeton's" deck: "The numerous vessels that had transported the second and third lines were still crowded with American braves,
While Dr. Harlan did not actively participate in the four days' bombardment of Vera Cruz, lie was always within sight of the flying shot and at times so near that they passed over his head. March 29 he was present at the surrender of the city, and with a small body of officers went into the city, where he found upon a wall the ensign of the fort, a small flag, trampled under foot. This he took as a memento of the surrender. The day of the surrender the "Princeton" left Vera Cruz to carry the news to the United States, stop- ping at Pensacola to deliver her dispatches, and then proceeding to Philadelphia, where Dr. Har- lan was detached. He had been promoted, De- ceniber 6, 1845, to the rank of surgeon, and the latter part of that winter received a short leave of absence while the "Princeton" was being repaired at Philadelphia. He went to his home in Harford County and was married March 3, 1846, to Miss Margaret R., only child of James B. and Mary A. (Baker) Herbert. After being detached from the "Princeton" he remained at home waiting orders until May 7, 1849, when he was ordered to the "Falmouth," at Boston, for a cruise in the Pacific. While en route to the Pacific, the ship had to pass around Cape Horn, which, in July, the mid-
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winter month in the southern hemisphere, is a thing very much dreaded by sailors. The ship inet with severe cold weather, and for days sailed through seas of slush ice. The spray froze over the decks and rigging until her shrouds became a mass of ice as thick as a man's body. The sailors suffered much from the necessary exposure to the cold, and it was then that Dr. Harlan made an innovation in the practice of the navy. It had been customary upon such occasions to increase the rations of spirits "to splice the main brace," as the sailors say. In place of this Dr. Harlan had each man served with a pot of hot coffee as he went on and came off his night watches. Under this treatment the health of the men was excellent and the result of the experiment so satisfactory that he afterward received a letter from the surgeon-general of the navy, warmly com- mending his action. It may be worthy of note that in those days each seaman received a half pint . of whiskey as his usual daily ration of spirits, just as he received his allowance of pork and beans. Since, as is well known, the allowance of spirits has been abolished in the navy. For about a year after passing the cape, the "Falmouth" cruised along the coast of South and North America, as far north as Astoria, at the mouth of the Colum- bia River in Oregon. All of the important points on the coast were visited, many of them several times. In 1850 the "Falmouth" sailed from San Francisco to the Sandwich Islands. From Hilo, in the island of Hawaii, Dr. Harlan made a four days' journey and ascent of the volcano of Kil- auea, the largest in the world, its crater being nine miles in circumference. When he was there, its immense, deep, sunken area contained numer- ous small cones and chimneys, from which issued smoke and sulphurous fumes, and during the night which he spent on the crater's rim, he saw several glowing with flames and red hot lava. While exploring the crater he passed over lava so hot that his barefoot guide could not follow him. On his way to the mountains he passed what had once been a river of fiery lava, which liad flowed through a cocoanut grove and had buried beneath it all the trees in its course. The lava was now
hard and the trees beyond the reach of the stream were undisturbed in their growth.
At Honolulu, in the island of Cahu, Dr. Har- lan frequently met his majesty, King Kauikeaculi, whom he had known on his first visit in 1836, and at a party took tea with the queen and many chiefs and their ladies. When the queen with- drew, she entered a low carriage drawn by na- tives, while the gentlemen of the court walked alongside. The "Falmouth" spent about eight months cruising among the islands of the Pacific, visiting the Marquesas, Samoan, Feejee and So- ciety groups. Dr. Harlan saw much of the na- tives so lately converted from the most revolting cannibalism. He saw and talked with a Feejee man who had been the king's butcher and had killed and prepared for the table, so to speak, many of his fellow-beings. The most influential chief of Rakiraki embraced Christianity while Dr. Harlan was therc. His father had been a most monstrous cannibal, notorious over all Fce- jec. He kept account of persons he ate by placing stones in rows. A man who saw and counted these stones said there were eight hundred and seventy-two of them, representing as many human beings devoured by this monster. That such a story, whether strictly true or not, could be cur- rent, shows the extent of this horrible practice.
In July, IS51, the "Falmouth" returned to San Francisco, and Dr. Harlan was detached. He then took the mail steamer to Panama, crossed the isthmus on mule-back to the Chagres River, which he descended in a small boat, and at Aspin- wall took steamer for New York, going from there to his home. At the close of a three months' leave he was ordered to duty on the receiving ship at Boston, where he remained until October, 1354. The following year was spent at home, on lcave waiting orders. On New Year's day of 1856 lie was ordered to sea on the "Merrimack," a fine new steam frigate just put in commission. She had five hundred and eighty men and officers, includ- ing three medical officers, of whom Surgcon Har- lan was chief. At Norfolk and Annapolis the ship was visited by many persons, including President Pierce, the secretary of the navy and
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members of congress, all of whom united in admiring the fine vessel. She then went to Havana, Cuba, and Key West, Fla., and hay- ing broken her propeller, returned to Boston for repairs, thence proceeded to New York, and Sep- tember 9, 1856, sailed for England, spending fourteen days between Sandy Hook and Lizard Point. The month that the ship lay in harbor at Southampton, Dr. Harlan spent in London and in various places in Ireland, Scotland and England. He also had an opportunity to visit Paris, while the ship was at Brest, France. Two weeks and a-half were spent in Lisbon, Portugal, and over three weeks in Cadiz, Spain. The ocean was again crossed to the West Indies, visiting Barba- does, St. Croix and St. Thomas, and at Boston, April 25, 1857, Dr. Harlan was detached and ordered to Norfolk to join the "Roanoke," a new ship of the same class as the "Merrimack." She proceeded to Aspinwall on the gulf side of the Isthinus of Panama, passing through the Mona Passage, then returned to New York, from there went to Boston, where the officers were given three months' leave of absence. December 1, 1860, Dr. Harlan was ordered to join the ship "Cyane" at Panama, and took the mail steamer from New York to Aspinwall, crossed the isthmus by rail- road, and reached the ship in ten days. The "Cyane" proceeded to Acapulco, San Blas, Ma- zatlan, Cape St. Lucas, Guaymas, and returned to Panama, spending nearly nine months there; then sailed up the coast as far as Mazatlan, and returned to Acapulco, where, December 20, 1862, she was well situated to afford her officers a fine view of a bombardment of the old fort in the har- bor by the French, and their assault upon and capture from the Mexicans of several small bat- teries of antiquated guns.
Dr. Harlan's medical journals show that he gave great attention to causes affecting the health of his ships' crews. On three occasions he received commendation from the surgeon-general for his studies in naval hygiene and his reports of his observations. While on the "Peacock" in the harbor of Acapulco, he noticed that the air from a marsh caused fever in a number of the crew who had not been ashore. Subsequent observation of
the bad effect on the health of sailors of other ves- sels which anchored in that part of the harbor convinced him that it was very dangerous. During the four days the "Lancaster" anchored in that place, there were many cases of fever and eight deaths. He sent to the bureau of medicine and surgery a map of the harbor with a dotted line showing the anchorage that exposed the ship's company to the fevers, and the navy department has since marked the charts with "Dr. Harlan's danger line." He remained on the "Saranac" until June 8, 1863, when he was detached and returned home via the isthmus, reaching Harford County July 6, 1863, after an absence of more than two years and seven months. His son, Beatty, who had been born during his absence, was nearly two and one-half years old when his father first saw him.
Afterward being stationed at the naval asylum, Philadelphia, Dr. Harlan and his family remained there until May 18, 1865, when he was detached and ordered as fleet surgeon to Key West to join the United States frigate "Powhatan," the flagship of the blockading squadron in the Gulf of Mexico. The war was now coming to a close and directly afterward he joined the "Powhatan," she returned to Boston and he was detached. He was never a man to intrude his opinions on others, but through- out these troublous times of war, he was a stanch supporter of the Union and the government he served. During the spring and summer of 1866 he was a member of the board of visitors to the naval academy at Annapolis, Md., and of the board of surgeons to examine candidates for admission to the academy. September 3, 1866, he was stationed at the academy as surgeon and moved with his family to the surgeon's house next to the hospital in the academy grounds. He remained at this pleasant station until January 5, 1869, when he was detached on account of a tedious illness of more than four months and returned to his home at Churchville, Md. After- ward, for two months, he was stationed at the naval hospital on the government farm at Annap- olis, Md. March 3, 1871, he was promoted to the rank of medical director, and was retired November 30, 1871, upon reaching the age of
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sixty-two years. Returning then to his home in Churchville, he continued to lead a most active life, devoting himself with his accustomed tireless energy to the improvements of his own and his wife's extensive farms. He died at his home in Churchville July 12, 1893.
While in Annapolis in 1866, Dr. Harlan began to carry into execution a plan which had long been forming in his mind. He purchased six acres of a pleasantly elevated piece of land about - a quarter of a mile east of the village of Church- ville and within easy view of his home. There he built a pretty little frame church of gothic design, which was called the Church of the Holy Trinity. The consent of the rectors and vestries of the adjacent parishes was obtained, and an act for the establishment of Churchville parish was secured from the convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the diocese of Maryland. Subsequently he secured the erection of a large rectory and a schoolhouse, and the rector, Rev. Edward A. Colburn, who had worked with him and ably seconded all his efforts, established a successful boarding and day school, where Dr. Harlan's sons received their early training. As the deed conveying the church property to the vestry recites, he was led to do this good work by "an earnest desire to aid in the extension of the Christian religion and as a slight manifestation of profound gratitude to Almighty God for many great mercies vouchsafed to him during many years." For many years he supplied or guaran- teed the support of this missionary enterprise, and it was ever his delight to sustain and nourish it. T'en years after the frame church was built it was burned down, but was immediately replaced by a new and handsome stone structure. The debt incurred by its construction was paid by him.
The family of Dr. Harlan consisted of five children. His oldest child and only daughter, Oleita, died July 25, 1866, when just reaching womanhood. The oldest son, Dr. Herbert Har- lan, was for many years demonstrator of anatomy in the medical department of the University of Maryland, but at this writing is one of the pro- fessors in the Baltimore City College. David E. graduated at Princeton in the class of '86 and is
now a civil engineer at Lima, Ohio. Henry D., who is chief judge of the supreme bench at Balti- more, was born in 1858, graduated from St. John's College, Annapolis, in 18;8, carrying off the sec- ond honors of his class, and for one year read law in the office of Hon. Henry D. Farnandis, the leader of the Harford County bar. He then entered the law department of the Maryland Uni- versity, from which he graduated in 1881, with both honors, having secured the prize as first- grade student, and for the best thesis, his subject being "Contributory Negligence." Upon the committee that awarded the prize were Judge Brown and A. W. Machen. While a law student, lie also read law in the office of John P. Poe. He was admitted to the bar in 1881, and two years later was chosen associate professor in the Uni- versity of Maryland, to lecture on elementary common law and domestic relations. At the same time he was elected secretary and treasurer of the law faculty. These positions he held until he was made chief judge of the supreme bench in 1888. He is married and has two children. W. Beatty Harlan, of Bel Air, was given an excellent education, and after being prepared for college lie passed through the sophomore class of St. John's College, Annapolis, and then went to the Johns Hopkins University of Baltimore, where he grad- uated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1883. He then entered the law department of the Mary- land University, from which he graduated in 1885. Opening an office at Bel Air, he has since been numbered among the attorneys of this village, althoughi since the death of his father much of his time has been devoted to looking after the large family estate at Churchville. He makes his home with his mother, Mrs. Margaret Rebecca ( Her- bert) Harlan, on the estate at Churchville that has been in the possession of the family for gen- erations. Mrs. Harlan was born June 25, 1826, and became the wife of Dr. Harlan March 3, 1846. Her father, James Beatty Herbert, was a son of Capt. John Herbert, of the War of 1812, and a brother of Dr. William Paul Herbert. Her mater- nal grandfather, Capt. Jeremiah Baker, of Cecil County, was an officer in the Revolution, and his tombstone at North East records his death as
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having taken place in May, IS14, when he was seventy-four. He married Rebecca Maulden, and their children were Jeremiah, Mary and Charlotte. Mary was the mother of Margaret Rebecca, tlie latter being her only child. Dr. William Paul Herbert left no heirs, aud until the birth of Dr. Herbert Harlan there were no male members born in his mother's family for fifty-seven years (three generations), and only one female to rep- resent each generation. Mrs. Harlan's grand- mother, Margaret Beatty Herbert, died at the age of ninety-eight. The first representative of the family in America was Capt. John Herbert, who with his wife came from Ireland in 1794 and settled on the large estate at Churchville that is now in the possession of his great-grandchildren.
The facts contained in this biography of Dr. David Harlan were compiled by W. Beatty Har- lan from his father's journals during his father's lifetime. They may therefore be relied upon as authentic by this and coming generations.
C. BUTLER, M. D., is engaged in the practice of medicine in Bel Air. The Butler family has for generations been identified with the history of Virginia, and its members have always been southern in sentiment, sympa- thies and opinions. The Doctor's grandfather, Reuben Butler, was a wholesale druggist in Nor- folk, where he died of yellow fever in 1855; his wife had died of the same disease in 1852. He had three sons: Oceolo, who recently died in Sa- vannah, Ga., where he had made a fortune in the wholesale drug business; Thomas F., who is in the real-estate business in Augusta, Ga., where he resides; and Reuben M., the Doctor's father. The latter was born in Norfolk, Va., and in youth embarked in the mercantile business, but soon gave up personal affairs in order to support the Confederacy. At the outbreak of the war he entered the army as captain in the Norfolk Light Artiliery Blues and was a gallant soldier and excellent officer, but met his death in the battle of
Petersburg, while bravely fighting at the head of his company. He was then a young man of twenty-eight. Very soon afterward his widow. with her child, sought safety in Bel Air. Here she continued to reside until her death, which occurred in February, ISS6.
Born in Norfolk, July 5, 1860, the subject of this article was a child of three years when his father died. The changing tide of war caused his mother to come to Bel Air, and here he passed the days of youth in attendance at the academy. Later lie took a special course at St. Jolin's Col- lege, Annapolis. With a desire to enter the med- ical profession, he became a student in the medical department of the University of Mary- land, where he graduated in IS81. At once opening an office in Bel Air, he has been in con- tinuous practice here since, and has built up a large patronage. His father was a past master Mason, and he, too, is identified with this order, and is senior warden of Mt. Ararat I,odge. He is also connected with the Odd Fellows' Order and belongs to the grand lodge. Politically he is a believer in free trade, but not free silver. In 1888 he married Miss Louisa S. King, daughter of Henry S. King, a wholesale hardware merchant of the city of Baltimore. They have one child, Victor King Butler.
AMES F. KENLY, a representative farmer and stock-raiser of District No. 2, Harford County. was born in District No. 1, August 20, 1845, his parents being George W. and Rebecca (Rouse) Kenly. His father was born and reared in District No. 2, and when a young man removed to District No. 1, where he followed the wheelwright's trade. He afterward added to this an undertaking business, his shop being located at Joppa Cross Roads, where he remained until 1862. He then purchased the farm on which our subject now resides and made it his home throughout the remainder of his life. He was one of the most extensive farmers of the
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neighborhood and also carried on stock dealing, buying cattle and feeding them for the market. The qualities essential to success were numbered among his characteristics, and his industry and enterprise made him one of the prosperous agri- culturists of the neiglihorhood. He died at the age of seventy-six years, respected by all who knew him. His political support was given the Republican party, but he never sought or desired office. He was, however, one of the leading members and untiring workers in the Methodist Protestant Church. His father was Lemuel Kenly, also a native of Harford County. The mother of our subject was born in District No. 1, a daughter of John and Sarah (Cochran) Rouse. She, too, was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church, and was called to the home beyond at the advanced age of eighty -three years. They had two children, Mary E., the elder, be- ing now the wife of Thomas W. Mather, of . Carroll County, Md.
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