Typed by: Kay Cunningham
JOHN LUTHER HARLAN
Surnames: HARLAN, JACKSON, McGLASSON, MITCHELL, TORRENCE, CORNELISON, SWINNEA,
RICHARDSON, PHIPPS, TRANTHAN, PRICE, RHODES.
John Luther Harlan, b August 22, 1867, in Red River County, Texas, d
November 26, 1936, and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery, Falls County, Texas -- was
the forth of nine children of Thomas D. and Rebecca Charity (Jackson) Harlan,
natives of South Carolina and Alabama, respectively.
John Luther Harlan was an infant when his parents moved to Falls Co., where
Harlan cousins lived on the Isaiah Harlan Mexican land grant issued in 1835.
John was educated a Blue Ridge Central Academy, Union Academy at Stranger, and
the Salado College at Salado.
On December 26, 1893, John married to Elizabeth McGlasson (called "Bettie"),
b May 3, 1873, d March 23, 1947 and buried by her husband in Blue Ridge
Cemetery, and the couple resided in the built by his parents -- John Luther
& Elizabeth "Bettie" resided in the built by his parents---at first sharing
the with the parents, and continuing there after their deaths. John
operated the gin and grist mill, a thresher and binder of wheat and oats, and
supervised the family farm, while Bettie opened the large hall in the for
community mail boxes--helping with dispatch of both incoming and outgoing mail
that was delivered and picked up by the Postmaster, William Henry Mitchell, at
the Harlanville Post Office at Blue Ridge.
Bettie was an artist who studied at Baylor University -- painting many
lovely canvases that are still owned by her descendants.
Although his parents worshipped at the Methodist-Presbyterian Union Church
at Stranger, John & Bettie reared their family at the Blue Ridge Baptist Church,
where he served as a Deacon. He was a Royal Arch Mason.
The couple were the parents of six children:
Thomas Daniel Harlan, b 1894, d 1939 -- married Josephine Blocker Torrence,
of Waco. They had two daughters.
Lloyd Wesley Harlan, b February 5, 1897, d November 22, 1977, and buried in
Blue Ridge Cemetery -- married Lilia Cornelison, b February 9, 1904, a daughter
of Samuel Milton and Mildred (Swinnea) daughter of Samuel Milton and Mildred
(Swinnea) Cornelison. Lloyd had extensive land holdings in the Blue Ridge area,
and operated the Harlan gin until it closed.
Agnes Margueritte Harlan, b February 17, 1899, married in 1920 to Grice
Richardson (called "Jack"), and had three children.
Lafayette John Harlan, b ca 1901 -- married Cecil Phipps, of Marlin.
Prudy Elizabeth Harlan, b ca 1904 -- married James F. Tranthan, of Houston,
Texas.
Jewel Rebecca Harlan, b ca 1906 -- married first to James Price and had
Janet price; married second to Fred Rhodes.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of
these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 212 column 1 and 2 and page 213 column 1 and 2.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.
