Harlen pronounced Heurrleen

[Daraleen Wade]

I am looking for the birth and parentage of Christian Harlen born ca 1820 (from US census records),possibly in Skåne since his neighbors were from there.  He was in the US by 1851 (land record)and filed his declaration of intent to become a citizen in 1857 at which time he was said to be 38 years of age.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Bjorn Svensson]

Daraleen, Hörlin is the most likely Swedish spelling.  It's probably a soldier's name.  Another possibality would be Heurlin.

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Daraleen,
 
If he arrived by 1950, he may be mentioned in the excellent book, Swedish Passenger Arrivals in the United States 1820-1850, by Nils William Olsson, 1995, Stockholm. If you can't find it in a library, perhaps someone on this board owns it and could check it for you. Origins in Sweden have been found there.
 
This is a site which provides several excellent ideas for finding the origins of these early emigrants.
 
http://www.horlacher.org/genarticles/scandem.htm
 
I have had wonderful success finding the Swedish parishes (where the records were kept) by using local genealogical and historical societies and the superb Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, but those sources don't have online records. The link for the Swenson Center can be found on the site I provided.
 
Good luck!
 
Judy

[Daraleen Wade]

Hi Bjorn,
 
Thank you for your quick response.  Are there available military records for the 1840s which might include information on him?  
 
Daraleen

[Daraleen Wade]

Hi Judy,
 
Thank you for your very informative response.  I am not sure he was here by 1850 (I haven't found him in the census for that year)and, if I remember correctly, I have looked at Nils Olsson's book.  About twenty years ago I visted Swenson Research Center but didn't have any luck while there.  Since research has changed so rapidly since then, with many more records available, it may be worthwhile contacting them again.  I will also ckeck out the site you gave me and thanks for helping me search outside the box.
 
Daraleen