Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Harlan George MENDENHALL
Harlan spent his boyhood in Coatesville, PA, received his education in the public schools and entered the ministry from the Coatesville Presbyterian Church. He was associate editor of the Springfield (MA) Republican in 1869 and was ordained into the Presbyterian Church in 1875. Harlan received his D.D. degree in theology from the Sacred Theology University in Hungary. He served in various pastorates and as moderator for several Presbyteries. He was decorated with the "Order of the Redeemer" by the King of Greece in 1919. He was the author of "History of Presbyterianism."
For many years he was one of the most prominent ministers in the denomination and despite a very busy life he never lost interest in his home city. A part of his early ministry was in the west where in addition to filling several charges he became the president of Jamestown College in North Dakota. Early in his ministry he got the reputation of "troubleshooter." Whenever a church got into trouble they tried to get Harlan to come and straighten things out. His congenial personality and warm hearted interest in everybody soon accomplished the desired result. On one occasion a large Presbyterian Church in St Louis got into trouble and gave Harlan a call. He accepted and soon had the church running smoothly again. Later he was called to another charge and soon the St Louis church was in difficulties again. When the situation got serious they called him back again. He went and straightened the congregation out for keeps.
After he went back east he was elected stated clerk of the New York Presbytery where he served with great distinction for many years and retired in 1932 with the title of stated clerk emeritus.
After his retirement he lived quietly in Litchfield, CT and his interest in his home town doubled. Historical items about the city were his special delight and he became involved in the restoration of several buildings in Litchfield.
He collected a vast fund of historical facts about the city and its people. He turned over much valuable material to the Coatesville Presbyterian Church which but for his patient and persistent research would have been lost. Harlan was considered by many as one of the greatest Presbyterian pastors of his generation. He was a good pulpit orator and out of the pulpit he was a wonderful pastor. He had an insatiable interest in humanity. He possessed great personal charm, had a warm, genial personality and a remarkable memory for even microscopic detail especially for Coatesville as it existed in his boyhood days. Although Harlan never held a charge in Coatesville he preached there frequently during his long career as a minister. The last time he spoke there was at the 100th anniversary of the Coatesville Presbyterian Church in 1933. On that occasion he gave a memorable historical address of Coatesville as it existed when he was a boy. He described almost every house in the central section of the city and the family that lived in it.
Some years prior to his death, Harlan was struck by a car which left him lame. Just before his death he was getting out of an automobile near his home and fell on some ice compelling him to spend considerable time in bed. He never completely recovered from the second fall and his health gradually failed for several months until his death.
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