My mother's mother's father was Frank Harlach; my ancestor chart gives a pictorial view of how I'm related to him.
The earliest Harlach relative of which I am aware is Frederick Harlach, who was born in 1824 in Germany. He married Dora Rhein sometime around 1852, and emigrated to Buffalo sometime after that. He was a gardener by trade. (Please note that I do not as yet have a definite proof of connection between these people and the people that follow.)
His first son, also named Frederick, was born in 1864; I do not know if this was in Germany or in Buffalo. They had five other children; the younger ones were definitely born in buffalo, which puts their parents' emigration date as sometime between 1852 and 1868.
The younger Frederick Harlach became a railroad worker. He was the only one of his siblings to convert to Catholicism, presumably when he married Matilda Rein. They had seven children, the oldest of which was Frank.
Frederick died at age 47 from cancer brought on by the amputation of his leg, the result of a railroad accident. He and his wife are buried in the United German and French Cemetery on Pine Ridge Road in Buffalo, NY, in section LL.
Frank was a mechanic, and, because he was a great reader, knew a lot, despite little formal education. He married Carrie Manquen, a seamstress who lived next door, in 1912, and they had four children together: Marie (Sister Mary Nelson of the Order of St. Francis), Alma (my grandmother), Arthur, and Dolores (Stucke). They were an extremely close family, and lived for many years at 38 Sprenger Street, between Doat Street and Genesee Steet, in Buffalo (across from Schiller Park). There are many anecdotes about this home, which I am starting to collect under the title Tales of 38 Sprenger.
Marie wanted to become a nun, but delayed entering the order until September of 1942, as the family needed her help.
Dody went with a man named Jerry Kubicki, but his family forbid them to marry because she wasn't Polish.
Frank Harlach worked at the Doat-Sprenger market owned by his brother-in-law, Art Manquen.
Caroline, known to everyone in the family as "Ma", died in 1954, and Frank ("Pa") a year later. They are both buried in the United German and French Cemetery, section VV, lots 390 and 395.
According to this page, a "harlach" is a wide-mouthed, handle-less ceramic jug or pitcher used to store liquids.
There is a Welsh folk song entitled "Men of Harlach" (Harlach is a town in North Wales). Click here to listen to a MIDI file of the song I obtained from http://www.okiebob7.net/ousongs.htm (it's used as the tune for the University of Oklahoma alma mater).
In Japan, Harlach is the western dragon, and represents negative forces. (source).
Here is a translated article about "The Burgus in the Harlach".
Here is information about a painting entitled "Harlach Castle".
There are four Harlachs buried in Concordia Cemetery. I do not know if they are relatives.
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