From The Settlement of Prince Edward County by Nick and Helma Mika. Transcribed here by Linda Herman

Pioneers of Prince Edward County 
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

PHILIP DORLAND

Ancestor was born in Holland in 1625. 

Jan Gerretse Dorlandt was born in 1625 in Holland, and came to Long Island in 1652. His brother Lambert Janse followed him in 1663. Jan's son Elias, dropped the final "t" from his name. He was an influential man in his community of Hempstead on Long Island, where he operated a mill. Elias Dorland died when only thirty-six years of age. His son, John, lived to be almost one hundred years old. John was the father of Samuel Dorland who spent his life-time in the United States.

Six of Samuel's children came to Canada with Major VanAlstine and settled in Hay Bay and Adolphustown. Philip Dorland, R.C., signed the minutes of the first "town meeting" held in Adolphustown. (Philip was a member of the first Parliament of Upper Canada, convened by Governor Simcoe in 1792). Captain Thomas Dorland, Philip's brother, was a captain in the British army, serving under General Burgoyne. He was taken prisoner, but escaped to Canada. When the war ended, he brought his family and belongings to Asolphustown. The Crown granted him three thousand acres of land, in addition to which he is said to have brought great wealth, including twenty-five slaves, from New York.

John Dorland, Philip's brother, was born in 1749 and died in 1833. His son, Joseph, moved to Hillier in 1802 and married Elizabeth Palmer. One of their daughters, Deborah, married John H. Ferguson and settled in Wellington.

Deborah and John Ferguson's daughter, Susan, married James North Carther on October 18th, 1857. James was elected Mayor of Picton for several terms. He had been poor as a child, but when he retired, he was wealthy, highly educated and greatly respected. At the time of his death he was still Mayor and more than a thousand citizens attended his funeral.

Every building in town, and each ship in the harbour was draped in mourning for the occasion. Mayor Ferguson's son Captain James North Carter, was Adjutant of the 16th Prince Edward Regiment.