Valentine Hollingsworth

Who was Valentine Hollingsworth?

Valentine Hollingsworth was one of the earliest settlers of Brandywine Hundred in northern New Castle County, Delaware and a founder of the Hollingsworth family in America. He was descended from the Hollingworth family of Hollingworth, England.

Hollingsworth was born to Henry and Catherine Hollingsworth, who had moved to County Armagh, Ireland from England and was a member of the Hollingworth family of Hollingworth Hall, in what was Northern Cheshire. He married first in 1655 to Anne Rea, by whom he had four children, then in 1672 to Anne Calvert, by whom he had four more children.

Hollingsworth became a Quaker while in Ireland and suffered religious persecution. In 1682 he and his family sailed for the New World, many on the ship "Antelope". He settled on a plantation of nearly one thousand acres near Shellpot Creek, about five miles northeast of what is now the city of Wilmington, Delaware.

Hollingsworth was a member of the First Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania. He served as a justice of the peace. He was one of the signers of William Penn's Great Charter.

He died on October 13, 1710 in Delaware. A large monument now marks the Newark Union Burial Ground, land which he donated.