(I) Richard Sears appears in our New England colonial history with the mention of his name in the records of the Plymouth colony tax list in 1633, when he was one of the forty-four persons there assessed nine shillings in corn at six shillings per bushel.  From Plymouth he soon crossed over to Marblehead, Massachusetts, and was taxed there, as shown by the Salem list, in 1637-38.  He also had a grant of four acres of land, "where he had formerly planted," from which it appears that he may have been in that plantation at some previous time.  In 1639 he joined the colonists under Anthony Thacher and went to Cape cod and founded the town of Yarmouth.  His first house was built on Quivet Neck, and afterwards he built another house a short distance to the northwest of his first house there.  In 1643 the name of Richard Sears appears in the list of inhabitants of Yarmouth "liable to bear arms."  He was made freeman in 1652, grand juror in 1652, took the oath of allegiance and fidelity in 1653, was constable in 1660, and representative to the court in Plymouth in 1662.  In  1664 Richard Sears, husbandman, purchased for twenty pounds from Allis, widow of Governor William Bradford, a tract of land at Sesuit.  He died in august, 1676, and was buried on the 26^th of that month.  His wife was Dorothy ----------, who was buried march 19, 1678-79, but it is not certain that she was his only wife, or the mother of all or even anyof his children.  Indeed, there is a presumption that he was previously married and that his children may have been born of his former wife.  So far as known his children were as follows:  1. Paul, of whom further.  2 Deborah, born in Yarmouth, September, 1639.  3. Silas, died in Yarmouth, January 13, 1697-98.

          (II) Captain Paul Sears, son of Richard Sears, the immigrant, is supposed to have been born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, sometime after February 20, 1637-38, died at Yarmouth, February 20, 1707-08.  He took the oath of fidelity in 1657, held a commission as captain of the militia, and made a claim for a horse lost in the war with the

Page 508

Narragansett Indians, but there is no further record of his military services.  He was one of the original proprietors of Harwich, Massachusetts, grand juror there in 1667, and appears to have been of considerable importance in the plantation.  His estate was appraised at the value of four hundred and sixty-six pounds, hence he was well possessed in lands and goods.  He married, at Yarmouth, in 1658, Deborah Willard, baptized at Scituate, September 14, 1645, died at Yarmouth, May 13, 1721, daughter of George Willard, of Scituate.  They had ten children, all born in Yarmouth:  1.  Mercy, July 3, 1659.  2. Bertha, January 3, 1661, died 1724.  3. Samuel, of whom further.  4. A Daughter, October 24, 1666.  5. Paul, June 15, 1669.  6. Mary or Margery, October 24, 1672.  7. Ann, March 27, 1675, died November 14, 1745.  8. John, 1677-78, died April 9, 1738.  9. Richard, 1680-81, died May 4, 1718.  10. Daniel, 1682-83, died August 10, 1756.

          (III) Captain Samuel Sears, eldest son of Captain Paul and Deborah (Willard) Sears, was born in Yarmouth, "the last of January," 1663-64, died in Harwich, Massachusetts, January 8, 1741-42.  He was one of the first settlers of Harwich and was constable there in 1702, lieutenant in 1706, and 1715, "Captain Sears granted liberty to build a pew in the meeting house." He married Mercy Mayo, born 1664, died January 20, 1748-49, daughter of Deacon Samuel and Tamzin (Lumpkin) Mayo, and granddaughter of Rev. John Mayo.  They had eleven children, all born in Harwich:  1. Hannah, July 1, 1685, married John Vincent.  2. Samuel, September 15, 1687.  3. Nathaniel, September 23, 1689.  4. Tamzin, November 13, 1691, died July 17, 1761.  5. Jonathan, September 3, 1693.  6. Captain Joseph, July 15, 1695, died August 25, 1765.  7. Joshua, May 3, 1697.  8. Judah, October 29, 1699.  9. John, July 18, 1701.  10. Seth, May 27, 1703.  11. Benjamin, June 16, 1706. 

          (IV) Benjamin, youngest child of Captain Samuel and Mercy (Mayo) Sears, was born June 16, 1706, in Harwich.  He settled, between 1744 and 1749, in the town of South East, then Dutchess, now Putnam County, New York,.  He married (first) in Yarmouth, March 16, 1732, Lydia Ryder, of that town, who was admitted to the Harwich church by a letter from the Yarmouth church, June 3, 1733, and died March 24, 1734.  He married (second) intentions published July 16, 1735, Mercy snow, born November 18, 1705, in Harwich, died there June 29, 1730.  She was a great-granddaughter of Nicholas snow, an immigrant settler of Plymouth county, who was succeeded by a numerous progeny.  Like her predecessor she was buried at West Bridgewater, Massachusetts.  Mr. Sears married (third) in Harwich, June 30, 1737, Abigail (burgess) Sears, widow of Stephen Sears. She was admitted to the church in East Yarmouth, August 8, 1736.  The children of the first wife were a daughter, who died at the age of three days, and Heman,, who died under three months of age.  The second wife was the mother of Heman, who died when fourteen months old.  Children of third wife:  4 & 5. Benjamin and Stephen (twins), born May 2, 1738.  6. Enoch, September 2, 1741.  7. Reuben, February 19, 1744.  8. Sunderland, December 14, 1749.  9. Seth, of whom further.  10, Samuel.

          (V) Seth, eighth son of Benjamin Sears and sixth child of his third wife, was born in what was known as the Oblong, including the town of South East, New York.  No record of the date can be found, and no record of his marriage, but he is known to have had children:  1. William of whom further.  2. Lydia born January, 1780.  3. Sally,.  4. Betsey.

          (VI) William, son of Seth Sears, was born October 19, 1775, in South East, died in Neversink, New York, May 24, 1864.  In 1804 he settled in the town of Thompson, Sullivan County, New York, where he cleared land and engaged in farming.  He had lived for some time previous in Ridgefield or Stamford, Connecticut.  He married, in Ridgefield, October 24, 1796, Thirza Comfort and Eunice (Crane) Sears, of Ridgefield.  She died January 3, 1861.  Children:  1. Miles, of whom further.  2. Clarissa, born October 18, 1801; married S. M. Hoyt; died in Thompson, Sullivan County, New York, April 5, 1824.  3. Eunice, born July 10, 1803; married Sturges Andrus of Mountaindale, New York.  4. Polly Matilda, born April 6, 1805; married E. T. Partridge; died November 3, 1853, in Jamestown, New York.  5. Camilla, born April

Page 509

13, 1807; became the wife of Alson Lord, of Bridgeville, Sullivan County, New York, died April 1, 1827.  6. James William, born March 12, 1809, went south.  7. Hiram, born March 9, 1811; settled in Gerry, New York; died in Jamestown, New York, aged ninety-six.  8. Esther, born March 19, 1813; married William bowers and lived in Bridgeville.  9. George E., born March 13, 1815, died in 1884, no issue.  10. Patty Maria, born March 10, 1817; married (first) Henry Race, (second) Walter Hoyt; died in Bridgeville.  11. Mary Ann, born April 18, 1819; married Robert Knapp, died without issue.  12. Caroline Ophelia, born May 18, 1824; married James O'Neil and had a large family; lived in Thompson; died in 1911. 

          (VII) Miles, eldest child of William and Thirza (Sears) Sears, was born December 1, 1798, in Ridgefield, died January 1, 1872, in Rileyville, Pennsylvania.  He engaged in farming for some years in Sullivan County, removing thence to the town of Lebanon, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, where he continued in the same occupation.  Mr. Sears married (first), in Glenwild, New York, Sally Bowers, born in 1800, in Thompson, Sullivan County, died October 6, 1833, in that town.  She was a daughter of Zephaniah Bowers, of Thompson, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, serving with Washington at Valley forge, and lived to the age of ninety-four years.  Mr. Sears married (second), october 6, 1835, Catherine Misner, born March 4, 1820.  Children of first wife:  1. John H., born February 3, 1823, died 1907, in La Honda, California.  2. Lewis Mortimer, born November 24, 1824; was a carpenter in Honesdale, Pennsylvania; died 1908.  3. Clarissa C., born September 19, 1826; married David Kiessler, of Damascus, Pennsylvania; died 1895.  4. Alfred Wurtz, of whom further.  Children of second wife:  5. George E., served in the Civil War; died in 1864.  6. Oliver C., born September 21, 1839.  7. Anna Augusta, married John Conklin; lived in Pennsylvania.  8. Mary A., married (first) William H. Curry, (second) a Mr. Dayton, resided in Jersey City, New Jersey.  9. Harriet V., born July 1, 1848; married John B. Warwick; lived in Oregon township, Wayne county, Pennsylvania.  10. Herman J., born January 23, 1852; lived in Cameron County, Pennsylvania.  11. Helen Adelia, married William Palmer, of Dyberry, Pennsylvania.  12. Caroline Ophelia, unmarried, lived in Dyberry.

          (VIII) Alfred Wurtz, third son of Miles and Sally (Bowers) Sears, was born February 11, 1821, in the town of Thompson, Sullivan County, New York.  He was fourteen years of age when the family removed to Pennsylvania.  His education was supplied by the common schools, and he early learned the trade of carpenter.  After working some years as a journeyman he began taking contracts on his own account, and in 1853 returned to his native town where he engaged in the same occupation.  Many of the best buildings in Monticello were constructed by him including the Mansion House, which was the finest building in the county at the time of its erection.  He assisted in the erection of the first bridge, one mile out of Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, on the Erie railroad.  In 1873 e removed to Middletown, New York, where he carried on an extensive contracting business until his retirement in 1900.  While residing at Monticello, he was collector of the town of Thompson, and also served as school trustee of the village of Monticello.  Since settling in Middletown he has served as alderman of that city.  Politically he has always adhered to the Democratic party, and although not subject to military duty he was active in raising troops for the prosecution of the Civil War and supported the government through that struggle.

          He married,, April 4, 1855, in Thompson, New York, Louisa, born in Bridgeville, May 31, 1833, died June 30, 1908, daughter of Leander Hoyt, a farmer and blacksmith, of Bridgeville, Sullivan County, New York, and Mary Ann (Weed) Hoyt.  They had two children: Roger W., of whom further; Pluma Ella, born October 6, 1865; educated in the schools of Middletown, and now resides with her aged father in that town. 

          (IX) Robert William, only son of Alfred Wurtz and Louisa (Hoyt) Sears, was born January 20, 1856, at Glenwild in the town of Thompson, and grew up in Monticello, receiving his education in the old Monticello Academy.  He then entered the employ of Dr. E. F. Quinlan, of Monticello, in his drug store; in 1871, he removed to

Page 510

Honesdale, Pennsylvania, entered the employ of William H. Reed; in 1877 he returned to Monticello, and entered the drug store of A. A. Crain; in 881 he went to Minnesota and was employed in the drug business in St. Paul and late at Rice Lake, Wisconsin.  After pursuing a course in chemistry he passed an examination in pharmacy at Eau Claire, Wisconsin, after which he spent some time in the drug business in Minneapolis and other points in Minnesota.  Returning to his native county he conducted a drug store  for some time in Liberty, New York, and in 1887 returned to Honesdale, Pennsylvania, remaining for six years, then returned to Liberty, where he continued in that business until his election as county treasurer in November, 1910.  Before assuming the duties of this office he sold out the drug business, but is till interested in property at Liberty, where he owns several parcels of real estate.  While residing in Liberty he filler numerous local offices, and was for several years treasurer of the local Masonic Lodge.  He has long been active in fraternal circles, being past master of his lodge.  He has served as treasurer of the village of Liberty, also served as trustee.  He has always been a strong Democrat.  He was on of the incorporators of the Episcopal Church at Liberty, for seventeen years was warden and treasurer and vestryman of St. John's Episcopal Church of Monticello.

          He married, December 31, 1889, Sadie, daughter of Henry and Emily (Adgate) Mead, of Liberty, and they have a son, Frank mead Sears, born February 27, 1891, now a student of art at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York. 

STODDARD.    The name of Stoddard was originally derived from the office of standard-bearer, and was anciently written De La Standard.  According to tradition the first of the name in England was a relative of William the Conqueror, who accompanied that sovereign from Normandy, serving as standard-bearer to the Viscount Pulesdon.  This office, which conferred high rank upon its holder, was generally given to a relative, in whose family it frequently became hereditary.  The records of heraldry in England give the coat-of-arms of the Stoddard family a very ancient date, thus substantiating to a considerable extent the above tradition.  In addition to the English family, there are Scotch and Irish families of this name, emanating from the same source, and all answering to the name of Stoddard, Stoddart, or Stodart, descended from the ancient Norman standard-bearer above mentioned.

          (I) John Stoddard, immigrant ancestor of this branch of the Stoddards, was probably a native of the county of Kent, but thus far no evidence has bee discovered to verify this fact.  Born about 1612 he emigrated to New England and settled in New London, Connecticut, prior to 1652, in which year he was given a house lot of six acres situated on Foxen Hill.  The same year he received, according to the New London record of grants, "fifty acres of upland up Mohegan River (now Thames), eastern side, lying at the head of John Gadger's land on the east."  In 1671 he sold fifty acres of land to Joshua Ramond.  He died probably in 1676.  His wife, Catherine, whose family name is unknown, survived him and married (second) John Sampson.  Children:  1. Robert, of whom further.  2. Ralph, born about 1666, died December 17, 1753; married Mary Ames, of Boston.  He was a farmer and resided in Groton, Connecticut, having purchased the south grant of the John Gadger lands.  This property has ever since remained in the possession of his descendants, and was recently owned by Mrs. Hester Satterlee, wife of E. A. Satterlee, and daughter of Jonathan Stoddard.  It is situated at Gales Ferry, now in the town of Ledyard, and Ralph Stoddard's wife was the first person interred in the ancient cemetery nearby.  Members and relatives of this family shared nobly in the defense of Fort Griswold in 1781.  34. Thomas, born about 1674; married Deborah Roise, of Norwich, Connecticut, and resided in that town. 

          (II) Robert, eldest son of John and Catherine Stoddard, was born in New London  about 1652, died in Groton, September 5, 1749.  About 1713 he purchased the north grant of the John Gadger lands in Groton, where he carried on farming.  This property, long known as Stoddard's Landing, is now owned by his descendant, Cap-

Page 511

tain Sanford Billings Stoddard.  The various items in his will disclose the fact that he acquired quite a large amount of real estate both in Groton and Saybrook, and it may be stated here that according to records the early members of this family were equally as thrifty as the majority of their descendants.  He married (first) Mary, daughter of Thomas Mortimer, and five of his children were born in New London.  He married (second) Sarah Perkins, of Norwich, and she survived him, marrying (second), July 26, 1751, Increase Billings, Esq., of Stonington, Connecticut.  Children:  1. Elizabeth, born about 1690; married Joseph Mattison, of Groton, October 1, 1711.  2. Mary, died 1783; married a Mr. Gray.  3. Mercy, about 1696, died in September,  1777; married William Chapman, January 8, 1718.  4. Robert, of whom further.  5. Abigail, about 1705; married, in Groton, Thomas Harvey.  6. Sarah, August 1, 1718; married a Mr. Hull.  7. Brimley, September 15, 1728, inherited from his father lands and buildings in Saybrook, Connecticut, where he probably settled.  8. Samuel, October 13, 1730; also inherited property in Saybrook.  9. Catherine, December 25, 1732; married a Mr. Meach.  10. James, February 17, 1735, died in 1827; married Hannah Hurlburt, of Groton, December 24, 1761.  11. Susannah, August 23, 1737.  12. Stephen, March 12, 1739; sold his inheritance in Groton to his brother James, and removed elsewhere. 

          (III)  Robert (2), son of Robert (1) and Mary (Mortimer) Stoddard, was born in New London about 1700, died at Groton in March, 1771.  He appears to have been a prosperous tiller of the soil and estimable citizen, whose high ideals concerning morality and integrity have been shared by his children and their offspring, down to the present day.  He married, December 21, 1728, in New London, Bathsheba Rogers, born March 1, 1708, daughter of John (2) Rogers, granddaughter of James Rogers, an immigrant from England.  This family is believed to have been directly descended from John Rogers, the martyr.  They became on of the most prominent families in Southern Connecticut.  During the early colonial period many of them suffered persecution for having withdrawn from the Congregational Faith and joined the Seventh Day Baptists. In company with other seceders they established a religious sect known as the Rogerines, which flourished until the religious affairs of the colony became legally separated from the civil government.

          Robert Stoddard married (second) Sarah Plumb.  Children, all of his first union: 1. Robert, born at Groton, August 20, 1729, died April 20, 1807; was a farmer and lived at Groton; married (first) at Stonington, Connecticut, Lucy, daughter of Increase Billings, who died July 1, 1789; he married (second), November 30, 1790, Sarah Smith, a widow, daughter of Lawrence Johnson.  2. Bathsheba, August 25, 1732, died at Norwich, Connecticut, November 9, 1811; married Seth Mix.  3. Mary, July 21, 1734; married, December 4, 1755, Captain Absalom Pride, who was engaged in trade with Liverpool and West Indies.  4. Mortimer, March 16, 1735; married Dorothy Park, December 6, 1704, he was a farmer and resided at Preston, Connecticut.  5. Jonathan, November 28, 1737, died young.  6. Mercy, March 10, 1739, died February 23, 1830; married Christopher Green, of New London.  7. Ichabod, of whom further.  8. Mark, October 10, 1743; married Lucy Allyn.  9. Abigail, October 6, 1745; married Captain William Pride, of Norwich, who served in the Revolutionary War.  10. Lucy, April 10, 1747; married Jabez Deming.  11. Elizabeth, March 11, 1750; married Levi Chapman, of Stonington. 

          (IV) Ichabod, son of Robert (2) and Bathsheba (Rogers) Stoddard, was born in Groton, January 10, 1742.  He adopted the usual means of obtaining subsistence, that of farming, which in his day was about the only occupation open to those inclined to be independent and thrifty, and he apparently made excellent use of the resources at his command.  May 10, 1766, he married Tabitha, daughter of Increase Billings.  Children:  1. Ichabod, born September 11, 1767, died January 21, 1851; married at Salem, Connecticut, June 3, 1819, Asaneth Gardner.  2. Tabitha, March 14, 1769, died August 16, 1853; married Amos Avery, and they resided at Bark Hamstead, Connecticut.  3. Asa, April 29, 1771, died July 25.

Page 512

1859; married Sarah Crandall.  4. Hannah, July 20, 1773, died September 8, 1823; married Asaph Hulbut, and resided at Salem, Connecticut.  5. Josephus, November 8, 1775; died April 6, 1778.  6. Sanford, July 25, 1778, died January 7, 1804; married, at Groton, Mary Avery; represented the town of Ledyard in the assembly of Connecticut in 1849; was a sea captain, and lived at Groton.  7. Sophia, July 1, 1780, died July 8, 1780.  8. Mary, July 10, 1782, died December 1, 1842; married (first) Captain Henry billings, who died at sea; (second) Wait (2), son of Wait (1) and Tabitha Stoddard, and grandson of Ralph Stoddard. 9. Cephas, September 28, 1784, died April 2, 1869; married (first) Mary Williams; (second) Clarissa Pride; lived at Monticello, New York.  10. Seth, of whom further.

          (V) Seth, son of Ichabod and Tabitha (Billings) Stoddard, was born in Groton, January 19, 1787, died in 1862.  Upon his father's farm he acquired a good knowledge of farming through practical experience, and being dissatisfied with the limited opportunities offered him in his native town, he sold out to his older brother, Sanford Stoddard, and removed in 1829 to Thompson, Sullivan County, New York, where he spent the remainder of his life, engaged in farming.  He married, at Groton, in 1811, Freelove Morgan, born January 26, 1796, died in Monticello, July 18, 1880, daughter of Shapley and Hannah (Allyn) Morgan.  Children, all born in Groton, except the last:  1. Shapley, born October 16, 1811; married (first) Harriet Huntington, who died in 1848; (second) Polly A. Mance.  2. Ichabod, March 10, 1817; married Phebe A. Rogers; a farmer and resided in Parma, Jackson County, Michigan, after 1855.  3. Josephus, march 17, 1821; married Sarah Abberly, and resided on a farm near Monticello.  4. Hannah, June 5, 1825; married John C. Pelton.  5. Seth B., of whom further.  6. Marietta, February 9, 1833, died November 11, 1865, unmarried. 

          (VI) Seth Billings, son of Seth and Freelove (Morgan) Stoddard, was born in Groton, October 26, 1828.  He accompanied his parents to Thompson during his infancy, grew to manhood in that town and remained on the homestead until 1863, when he moved to the village.  Engaging in the marble business in 1864, he followed it successfully for many years,  In the great fire of August, 1909, he lost a fine home in Monticello, which was rebuilt.

          He married (first), September, 1854, Eliza A. Finch, born in Fallsburgh, New York, March 9, 1829, died in Monticello, July 18, 1880.  He married (second) December, 1886, Eunice Angeline Haigh; a cousin of his first wife.  Children:  1. Myron W., born November, 1855, deceased.  2. Maryetta, married R. C., Strong, of Monticello.  3. Fannie M., single, living at Monticello. 

NELSON.    This family is of Scotch origin, and although of very recent importation to this country, little can now be learned of its origin in the old world.  Members of this family went from Scotland to Northern Ireland in the days of the great immigration to that section, about the close of the seventeenth century. 

          George Nelson came from county Armagh, Ireland, to this state in early manhood, and first located in Mongaup Valley, Sullivan County, New York, where he worked as a tanner for some years. Returning to his native place he married Sarah Noble, and soon returned to New York, settling in the town of Forestburg, Sullivan County, where he engaged in farming.  He had three sons:  1. Robert, born 1861, resided in Monticello, New York, where he died in 1895; he married Belle Hoey, of East Orange, New Jersey.  They had no children.  2. William, of whom further.  3. George, born 1874, died 1904; he married Kate Mundt, of Wurtboro, deceased, leaving a son, Frank.

          William, second son of George and Sarah (Noble) Nelson, was born September 7, 1863, in Forestburg, New York, where he grew up, attending the district school and remaining wit his father on the homestead until after his mother's death.  He continued to till and manage the farm until 1895, when it was sold and he removed to Monticello, where he purchased thirty acres of land upon which he erected a handsome home, and has subsequently purchased other lands.  He is a progressive and substantial farmer and has served as superintendent of high-

Page 513

ways of Sullivan County for the past four years.  With his family he affiliates with the Episcopal Church.  He is an active member of Pleasant Lodge, No. 416, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed all the principal chairs. 

          He married, October 15, 1890, Carrie Mapes, daughter of Daniel Conklin and Phebe (Mapes) Mapes, born May 16, 1869, in Thompson, Sullivan County.  The Mapes family is a very old one in southern New York, and is traced back to Jonathan Mapes, a native of Southold, Long Island, who settled in Blooming Grove, Orange County, New York.  His son, Thomas Mapes, was born and died in Blooming Grove, where he was a farmer and served as deputy sheriff of Orange County.  He married Hannah Hydelkoop, a native of Holland.  James, son of Thomas and Hannah Mapes, was born December 15, 1756, in Blooming Grove, where he engaged in farming, and died July 3, 1835.  He was a Revolutionary soldier in the New York line, serving under Captain Thomas McKinstry, in Colonel William Malcolm's regiment.  He married, April 29, 1779, Anna, daughter of Barnabas and Anne (Everit) May, who was said to have come from France.  She was born October 1, 1764, and died June 27, 1833.  Jesse, son of James and Anna (May) Mapes, was born December 8, 1782, in Blooming Grove, and died in Goshen, New York, May 6, 1844.   He married, in 1802, Hannah, daughter of Benjamin Little, of Blooming Grove, born June 1, 1780, died December 11, 1863.  Daniel, probably a son of Jesse and Hannah (Little) Mapes, was born about 1815, in Goshen.  Daniel Conklin, son of Daniel Mapes, born about 1835, removed to the town of Thompson, in Sullivan County, where he died in 1877. 

          He married Phebe Mapes, who was not a near relative; she died March 31, 1911; children:  1. Susan.  2. Jusita.  3. Adeline.  4. Walter.  5. Daniel.  6. Erving.  7. Fanny.  8. Julia Katherina, and 9. Carrie of previous mention. 

          Children of William and Carrie Nelson;  1. Lucy May, born August 18, 1891.  2. Vera A., December 18, 1893.  3. Annabelle, May 12, 1896.  4. William Frank, December 20, 1900.  5. Madeline, October 8, 1902.  6. Roland E., October 8, 1903. 

VALENTINE.     The original signification of the word Valentine was strong, healthy, robust, powerful, and in fact Webster so defines it; but whether its first use as an individual or family name was on account of any particular superiority in this respect in those bearing it, it is impossible now to ascertain--though as most individual and family names originated in this way, it is not at all improbably.  Valentine was used as a Christian name long before it was used as a surname, thus; that it was known among the ancient Romans is clearly shown in history.  The most complete and ingenious of all the Gnostic systems was founded in the second century by Valentine (equivalent to Valentinus in English) a learned and eloquent Alexandrian, who was born A. D., 140.  The canonized representative of the name, St. Valentine, was a presbyter, or according to some writers, a bishop, who flourished about the middle of the third century, and suffered martyrdom at Rome in the year 270.  He was so eminently distinguished for charity that the custom of choosing Valentines, or special loving friends, on his day (February 14) is supposed to have originated thence.  Of the late three Roman Emperors named Valentinian the first ascended the throne in the year 364, and the last in 425.  Pope Valentine succeeded Eugenius II., in 827. 

          The name with some slight variations of spelling is also found in the histories of France, Spain, Germany, Holland and Ireland, and indeed in nearly all the countries of southern and central Europe.  The Latin spelling of it is Valentinus; the French, Valentin; the Italian, Valentino; Spanish, Valentin.  In English the spelling of the name varies in certain periods and localities being often found modified into Volentine, Vollentine, Volingtine, Vollunton, and Follington.  The name is still used as a Christian or baptismal name as well as a surname more especially in Germany and France.  But while this name is so frequently found in the various countries of both the old and the new world as applied to individuals and families, it is a somewhat singular fact that, according to gazetteer and encyclopedia, only one town or village in the whole world is name Valentine, and it is in France in

Page 513

the department of Haute Garonne, about one mile southeast of St. Gaudens, on the River Garone.  It is a small town of about one thousand five hundred inhabitants, the most of whom are engaged in the manufacture of woolens. The name of Valentine, though by no means very common in this country, is nevertheless found in almost and perhaps every state in the Union, and in some sections even frequently.  Nearly al the Valentines of America are descended from three progenitors; but it is not true, as is often erroneously said with regard to this and other families, that they are brothers or even relations of any kind. 

     The three great branches of the name in this country are the Valentines of Long Island, and or the descendants of Richard Valentine, who was one of the first settlers of Hempstead in 1644; the New England Valentines or descendants of John Valentine, who came to Boston in 1675, and the New York Valentines, who settled in East Chester, Westchester County, New York, about 1679 or 1680.  There are doubtless other branches descended from more recent emigrants, but they are of limited extent; and some others supposed to be separate and independent might, if some of the links on the chain could be found, be traced to some one of the above. 

Top

Mardos Memorial Library

Transcribed by Holice B. Young

Html by D. J. Coover

Copyright © 2000 - 2003 D. J. Coover All Rights Reserved Webmaster: D. J. Coover