THOMAS VALENTINE, perhaps a son of George and Mary Valentine, of Lambstown Ireland, m.9-22-1715, Mary Parke,b.Sept.18,1693; dau.of Thomas and Rebecca Parke. Her parents came to Chester county in 1723, and Thomas Valentine and wife about five years later. At New Garden Monthly Meeting,2-27-1728, "Thos Vallantine produced a Certificate to this meeting from Carlow Moly Meeting, in Ireland, Recommending him under ye care of friends,which was Read here and Excepted of accordingly." In 1729 and 1730 Thomas was assessed in New Garden Township, after which he removed to New Providence, (now) Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where he died about 1747, leaving children,Robert,John,Thomas,Jonathan and perhaps others. John came over with his grandparents Parke, in 1723. Thomas m., Nov.23,1752, his cousin Rebecca Robinson, and d.1762, in Charlestown Township, leaving children, Thomas, William, Mary, Rachel and John. Jonathan m. May 9,1755, Lydia Baldwin, b.11-30-1736; daughter of John and Elizabeth (Pusey) Baldwin, of Christiana Hundred, New Castle County. They settled in East Caln, where he died about 1811,leaving children, Absalom, Jehu, John, Jonathan, Elizabeth, Mary and Lydia.
By deed of March 8, 1748, Robert Valentine purchased from his uncle Jonathan Parke two tracts of land in East Caln, containing 28 acres, 134 perches, and 29 acres, 46 perches. This he sold, February 7,1780, after the death of his wife, to John Edge. In 1764 he was assessed in East Caln with a house and 28 acres, beside 195 acres in Pikeland township, 2 horses, 3 cattle, and his business as a storekeeper. He and five others refused, from conscientious motives, to make any return of their property, and in consequence had their tax doubled.
At Uwchlan Monthly Meeting, 1-5-1764: "The Preparative Meeting having had under Consideration the recommending of Robert Valentine and Elizabeth Brown to the quarterly Meeting of Ministers and Elders, as Ministers, hath proposed it to this Meeting to be considered; wherefore the same is desired to be under the sollid Consideration of Friends till next Meeting, and Evan Jones, Joshua John, William Kirk and William Lewis are desired to confer with each other and with Friends on the subject and report their sense thereof to our Next."
At the next meeting, 2-9-1764, "The Friends appointed on the Proposal concerning Robert Valentine and Elizabeth Brown report that they are of the Mind that some longer time of Consideration is necessary with regard to recommending Robert Valentine as proposed at our last; but that he ought not to be discouraged in his appearances among us; wherefore the matter is left under their Care at present."
Fifth mo.10,1764: "the meeting appearing easy with it agrees to recommend him to the Meeting of Ministers & Elders as a young Minister." On 10-8-1772, Robert obtained a certificate in order to pay a religious visit to the Southern Provinces, and having performed the visit, returned the certificate 4-8-1773. The following minutes of Uwchlan Monthly Meeting illustrate a feature in the ministry of Friends in that day:
(1-4-1781:) Our Friend Robert Valentine returned a Minute of this Meeting which he obtained two Months ago in order to visit Fairfax Quarterly Meeting, with an Endorsement by that Meeting, certifying that his religious Labour was truly acceptable to them.
He also informed this Meeting of a Concern that had attended him at times for several Years past, of visiting Friends in his Native Land; and as it appears to be a Matter of Importance we appoint Thomas Lightfoot, Robert Milhous, Evan Jones, Joshua Baldwin, Simon Meredith, William Lightfoot and Isaac Jacobs to take a solid opportunity with him on the occasion and report their sense of the Propriety of such an undertaking, to our next, and prepare a Certificate suitable to the occasion.
(2-8-1781:) The Friends appointed to confer with our Friend Robert Valentine on the subject of his going on a religious visit to Ireland, and some part of England, report they had done accordingly and have prepared a Certificate, which was read here and weightily considered; (and tho' it appears to be a perillous Time we think it most safe to leave him at Liberty to proceed in his said Concern as Best Wisdom may direct his steps). The same was approved and signed on Behalf of the Meeting by a Number of Friends.
He did not depart at once upon his voyage,but on 5-10-1781,received a minute to attend Salem Quarterly Meeting, N.J.,and the General Meeting at Eggharbor, &c. It may be explained that ministers proposing to visit other meetings within their own Yearly Meeting, generally received copies of the minutes giving them permission to do so, thus showing that their visits were approved of by their own meetings.
(1-6-1785:) Our Friend Robert Valentine now returned the Certificate granted him by this Meeting in the 2nd Month 1781, and gives an Account of his having visited the Meetings of Friends in England and Ireland, pretty generally, agreeable with his Prospects at that Time, having experienced a Degree of heavenly support in his various services & Exercises therein. He also produced Certificates from the national half-years Meeting held in Dublin in Ireland in the 5th Month 1783, and from the yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders held in London in the 5th & 6th Months 1784, expressing their unity with his Gospel Labours amongst them; which with his safe Return is acceptable to this Meeting.
By his will, dated 9-26-1779,proven September 11,1786, he devised all his estate to his daughters, Rachel, Phebe and Susanna,
of whom the first was to have one-half. He desired his friend Abiah Parke and son-in-law Abraham Sharpless to assist his two sons
in settling affairs with his brother Jonathan Valentine.