Valentine Leonard, Sr.

Valentine Leonhardt
Birth - 13 Oct 1718 - Katzenbach, Donnersbergkreis, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Death - 13 Nov 1781 (aged 63) - Rowan County, North Carolina, USA
Burial
Pilgrim Reformed Church Cemetery
Lexington, Davidson County, North Carolina, USA
Plot section 4, row 15, grave 2;
Memorial ID 14649058 · View Source
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14649058/valentine_leonard

Inscription
"Valentin Leonhardt was born at Katzenbach,
in the Electorate of Palatinate. October 13, 1718,
and died November 13,
1781.
Here now lies a handful of
ashes washed in the blood of Christ."
Re: Pennsylvania German

Valentine Leonard (originally Valentin Leonhardt) was a pioneer of what is now Davidson County, North Carolina. Born 10-13-1718 in Katzenbach Germany to Michael Leonhardt and wife Johanetta, Valentin arrived in Philadelphia on the ship "Neptune" on 10/25/1746. Married Elisabeth Wallacher and fathered several children before moving to what is now Davidson Co, NC. He settled on "a large tract of land between Abbott's Creek and one of its tributaries, since called Leonhardt's Creek." Six children were born here. The land was purchased from Lord Granville through an agent. Valentin became a farmer on a large scale. Although not a young man when the Revolutionary War broke out, he joined, as did all of his sons. Following the Guilford Court-house battle (Nathanael Greene's Regiment), he retired to his farm. Here he was shot by a band of Tories and died 11 days later on Nov 13, 1781. His neighbor, Wooldrich Fritz was also shot and killed on the same night by a band of Tories. They are buried in what was known as Leonhardt's Church Cemetery and is now Pilgrim Reformed Church Cemetery on Old Pilgrim Road.

Valentine's will was made 22 Aug 1779 and lists 8 children.

The inscription on the East Side reads: "This monument was erected by citizens A.D. 1896 out of veneration for our brave dead. These men are of those who fought for and gained our liberty. Unveiled with appropriate ceremonies July 4, 1896."

The West Side reads: "The heroes buried in this spot were cruelly assassinated in their own homes by Tories near the close of the Revolutionary War. They were Patriots and bravely fought for American Independence."
Inscription

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA. DAR Ancestor #: A069353. "Killed by the Tories."

Find A Grave Memorial ID # 14649058

Alternate birthplace - Katzenbach, Altenkirchen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

He was baptized at Katzenbach, Germany on 23 October 1718. Religion:. Reformed Church by Rev. Gotthard Steitz. He married Elisabetha Wallacher circa 1747 at Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. 1748? Valentine died on 13 November 1781 at Davidson County, North Carolina, at age 63. from gravestone. Killed by Tories.

1718.

Christened by the Rev. Gotthard Steitz.

1733.

Confirmed as a member at Easter in 1733. From Ray Haupt, Indiv. #106317, this record is listed on the top of page 110 (film 0193128) of the Rockenhausen Reformierte Lutheran Kirche records. Valentine is listed as a son of Michael Leonhardt.

25 October 1746.

Came to America on ship "Neptune", Captain Thomas Wilkinson, from Rotterdam. Arrived at the Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 25, 1746. Took the oath of allegiance and signed his name in German. Name translates as Valladin Leonhardt. Also written as Valentin Löhnhard.

1746.

Lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1746 to 1749.

1749.

From 1749 to 16 November 1758 the area he lived in is unknown.

1753-1754.

Leonhardt's Church in Davidson County, North Carolina was established. This is a Reformed (German) Church now known by the name of Pilgrim, or Church of the Pilgrims.

He was a farmer.

17 April 1762.

This is the date of his first deed.

27 August 1762.

This is the date of his second deed.

22 August 1779. Rowan County Clerk of Court's Office, Salisbury, North Carolina. The Will reads as follows: In the name of God, Amen. I Valentine Leonard, of the County of Rowan and Province of North Carolina, being in perfect health of body, and of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, calling to mind the mortality of my body, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner following: I recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God who gave it; and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial. At the discretion of my Executors, and as touching such worldy estate where with it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give, devise, and dispose of the same in the follwing manner and form- First I give and bequeath to Elizabeth, my dearly beloved wife, the Manor Plantation that I now live on, during her bearing the name of Leonard and in case she don't after her name she is to keep it to have full rule over it during her life time, and like I leave to my wife all my horses, cattle, and my personal estate wholly. Also, I leave to my sons Philip and Jacob the plantation after my wife's death. Likewise to my son Peter I leave and bequeath his equal part of four hundred and ninety acres between him and his brothers Valentine and Michael. Likewise to my beloved daughter Barbara Hege I leave fifty pounds of gold and silver to be raised out of my personal estate, likewise to my beloved daughter Elizabeth fifty pounds like money to be paid in the same form. Likewise to my daughter Catharine I leave fifty pounds like money to be raised as before. Likewise my desire is that after please God who when death of my beloved wife that the remainder of my estate that can be raised to be equally divided between all my children. And I do hereby appoint Jacob Hamm and Philip Sauer whom I likewise constitute make and ordain the sole Executors of my Last Will and Testament, and do hereby attenly? disallow and revoke all former Testaments, Wills, Legacies, and Executors satisfying and confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament in witness when of I have hereby set my hand and seal this twenty second day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine.

S______ sealed

pronounced________________________

Valentine Leonard and witnessed by the said as his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us -

2 September 1781.

A band of Tories went to Valentine's house and shot him. He lived until the 13th of Sept. before passing away. A Patriot neighbor, Wooldrich Fritz, was also killed by the same band.

On July 4, 1896 a tall marble shaft was dedicated to the two neighbors and Patriots in the presence of 10,000 citizens. Valentine's name is on the north side and Wooldrich's is on the south. The monument is at their graves in the Leonhardt Cemetery, later known as the Pilgrim Cemetery. On the footstone in English is the inscription "Beneath this stone doth now remain an ancient man by murder slain." 13 November 1781. His gravestone inscription reads: Valentin Leonhardt, geboren in der Kuhr Pfaltz in Katzenbach den 13 October 1718, und ist in dem Herrn entschlafen den 13 November, 1781. Nun Hier ligteine Handvoll Aschen mit Christi Blut gewashen. A translation is as follows: Valentin Leonhardt was born at Katzenbach, in the Electorate of Palatinate, October 13, 1718, and died November 13, 1781. Here now lies a handful of ashes washed in the blood of Christ. Valentine immigrated, in 1746. Destination.

Was Revolutionary War soldier. North Caroline Revolutionary War Account, Hillsbourgh Treasurers Office Voucher #59--for military pay dated October 1785.

---

I was born in Katzenbach, Germany and baptized there being sponsored by John Paul Neuss and his wife Anna Ottilia. I was a full confirmed member of the Reformed Church at Easter 1733. We sailed from Rotterdam on the ship "Neptune" October 25, 1746 and came to the Port of Philadelphia. I was a tailer by trade and we lived in Philadelphia for three years. I took the oath of allegiance there and signed my name in German. We went down into North Carolina as that is where the people of Pennsylvania preferred we Germans move to. I was instrumental in establishing "Leonhardt's Church", now Pilgrim UCC, and neighbors during 1753 and 1754. I became a farmer on a large scale and had many hundreds of acres of land, horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc. I built a two story house 30' x 40', made of immense logs with 12" by 14" ceiling beams hewn with a broad axe and chamfered lower edges. I had a cellar under the west end of the house walled with large rough stones and entered on the south side by a heavy slanting door. There was a large chimney near the middle of the house with a fireplace on either side. It was large enough to handle wood 8' long. The logs used on the walls were very large...the botton ones being 12" x 20". At the outbreak of the Revolution, I did not hesitate to enlist and be a Patriot. Before the close of the war, all five of my sons had seen service in the American Army. We all fought at the battle of Builford Court House. The wooden bank in which I hid some gold coins during the war is now on display in the North Carolina Archives in Raleigh. We all made it home safely from the War, but there were many Tories faithful to the King wandering around the woods. On the evening of November 2, 1781, while I was sitting in my home and the top part of my dutch door was open, a Torie shot me. I lived for two weeks, but died of those wounds on November 13, 1781. On the same night, another Patriot, Wooldrich Fritz, was also shot and killed in the same manner. We are both buried side by side in the old Leonardt's Church graveyard and a large monument erected by citizens mark our resting place. My wife Elizabeth and I had eight children.

---

Palatine German indentured servant immigrant. See also Conrad Schwartz b.1717 in C.W. Schwartz family tree.
https://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/revolution_leonards_creek.html
Valentin Leonhardt and Wooldrich Fritz were neighbors along Leonard's Creek who had enlisted in the Patriot army. Leonhardt enlisted when he was 55 years old, and all of his sons had also served. In the battle of Guilford Court House the two neighbors fought side by side and survived to return home.

Unfortunately, many of their German Loyalist neighbors were bent on revenge.

Two weeks after Lt. General Charles, Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, the two men were both shot in their own homes by local Loyalists. Fritz died immediately. Leonhardt survived for another eleven days. Both men were buried in the present-day Pilgrim United Church of Christ cemetery.

Leonard’s Creek Chapter, NSDAR
https://www.ncdar.org/LeonardsCreek/html/name.html