Author: Frederick Douglas Learned

Valentine Leonhardt/Leonard and his wife were born and married in Germany before coming to America in Philadelphia on 26 October 1746. Upon arrival, he and Elizabeth procured provisions and headed to North Carolina. They and others would begin to settle in the area known as the Dutch Settlement on Abbotts Creek. The church they helped start would be known as Leonhardt's Church, later known as the Pilgrim Church.  

Valentine made his Will on 22 August 1779 and named his wife Elizabeth and their eight known children: 

• Barbara
• Valentine Jr.
• Michael
• Peter
• Catherine
• Elizabeth
• Philip
• Jacob

Valentine, his sons, and many others from the Pilgrim Church responded to militia alarms that preceded the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, which occurred only 30 miles north of their homes.  

Eight months later, Valentine and his friend and neighbor Wooldrich Fritts were both mortally shot by Tories while they each were in their homes on 2 November 1781. Valentine died eleven days later. They were buried side by side at the Pilgrim Church cemetery. On 4 July 1896, the Pilgrim Church congregation dedicated a large marble monument that thousands of people attended to honor Valentine Leonard and Wooldrich Fritts.  

Sources:

1. Old Lutheran Church Records 1757-1848, Lexington, North Carolina, compiled 1969 by Mrs. David G. Koch;
2. Will of Valentine Leonard of Rowan County, NC, dated August 22, 1779;
3. Valentin Leonhardt, the Revolutionary Patriot of NC, Article by Rev. J.C. Leonard D.D. of Lexington, North Carolina. Published in The Pennsylvania-German, Volume XI, No. 1, 1910, pgs 10-20;
4. Centennial History of Davidson County, by Rev. Jacob Calvin Leonard, pub 1927, pgs 232-251, image pg 295.
5. The Dutch Settlement on Abbotts Creek, by Rev. James E. Neese, pub 1979, pp 162;

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