Lydia Hollingsworth Holliday, 1818-1895
This page is dedicated to Lydia Hollingsworth Holliday, 1819 - 1911 and her siblings. Another page details more information on her parents, grandparents and those who came from South Carolina & Virginia. Another page is dedicated to her husband, George Meacham Holliday.
Lydia was the daughter of Ezekial and Jane Hollingsworth. She was born November 23, 1819 in Union Co, Indiana and died July 8, 1911 in Madison Co, Winterset, IA. She married George Meacham Holliday November 29, 1838.
Lydia was a Quaker until the time she married "contrary to discipline" (mcd) and her husband was, effectively, "kicked out," or, in Quaker terms, disowned. Her husband did not repent, nor did she as it would seem, so the end of her Quaker life was the civil marriage between she and George Meacham Holliday in 1838. Incidentally, George had also been reported for "attending places of diversion." None the less, he did not attempt to repent for either.
She came from strong Quaker lines, dating back to Valentine Hollingsworth, a founder of the Hollingsworth family in America circa 1682, in the time of William Penn. He was a prominent Quaker.
Lydia's Paternal Side:
Lydia's Maternal Side:
Lydia's father, Ezekial, was the son of Joseph Hollingsworth and Margaret Hammer Wright. Their marriage was recorded at Bush River MM, SC - June 4, 1768. This was Joseph's second marriage. His first wife was Martha Hannah Frost, to which she and Joseph had two sons; Jonathon and David. David was the latter born, in 1765, so wife Frost died between 1765 and 1768.
Joseph had (at least) five children with Margaret Hammer Wright. Levi, Isaac, Jacob, Richard and our Ezekial.
Lydia's mother, Jane Hollingsworth, was the daughter of George Hollingsworth and Jane Henry. Ezekiel and Jane's fathers were brothers - making them first cousins. This is surely the reason for Ezekial's fall from grace from the Quakers at Bush River MM, SC. The disowned entry is dated 1803 and their marriage is dated 1802. So they likely married without consent, though it would not have been given. Clearly they knew that, married anyway, were disowned and disappeared from future Quaker records.... for awhile, anyway.
Friends were leaving in droves from the Bush River MM. They had decided they didn't wish to be in a slavery state, and a great many went west. This nearly depleted the membership in Bush River, so Bush River and Cane Creek meetings were joined to New Garden MM. Bush River MM was laid down in 1822. See migration page for more.
Ezekiel took his family to Indiana. The document: Territorial Papers of the US; Volume Number: Vol 7; Page Number: 691; Family Number: 101 shows Ezekiel's name on a petition in Indiana Territory, dated 12 Dec 1809, to Congress by citizens of the territory asking for voting rights for all white males over 21 who paid taxes or fulfilled militia duty. They also ask to be allowed to ch XXXXXXXX .
A year later, In 1810, Ezekiel's name is on a list of electors of election held April 3, 1809 at the house of John Templeton Esqr in Dearborn Co, Indiana Territory, IN.
As of yet, I have not found any Quaker records of them in Indiana. (still looking though! :))
They lived in Union Co, IN for a number of years and have many children while living there. They had 12 children in all.
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The following is an attempt to trace the children of Ezekial and Jane Hollingsworth
Ezekiel and Jane's firstborn child, Zebulon, was born circa 1804 in Indiana. Zebulon married Eliza Karr in April 1834 in Vermilion Co, IL. He died in 1858 in Madison Co, Winterset, IA. They had three children: Elbert, Rebecca and Mahundra.
From the History of Guthrie and Adair Counties, 1884:
Their second child was Miles, born 1808 Union Co, IN. Very little is known, as of yet, of Miles, though he did make his own way much farther west -- to California. He died in Tulare, CA.
The third child was (the Honorable) Jeremiah Hollingsworth, known as "Jerry," born in 1809 in Union Co, IN. He married Catherine Amos...
Photo source: Robert Lynn (Thank you!)
The fourth child was Mahonda, born 1810 in Union Co, IN. No information.
The fifth child was Mary in 1812 in Union Co, IN. No information.
The sixth child was Cynthia in 1813 in Union Co, IN. She married Horace Bagley.
The seventh child was John in 1816 in Union Co, IN. He married Jane *unk*.
The eighth child was (Dr) William in 1817 in Union Co, IN. He married Mary Anne Singmaster. Died 1908, buried Washington, IA.
The ninth child was Lydia in 1819 in Union Co, IN.
The family moved due west to Vermilion Co, IL circa 1824. They had joined the Vermilion Co, IL MM sometime before 1826 and her father was active there. (Note: Vermillion Co, IN borders Vermilion Co, IL.)
The following appeared in The History of Vermilion Co, IL Vol I.:
The last three children were surely born in Vermilion Co, IL:
The tenth child was Elias in 1824 in Vermilion Co, IL. No information.
The eleventh child was Ruth Jane in 1825 in Vermilion Co, IL. She married Nathaniel Witcher.
The last child was Eliza in 1825 in Vermilion Co, IL. No information.
(Ruth Ann and Eliza may have been twins.)
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By 1826, Ezekial was a Quaker once again. Apparently Jane had died by 1826, as we see his intent to marry Mary Dolly Meacham in 1837 and that marriage to follow.
Vermilion, IL QM Minutes:
And the next page--------------
Circa 1840, Ezekial and family, said to be his entire clan, left Illinois for Keokuk Co, IA. Iowa was still rather "wild" in this day and the hardships must have been immense.
The first settlers in Union Co were from Laurens District, SC, but I am unsure if this might be our Ezekial.
