James Dilworth, Quaker immigrant

James Dilworth, of Thornley, in Lancashire, arrived with his son William and a servant, in October 1682, and settled on 1,000 acres on the Neshaminy, below Attleborough, the present Langhorne.

"Genealogy of the Dilworth Families in America, 1550-1970" by Virgnia Bushman

James Dilworth was born in England and under the influence of his mother became a Quaker early in life. He was married in a Quaker ceremony to Ann Waln on 9 July 1680. The had a son, William, born on 24 July 1681. In 1682, the family set sail on the "Lamb" for America, where they lived in a Quaker community in Pennsylvania. {see map attached to this profile}... Ann's brother is also on this map.

On the second month of 1690, James Dilworth purchased 1000 acres of land for the price of 20 pounds sterling form the Quaker governor of Pennsylvania, William Penn. James and Ann Waln Dilworth were friends and consulars of William Penn for many years.

James Dilworth in Southampton Township PA

"Soon after the settlement of the township, the (Quaker) Friends of Southampton requested to have a meeting settled among them, which was granted April 1, 1686, and a general meeting for worship, once a week, was ordered at the house of James Dilworth. Previous to that Friends had met at each others houses for worship. They have never been strong enough in the township to warrant the erection of a meeting-house, and they attend meetings elsewhere, generally at Middletown and Byberry."

spread of family in 18th century Pennsylvania

~• see evidence on map: A Map of Philadelphia and Parts Adjacent, with a Perspective View of the State-House, by N. Scull and G. Heap (1752)

notable descendant

In 1758, William Dilworth, built the first house, a log hut, where Dilworthtown, Pennsylvania now stands. He also built a store and a tavern building, though no tavern was kept there until his son, Charles, secured a license in about 1770.

Back where the Dilworth's first settled: see where a Dilworth is noted in 1777 in Bucks Counyy (just west of Frankfort Creek, upper left)

The Battle of Brandywine was fought in the general area of Dilworthtown in early September 1777. Charles Dilworth was a prominent citizen and an intimate friend of George Washington. Charles Dilworth was dismissed from the Quaker society because of his active participation in the Revolutionary War. During the Battle of Brandywine, the British troops took over the Dilworthtown Tavern, store and house. Charles Dilworth submitted "an account of property taken, damaged, wasted, spoiled and destruction committed by the Army of the King of Great Britain with a total loss of $2188.70, a great sum of money in those days. No money was received for these damages.

In 1782, Charles Dilworth sold the Tavern to this brothers, William and Caleb. The Dilworthtown Store and Tavern are still in operation today. The Dilworthtown Store is (was) the oldest store in continuous operation in America.

Charles Elwood Dilworth moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio and married Elizabeth Ann Clark, 19 October 1865 in Greenville, Ohio. They moved west to Kansas where Charles Franklin Dilworth was born 17 May 1868 and Clarence Worrall Dilworth was born in 1870.

(B)oth Charles and Clarence were at the Opening of the Cherokee Strip, September 16, 1893. They staked claims on adjoining farms about ten miles northwest of where Newkirk, Oklahoma is now located.
Around 1900 oil was discovered in the area of the farms and oil became the priority.

Charles Franklin Dilworth married Effie Hougland and had six children all born in Oklahoma. Clarence Worrall Dilworth married Mary Elizabeth Hoover and they had nine children all born in Oklahoma.

These children are the Fathers and Mothers of our present generation, the tenth generation in America."

Notable Dilworths in America

1. Money Manager J. Richardson Dilworth :>> James Dilworth is J. Richardson Dilworth's 7th great grandfather
2. Richardson Dilworth, Mayor of Philadelphia (uncle of J. Richardson Dilworth) ~ twice a gubernatorial candidate: most notably losing to William Scranton.