Lancaster, Lydia

Lancaster, Lydia a female Quaker minister, daughter of Thomas Rawlinson, was born at Graithwaite, Lancashire, England, in 1684. In the course of her ministry she visited several times the greater part of England, Ireland, and Scotland, building up her society with great zeal and efficacy. In 1718 she came to the United States, and was here especially instrumental in the extension of the Quaker cause. She retained her zeal and activity to extreme old age, laboring almost to the close of her days, May 30, 1761. See Janney, Hist. of Friends, 3:296.