Why is Sussex County, Delaware Named After Sussex in England?
Why is Sussex County, Delaware Named After Sussex in England?: A Complete Guide As one seeks to explore the rich tapestry of history in the United States, it is difficult to find a thread as colorful as the one depicting the process by which places in the New World came to bear the names of the Old. Sussex County, Delaware, a land now famous for its unspoiled beaches, rich agricultural land, and burgeoning communities, bears a name steeped in the heritage of the English. In order to understand the process by which this part of the First State came to bear the name of an old shire in England, it is necessary to travel back in time to the 17th century. The Colonial Origins of Sussex County The story does not begin with the American Revolution but with the Delaware Colony. Before the Delaware Colony came into being, it was part of the Pennsylvania Colony, which King Charles II of England gave to William Penn in 1681. But the lower counties along the Delaware River, which would later...