Lorentz/Hotz Ancestry by James H. Lawrence (Photo of Edward & Geo R Lawrence)

Johann Lorentz, & Johann Michael Hotz {Philadelphia Pioneers & Patriots}

In late June 2002, I decided to start a Y Chromosome DNA project open to any and all males named Lawrence or Lorentz who were interested in learning about their ancestry and/or finding living descendants of their ancestors. Having just started this I and 4 others are presently waiting for the test kits to arrive from Family Tree DNA. After I obtain my results for 25 Markers or Alleles, I'll post them to this and my other webpages so that they can be compared by others who have also taken this test.

These two men were the founders of families that have descended over the last two and a half centuries to the present. Johannes Lorentz or John Lawrence as he was known in Colonial Philadelphia, was born 1725 in Niederhausen, Pfalz the son of Johannes & Anna Maria (Lauer) Lorentz. He emigrated to Phila. in 1748 aboard the ship Edinburgh out of Rotterdam, Holland. He married Catharina Hüss in 1755, and was the father of ten children. He made his living as a grocer and porter. He died on August 27, 1798 amidst the second worst yellow fever plague to hit Philadelphia. Johann Michael Hotz, or Michael Hotz as he was known, was born Jan. 30, 1731 in Wertheim, Germany, the son of Philipp Heinrich & Anna Elisabeth(daughter of Hieronymus Conrad) Hotz. He emigrated to Philadelphia in January 1750, was married March 24, 1761 at St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Phila. to Anna Catharina Günzler. He was a butcher at 125 4th Street between Vine & Callowhill. He was the father of nine children. He died on October 4, 1783. Both men were in the fight for American Independence. John Lawrence as a private 4th class in Capt. George Reinhard's Company of the 3d Battalion in the Phila. Associators & Militia. Michael Hotz as a private 3rd class in Capt. John Bergman's 6th Company of the 2nd Battalion.

Union of the families

Christian Lorentz and Anna Maria Hotz, children of the above were married on November 18, 1790 at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, 5th & Appletree, Phila., Pennsylvania. Christian, a blacksmith of Philadelphia was born there on October 6, 1764, and died there on July 18, 1811. His wife Mary, as she was known, was also born in Phila. on April 19, 1764. As the oldest surviving child in her family, she bore a heavy responsibility when her father died in 1783, leaving a widow and eight children, the youngest just turned 4 years old. Mary had nine children during her lifetime, and after the premature death of her husband raised their children on her own. She herself died in Phila. on December 29, 1836. Christian, like his father before, went by the name Lawrence in his public life. In the years 1790-1791 Christian's blacksmith shop was located on the north side of Market Street between 7th & 8th Streets near 8th. (The Lit Brothers store now occupies that entire side of Market Street.)Christian like his father before was also a member of the Philadelphia Militia during the American War for Independence, being listed in Capt. Benjamin Freeman's Company from the North Ward, #47 on the final member rolls of January 13, 1784.

Post Revolutionary Generations

The fourth child and second son of Christian & Mary was baptised at St. Michael's & Zion Lutheran at 5th & Appletree in Philadelphia, the same church his parents were married in, as Johann Michael Lorenz on February 28, 1797, nine days after his birth. His namesake was his maternal grandfather. Fatherless at the age of 14 Michael Lawrence, as he was known, was apprenticed to one of his three Hotz uncles as a butcher. Around 1819 or 1820 Michael married Catharine Sweitzer daughter of Henry and Mary (Kugler), and granddaughter of Simon and Barbara (Shunk)Sweitzer, and Charles and Catharine (Goodman) Kugler. (Both of these men were also members of the Philadelphia Militia during the American Revolution.) Simon Sweitzer was in turn the son of Conrad Sweitzer who came to Phila. in 1749 with his four children. Simon's wife Barbara Shunk was the daughter of Francis Shunk and Elisabeth Reimer, daughter of Frederick and Elisabeth Reimer, and Francis was the son of Caspar Shunk who arrived in America in 1715. Their descendant, Francis Rawn Shunk was Governor of Pennsylvania 1844-48. The Shunks and Reimers were residents of Western Montgomery County, and the Sweitzers lived in Chestnut Hill before moving to Philadelphia City in the late 1790's. Michael Lawrence lived in the Spring Garden section of Phila. occupying various homes in that area devoted to the butchering trade from Wood to Noble Street, between 8th & 11th Streets. They had a total of eleven children between 1821 and 1843. Michael died of cholera on July 6, 1856. His wife Catharine died on February 4, 1857. Of their children, the first, Samuel, died at the age of two in 1823 and Hiram died at 7 in 1836, but the rest attained adulthood. Their four daughters were all married and had families of their own. Of their remaining five sons, all became butchers and/or victuallers as their father had been. Those childrens' names, spouses and relevant dates are as follows:
John 1822-1891 m. Mary Himer ca 1845-46
Albert Lafayette 1825-1897 m.1st Catharine Hays ca 1842 m 2nd Maria Duff 1871
Anna Maria 1826-1853 m. 1846 John Milton Hoskins
Edward 1830-1872 m. 1855 Mary Ann Etley
Mary Jane 1834-1915 m.ca 1853 Thomas R. Evans
Eliza 1836-aft 1868 m. 1864 Michael Clark
George A. 1837-1913 m. 1863 Josephine Etley
Hiram (2nd) 1840-1920 m. 1874 Esther Jane Lake
Emma E. 1843-1909 m. 1872 Edwin E. Graham
Traditions are by definition something people stand by. In our family the butchering trade was passed down through at least seven generations. The last of the butchers was a first cousin who learned the trade from his father & grandfather. All of the above named children, and all of their children were born in Philadelphia. And with the exception of only two or three individuals, both generations died in Phila. as well.
I am currently searching for relatives who are interested in our family history. Please direct comments and inquiries to my email address below.

Lorentz/Hotz/Kugler/Sweitzer Families of Philadelphia

My Family Tree Maker Webpage
My Rootsweb Genealogy
My Ancestry.com webpage