Notes for Christian Lawrence: [Evans, Virginia.ged]
Christian was a person of ambition and high self esteem from an early age. That can be learned from his early unfailing yearly inclusion in the Phila. city directories, and federal censuses. Also from his ascension to officer (Ensign) in the Phila. militia. The sponsors of Christian and Mary (Hotz) Lawrence's first son John were Christian's parents, Johann & Catharina Lorentz (John & Catharine Lawrence) on March 3, 1793 at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, 5th & Appletree, Philadelphia. Listed in the "Philadelphia Militia Rolls" on January 13, 1784, North Ward #47 "Christian Lawrence". Three names above at #44 "Mr. Lawrence", was probably his father John Lawrence. (LDS film #20448.) "Sons of American Revolution" accepted Christian Lawrence's service as submitted by James H. Lawrence SAR member #153101 on March 31, 2000. Also listed in Capt. Freeman's First Company, First Battalion, Phila. Militia, commanded by Lieut. Colo. John Shee, Esqr. On April 15, 1789 Christian was elected as the ensign for Captain Christian Shaffer's 4th Company of 4th Battatlion of the Phila. Militia Sponsors at Christian's baptism were Christian and Christina (Leonora) Pick. They had a daughter Elisabeth b.July 9, 1768 bapt.7/17 at St. Michael's. See the notes under his brother Philip for his 1790 Census information. Birth and death dates are from the death records at the Phila. Archives. Blacksmith at #83 (in 1801 directory pg 37, corner of Cresson's Alley- present day Quarry St?) & #91(in 1801 directory, corner of Race) North Sixth Street between Cherry and Race Street, Phila., Pa from 1795 until his death. He lived half a block away from his parents John and Catharina, at both their addresses on Cherry and Sassafras Streets, and two blocks away from President George Washington at 190 High (Market) Street, which was one house away from the corner at 6th St. (The area Christian and John lived is now part of Independence Mall.) Note: in the 1801 Phila. Directory, Christian is not listed. Instead there is a Philip Maguire, blacksmith at 83 N 6th, and Sarah Fletcher, mantua maker, at 91.
In 1785 when Christian lived between Market and Arch on Third Street, he was less that 200 feet from the market sheds on Market Street where his wife's family sold meat. They stretched three blocks from Front to Fourth. This was also about one city block from where Ben Franklin (1706-1790) lived on the south side of Market Street between Third and Fourth. In 1790-91 his blacksmith shop was located at 255 High/Market Street, near Eighth. Today that address is part of the block on the north side of Market where the former Lit Brothers store is located.
Christian and Mary were buried in the German Lutheran Cemetery of St. Michael's since they were listed in those records. According to John Peterson at the Lutheran Archives at the Krauth Library in Phila. the three separate old Philadelphia Lutheran graveyards were all exhumed about 1861(German Church records book states that the St. Michael's graveyard between 8th & Franklin above Race next to Franklin Square was used from 1776 to 1866.) and moved to Laurel Hill and Mt. Peace. They were all later again exhumed and reinterred at Philadelphia Memorial Park in Frazer, PA and Greenmount Cemetery. A check with both Phila. Mem. and Greenmount revealed neither to have records on either the Lawrence or Hotz families, or any knowledge of these reinterments. A check at Laurel Hill and Mount Peace revealed they are not buried there either.
Census Index: U.S. Selected Counties, 1790, Date of Import: Nov 8, 1998, Individual: Lawrence, Christian (No census figures indicated-business location) County/State: Philadelphia Co., PA Location: Philadelphia City Page #: 226 Year: 1790 The following is our Christian Lawrence. (Not the victualler on page 169) Census Index: U.S. Selected Counties, 1800, Date of Import: Oct 16, 1998, Individual: Lawrence, Christian County/State: Philadelphia Co., PA Page #: 193 Year: 1800 Age ranges in household: 11010-3002000 (females-males) The second male between 26 & 45 and girl between 10 & 15 might be Christian's brother Philip Jacob with a daughter from his marriage to Rachel Donneck. His second wife Lydia Carter might have already died as well or was living apart from Philip.
Census Index: U.S. Selected Counties, 1810 Individual: Lawrance, Christian Age ranges: 01001-31001 (males-females) County/State: Philadelphia Co., PA Location: So Mulberry Page #: 105 Year: 1810 Note: This means that all four daughters from Anna Maria down to Elisabeth were all alive in 1810. It also means that only Michael was alive at that time, or that John and Michael were apprenticed out and William was the only one of the boys at home. In the 1793 Phila directory pg 53, one of Christian's neighbors is George Goodfrey, labourer, 81 N 6th. In the 1811 Phila directory pg 104, one of Christian's neighbors is George Falker, shoemaker at 89 N 6th.
More About Christian Lawrence: Address 1 1: 1785, 3rd between Arch & Market, Phila.1194, 1195 Address 1 2: Bet. 1790 - 1791, 255 High Street, Phila (smithy shop).1196, 1197, 1198 Address 3: 1793, 36 N 4th Street, Phila (bet Arch & Race).1199, 1200 Address 4: 1794, 34 N 4th Street, Phila.1201, 1202 Address 5: Bet. 1795 - 1811, 83 N 6th Street (cor Cresson/home&shop).1203, 1204, 1205, 1206, 1207, 1208, 1209, 1210 Baptism: 14 October 1764, St Michael's Lutheran Church.1211, 1212 Burial: July 1811, German Lutheran, bet Race & Vine, Phila.1213, 1214, 1215 Census: 1790, Pg 226, Phila City.1215 Census 1: 1800, Phila S Mulberry pg 68 (Typed pg 193).1215 Census 2: 1810, Phila S Mulberry pg 105 (2 stry home).1215 Last Address: Bet. 1803 - 1805, 91 N 6th Street, Phila (cor Race/home).1216, 1217, 1218, 1219 Military service: Bet. 1783 - 1789, 3d Battalion Phila Militia(Capt Freeman's).1220, 1221, 1222, 1223 Occupation: Bet. 1785 - 1811, Blacksmith.1224, 1225, 1226
More About Christian Lawrence and Anna Maria Hotz: Marriage: 18 November 1790, St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Phila, Pa.1227, 1228
Children of Christian Lawrence and Anna Maria Hotz are:
Ensign Christian Lawrence (b. 06 October 1764, d. 18 July 1811)
Notes for Christian Lawrence: