Emigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1748, arriving there on Sept. 5th aboard the Edinburgh, master James Russel, from Rotterdam and Portsmouth, with Johann Philip, Johann Valentin and Anna Maria Lorentz, of Niederhausen to whom he wasn't related. John Lawrence is a German. His real name is "Johannes Lorentz" or later "Lorenz" as found in the records of St. Michael's and Zion Lutheran Church. The only Johann or Johannes Lorentz in the immigration and passenger records indicate there were three who came from Germany. One in 1748 and 1749, the last in 1751. There were also two Johannes Lorentz listings in Colonial Philadelpha in 1736 and 1742. Believe most came from Niederhausen, Pfalz. His name was Anglicized to Lawrence for public dealings, though it remained Lorentz in the Lutheran Church records. On the 1764 baptism of son Christian in St. Michael's Lutheran Church, John's name is spelled "Johan Laurentz". Though that was the only time his name was spelled Laurentz in the St. Michael's records. St. Michael's Lutheran was a German, not a Dutch church, most early immigrations of Germans from the Palatinate and the Rhein valley went up the Rhein River and departed from Rotterdam, Holland. (See the baptism of Christian & Maria (Hotz) Lawrence/Lorentz first son Johan for real proof of lineage to John & Catharine (Hüss) Lawrence/Lorentz, viz a viz their sponsorship of the baptism.) In Schaarf & Westcott's "The History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884" Part XXVIII pg 446 is the following: In the "Grand Federal Procession" of Trades and Industries, Philadelphia, on the Fourth of July, 1788, celebrating the adoption of the Federal Constitution of 1787, John Lawrence and George Green led the group of porters, horses (decorated with red, white & blue ribbons) and carts, etc.... blue silk standard, motto: "May Industry ever be Encouraged."... Clement Biddle, Marshall, etc.... (The description for this parade takes five full pages in small print. George Green was a drayman at Pine between 5th & 6th in 1785.)
John's home at 216 Race Street was listed as a 3 Story Brick building in the 1810 census when Valentine Unbehend was living there. John's immediate neighbors in the 1795 reverse directory were: at #210 John Alexander, labourer, and at the unnumbered west side, probably #218, William Stewart, carpenter. John was on the Southside of Race either 8th or 9th house from 6th Street towards 7th. John was not listed in the 1797 or 1798 Phila. directories right before his death.
Buried in the German Lutheran Graveyard, located between Race & Vine and 8th & Franklin streets in Philadelphia (Cooper Hospital today). This was the third and largest of the Lutheran graveyards and burials commenced there in 1776 until about 1866. From "Penna. German Church Records I, St Michaelis & Zion Congregation" pg 490.
John's son Christian, being a blacksmith would have probably maintained his father's valuable horses and cart for him.
John is listed as a porter and a drayman in his will, and a grocer and labourer in the Philadelphia Directories. His will was signed July 18, 1797, proved August 29, 1798. Co-executors were his son John and Elias Dawson, a grocer who lived on the NE corner of 5th and Race Streets in 1795/96.(1801- #177 Arch Street) Pennsylvania Wills, 1682-1834 LAWRENCE, JOHN. City of Phila. Porter. July 18, 1797. August 29, 1798. X.756. To Wife's Sister Gertrude Fricke and her Son Frederick Fricke. Children: Christian, John, Philip, Elizabeth Speel, Sophia Umbehend. Exec: Son John Lawrence, Elias Dawson. Wit: R. Whitehead, Andrew Beyerly, Jacob Weiss, Junr. (John might have have died of the Yellow Fever which was prevalent in the summer of 1798 in Philadelphia, and only 1793's plague was worse. He is listed on page 283 of the book "Yellow Fever Deaths in Phila., 1793 & 1797-98" LDS film #381286. His wife Catharine might be the listing on page 60.) John's death date, August 27, 1798 coincides with the date John's will was proved, August 29, 1798. He was listed in the "Index of the Rolls of Honor in the Lineage Books of the NSDAR" (Natl. Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution) in Vol III & IV book page 227, (Volumes 81-160 in volume 116 pgs 231 & 234.) //NOTE: Helen (Foust) Dryden, the woman who gained admittance to the D.A.R. using John Lawrence's service in the Revolutionary War is NOT a descendant nor even related to John Lawrence the porter of Philadelphia.// According to the book "Revolutionary Soldiers of Philadelphia City" John was a private 4th class in Capt. George Reinhard's Company of the 3rd Battalion in the Philadelphia Associators and Militia. John was paid September 15, 1777. (from Pennsylvania Archives-see "Military Service" fact source for details) According to Phila. Tax lists, John paid taxes on one horse in 1769 and two horses in 1774. (Penna. Archives 3d series, vol XIV pps 216 & 297.) The John Lawrence listed in the MacPherson's 1785 Philadelphia Directory at 201 Cherry Street was this John Lawrence. (No occupation listed.) Note: Cherry Street started from the west side of Third Street. Listed in Francis White's 1785 directory as: "grocer, Cherry Alley, b. Third and Fourth streets" John's next door neighbor in 1791 at 51 Cherry St. was David Jenkins, brush maker. Across the street at 60 Cherry, was Jacob Unbehend, butcher. The 1785 Francis White's Philadelphia directory is incorrect in it's assignment of between 3rd & 4th Streets as the address for John Lawrence and his neighbors Benjamin Catherill and Nathan Smith. The 1790 Census and 1791 and 1801 Phila. directories correctly identify all three homes as on the South side of Cherry Street between 5th & 6th. Since the relationship of the homes to each other of these three apparently did not change between 1785 and 1791, it can be safely assumed the mistake was that of the directory canvasser in 1785 only.
In 1795 & 1796, John lived at the address used by his son-in-law, Valentin Unbehend 1800-1810, at 216 Sassafras, Phila. Note: St. Michael's Lutheran Church was located at 5th Street & Appletree Alley in the 1850 Phila. Directory. Rev. Gabriel A. Reichert, pastor. Zion Lutheran Church was located at 4th Street & Cherry. Rev. C.R. Demme, DD. German Reformed was on Sassafras (Race) below 4th Street. Rev. J. F. Berg, and St. John's Church was below Green, Rev. Henry Bibighaus, DD.
Following was found by Marcia Lawrence Ernst in early Phila. documents online: The Columbia Fire Company was originated among citizens residing in the neighborhood of Eighth and Cherry Streets. The first officers elected were: President, Joseph Morris; Vice-President, John Moore; Secretary, Jacob Zebley; treasurer, William Powell. The members were John Rugan, William Rudolph, Henry Hoffner, Anthony Wright, Joseph Warner, George Flake, Jacob Colladay, John H. Simmons, Joseph Thomas, Alexander Jarden, Nicholas Quest, Matthew Conroy, Samuel White, Samuel Jarden, John Buzby, Jacob Mille, Jacob Kinsel, George Lower, Heronimus Warner, Jacob Lybrand, Henry De Forrest, Daniel Knight, Matthew Weaver, Jacob Perkins, William Perkins, John Lawrence, Wolfgang Hoffman, Jonas Holtz, and Joseph Deamer. This company, in 1797, purchased a fire-engine from Philip Mason for two hundred and twenty pounds.
The following baptisms from the book "Penna. Births - Phila. County" for Johannes and Catharina Lorenz/Lorentz were entered on the records of St. Michael's and Zion Lutheran Church. Dates are births. 1/23/1760 Christina, 8/11/1762 Christina, 10/6/1764 Christian, 2/16/1767 Johann Fridrich, 1/28/1769 Philip Jacob, 2/23/1771 Anna Catharina, 4/7/1773 Elisabeth, 6/25/1775 Wilhelm and 6/2/1779 Catharina. Sophia was the only child not listed. On February 13, 1774 Johann & Catharina Lorenz were sponsors for Sophia Pick daughter of Christian & Christiana Pick at St. Michael's Lutheran Church. On January 11, 1767 Johann & Catharina Lorentz stood as sponsors for Maria Magdalena Buck, daughter of Haack & Maria Elizabeth Buck at St. Michael's Lutheran Church. On same record page their son Johann Fridrich Lorentz's baptism is recorded on March 1, 1767.
Census Index: U.S. Selected Counties, 1790, Date of Import: Nov 8, 1998, Individual: Lawrence, John County/State: Philadelphia City, PA (10100) Only John & Catharine there. Location: Philadelphia City Page #: 232 Year: 1790
Christian the blacksmith lived close to John and Catharine his entire life. He lived less than two and a half blocks from John in 1785, at Third and Cherry. Ten years later in 1795, they lived within half a block of each other at Race and Sixth. So, though they had both moved 3 and a half blocks, they were still in close proximity to each other. Also closely associating the blacksmith and John and Catharine were the names of their children. Both families used (In German tradition) the names of the same saints, Johan and Anna. In one case using the identical entire name, Anna Catharina. Anna Catharina was six years younger than Christian and died while in her twenties. She might have been a favorite of Christian's and he therefore named one of his daughters after her. Christian the blacksmith also named his first two sons with what were the names of their paternal and maternal grandfathers, in that order, as was the German tradition. But John Lawrence and his son Christian the blacksmith were definitely both of German origin, staying close to the German church and each other.
Below is John Lawrence's friend who was named co-executor, with John Lawrence, Jr., of his will in 1797: Name: Elias DAWSON (From Ancestry.com family trees Nov. 2003) Birth: in Grange, County Tyrone IRELAND Death: 14 MAY 1805 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA Marriage 1 Elizabeth MORTON b: 7 OCT 1745 in Grange, County Tyrone, IRELAND Married: 25 MAY 1763 in Grange, County Tyrone, IRELAND Children Mary DAWSON b: 11 MAR 1763 in Moyallon, County Down, IRELAND William DAWSON Sarah DAWSON Marriage 2 Elizabeth OFFLEY b: ABT 1750 in Grange, County Tyrone, IRELAND Married: 30 JUN 1773 in Pine Street Friends Meeting House, Philadelphia, USA
Pennsylvania Wills, 1682-1834 EISINBRY, PETER. City of Phila. Tavern Keeper. (Eysenbreit per "Pa German Immigrants" by Don Yoder) January 26, 1774. September 9, 1778. R.103. Wife: Dorothy. Child: John. Step Daughter's Child: Dorothy Rifin. Brother: Simon [in Germany]. Exec: Dorothy Eisinbry, John Lorentz, Henry Kammerer. Wit: Philip Hall, George Gottfried Whelpper. (1785 Phila Directory pg 39 lists Isenberry, John, sign Sampson & Lion, corner Vine & Crown streets //bet 4th & 5th// near both Lorentz & Hotz homes.) John is mentioned as a witness to this will on pg 304 of "Pa. German Immig." by Don Yoder. Johann was a witness on May 13, 1760 along with Peter Dreyer, Sebastion Fretz and Tobias Adam Koenig of the wedding of Johannes Heinzelmann and Anna Fischer at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Phila.
Following is from Zion's church, Allentown, PA website: (John Lawrence being a prominent drayman in Phila, probably was involved in this.) Travel back in time and visit historic Zion's Reformed United Church of Christ. In 1773, a stone church measuring 38' by 48' stood on the site of the current church building in a small village then known as Northampton. On September 11, 1777, the British forces defeated Washington during the Battle of Brandywine. This left the city of Philadelphia open to invasion. At a meeting of the Executive Council in Philadelphia it was decided to send the Liberty Bell and another bell from the State House, which is now known as Independence Hall, to a safe hiding place. Along with the bells of the State House, the chimes and tower bell of Christ Church, and the two bells of St. Peter's church, were sent to a remote settlement to prevent the British from melting them for cannon. A train of 700 wagons, accompanied by 200 cavalrymen, transported the bells along with military supplies to the Lehigh Valley. The Council announced that the bell had been buried in the waters of the nearby Delaware River, which some people still think today. Proof of the movement was found in an entry in the diary of the Moravian Church of Bethlehem. Written under the date of September 24,1777: "The bells from Philadelphia brought in wagons. The wagon with the State House bell broke down here, so it had to be unloaded. The other bells went on." In reality there were other plans for the bells. Hidden in the wagon of a farmer returning from Philadelphia the Liberty Bell was brought to Zion's Church by John Jacob Mickley and Frederick Leaser. Once all of the bells arrived they were hidden by the pastor, Reverend Abraham Blumer beneth the floor boards of the church. There they stayed until the the British left Philadelphia in the later part of 1778, when they were returned to their rightful places.
More About John Lawrence: Address 1 1: Bet. 1785 - 1791, 53 Cherry St, Phila (midway bet 5th & 6th).1255, 1256, 1257, 1258, 1259 Address 1 2: Bet. 1795 - 1796, 216 Race, Phila, Pa (bet 6th & 7th).1260, 1261, 1262 Burial: August 1798, German Lutheran cem., bet Race & Vine, Phila.1263, 1264 Census: 1790, Phila City page 232.1264 Immigration: 05 September 1748, Arrived Phila fm Germany aboard Edinburgh.1265, 1266 Military service: 09 September 1777, Pvt 4th Cl Capt Geo Reinhard's Co 3d Batt.1267, 1268, 1269, 1270, 1271, 1272, 1273 Occupation: 1785, Grocer.1274, 1275 Occupation 1: Bet. 1790 - 1796, Labourer.1276, 1277, 1278, 1279, 1280 Occupation 2: Bet. 1788 - 1798, Porter/Drayman.1281, 1282 Will: 1798, Phila #535 (X756) "Porter".1283, 1284
More About John Lawrence and Catharina Hüss: Marriage: 1755, Philadelphia, Pa.1285, 1286, 1287
Marriage Notes for John Lawrence and Catharina Hüss: [Evans, Virginia.ged]
Unable to locate this marriage in the Saint Michael's Lutheran records.
John Lawrence (b. Bet. 1728 - 1729, d. 27 August 1798)
Notes for John Lawrence: