Individual Details

Ancestry version:
Holtzclaw is the Americanized spelling of German Holzklau, which translates into modern German as ‘wood thief’, but is probably a nickname for someone who gathered wood, from Middle High German holz ‘wood’ + a derivative of kluben ‘to pick up’, ‘gather’, ‘steal’.
Researched version:
The origin of the family is from the very ancient parish of Holtzklau, first mentioned in 1089, with a parish church dating back to the 13th century in the central village of Oberholzklau, and a number of other villages in the parish, including Niederholzklau. There is a brook called the Klav (an ancient name for a gully or ravine) which runs through the parish, so that the name means "the woods of the Klav." The brook later changes its name to the Fern­dorf, runs through Klafeld (the "field of the Klav"), and joins the river Sieg at Weidenau. Holzklau has always been an almost ex­clusively agricultural parish. The case is different with Weidenau, and to some extent Klafeld. Weidenau was situated at the confluence of the Sieg and the Ferndorf, and due to the abundance of water power was a center of the iron industry from the 15th century and probably even earlier. Besides the old farming village of Weidenau, when our ancestors lived there, the township (Gemeinde) contained seven iron‑works settlements as well, Hardt, Muenkershuetten, Muesenershutten, Meinhardt, Schneppenkauten, Fiskenhuetten and Buschgotthardshuetten. Through marriages in the third and fourth generations of the pedigree given above, the Holzklaus of Weidenau became connected with the ironworks people there, particularly in the family of Johannes Holzklau of Weidenau, Jacob Holtzclaw's grandfather.


Godfather was Johannes Jung (John Young, immigrant to Virginia in 1734)

Deed Abstracts of Prince William Co VA 1745-1746 and 1748-1749
Deed Books F, G, H, & K are missing
This is DB I and L.
Ruth & Sam Sparacio, 1989
p.10 DB I, p49-53 4&5 Dec 1745 Robert Taylor to John Bohannan. Wit: by John Hord, Thos. Machen James Welsh, Henry (H) Holtzclaw


Henry Holtzclaw is on the Rent Roll of Fauquier County in 1770; Prince William County in 1773 and 1770.

Henry Holtzclaw left a will in Prince William Co VA dated 26 Sep 1777 and probated at the August Court in 1778. Does not mention his wife, presumably deceased. Mentions children Jacob, Duanna Cornwell, James, Nancy Leach, and the three youngest, Timothy, Nathan and Dinah. The minutes of the Broad Run Baptist Church indicate that his wife was Nancy/Ann and that there was another daughter Winifred. WB G, p.12

Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2001 21:22:54 -0600
From: Barbara Price
To: GERMANNA_COLONIES-L@rootsweb.com
In the name of God Amen this 26th Day of September Anno Domini 1777 I Henry
Holtzclaw of Prince William County being now in perfect health and memory
thanks be to Almighty God for it Do make and ordain this my last will and
testament legacies and bequeaths in manner and form following. Imprimus
I desire in the first place to recommend my Soul into the hands of God
that give it and for my Body I Recommend to the earth from whenest(?) it
came to be buried in a Christian like X down manner at the discretion of
my Excutors after named nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection
to reserve the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such
worldly estate which it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me with in this
life. I give and dispose of them (?) in manner and form following. Item
I will in the next place that all my lawful debts by me contracted be honestly
paid and discharged after my death. Item Also after my decease I give and
bequeath to my well beloved Son Jacob Holtzclaw one feather bed and Cow
and Calf and one Sow and pigs now in his possession as his full part of
my estate to him and his heirs forever.
Item I give to my well beloved Daughter Duanna Cornwell one feather bed
and one Cow and Calf now in her possession as her full part of my Estate
to her and her heirs for ever. Item I give to my Son James Holtzclough
one shilling sterling being all that I intend for him of my estate. Item
I give to my Daughter Nancy Leach after my decease one feather bed and
one Cow and Calf and one bright bay horse and a Sow and pigs and whatsoever
else she has in her possession being her full part of my estate which I
lent her out of my Estate.
Item I give and bequeath to my two sons Timothy and Nathan Holtzclough
one hundred acres of land patented by myself and adjoining to the tract
whereon I now Dwell to be Equally divided between them and Item after my
debts is paid I give and bequeath to my three youngest children viz To
my Son Timothy Holtzclaw and my son Nathan Holtzclaw and my Daughter Dinah
Holtzclaw all the rest of my estate to be equally divided amongst them
and I do constitute and ordain my loving friends Thomas Hog and Lenoir
and Henry Watkins Senior to be Excr of this my last will and Testament
Disannulling and Disallowing all former Wills and Testaments by me made
or intended Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last will
and testament given under my hand the day and date first above written.
Henry [his mark]l Holtzclough SEAL
Sealed and Delivered
In presence of us
Henry Hogue
Henry Watkins
Prince William August Court 1778
This last will and testament of Henry Holtzclough decd was proved by oaths
of the witnessess and admitted to record.
Test Robert Graham

Birth	14 Nov 1711	Oberfischbach, Germany
Christen	22 Nov 1711	Evangelisch, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
Death	1778	Prince William County, Virginia
Marriage		Prince William County, Virginia - ANNE "Nancy" HARDIN

Spouse	ANNE "Nancy" HARDIN (1728 - 1777)
Child	Jacob Holtzclaw (1743 - 1809)
Child	Duanna Holtzclaw (1744 - )
Child	James Holtzclaw (1745 - 1821)
Child	Nancy Holtzclaw (1749 - )
Child	WINIFRED ANN HOLTZCLAW (1752 - 1801)
Child	Nathan Holtzclaw (1754 - )
Child	Timothy Holtzclaw (1756 - 1816)
Child	Dinah Holtzclaw (1760 - 1822)

Father	HANS JACOB HOLZKLAU ( - 1760)
Mother	ANNA MARGRETH OTTERBACH ( - 1729)
Sibling	Johannes\John Holtzclaw (1709 - 1752)
Sibling	Ann Elizabeth Holtzclaw (1718 - 1755)
Sibling	Catherine Holtzclaw (1722 - 1810)
Sibling	Harman Holtzclaw (1725 - 1760)
Sibling	Elizabeth Holzklau (1726 - 1794)
Sibling	Alice Catherine Holtzclaw (1728 - )