Individual Details

Birth

The Lorentz family Bible shows he was baptized on 2-15-1716, and sponsored by Johannes Peter.

Miscellaneous

On May 1,1754, Andrew Johnston writes: "l have offered to let the Lawrences have their places, viz. Daniel at 45/-, Alexander at 45/- and John at 40/- per acre in three payments, the first payment to be 1st May, 1755. They are to consider of it and let me know what they conclude on or before the next winter.
On further talk with John Lawrence he agrees to take his lot at 40/-per acre, the payments to be as above, and is to have a deed at the making of the first payment or if he makes security for it. I have consented to reserve only three-fourths of the mines; he is to have the liberty of getting timber for the frame of a house on Lot No. 12
now in Morris William's possession."

Miscellaneous

April 8, 1755: "April 8, 1755, Elizabethtown: In the evening Alexander and John Lawrence came to me and agreed to take their places, Alexander at 45/- per acre and John at 40/--, all in three payments. l entered into articles with them ---".

Miscellaneous

In 1756, John Lawrence bought 632 acres of land in Rowan County, North Carolina, from Henry White. The land was located on Sills Creek about 2-5 miles south of Withrow Creek.

Miscellaneous

In North Carolina the Lorentz/Lawrence surname is usually spelled Lowrance.
His children used the name Lowrance.

Miscellaneous

Entries in Andrew Johnston's jounal indicate that John Lawrence was probably making plans to move from Peapack, New Jersey in the Fall of 1756.
"January 28,1757: "George Foreman tells me he agreed with John Lawrence for his place, Lot 6, and moved on it last fall;---".

Miscellaneous

Transcription of John Lowrance's will made 4-20-1781 in Rowan Co., NC:
From USGenWebArchives Files
files.usgwarchives.net/nc/rowan/wills/jlowranc.txt 
John Lowrance - 1781- Rowan Co., NC - Wills Transcribed by Twylla Teer, edteer@bellsouth.net.
Will recorded in RowanCounty, North Carolina , Superior Court Record Book, number is unknown, but pages are 128-133.
THE WILL OF JOHN LOWRANCE: "IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN:
"I John Lowrance of the County of Rowan and state of North Carolina, farmer, being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and Memory, Thanks be to God for the same & calling to mind the mortality of My Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die. Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the manner and form following: That is to say IMPRIMIS. I recommend my soul into the hands of God who gave it me, and my Body to the Earth from whence it came to be Buried in a decent and Christian manner at the direction of my Executors, In hopes of a joyfull Resurrection through the mercies of my Saviour JESUS CHRIST, and as for that worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to blefs me with in this life. I give and devise and dispose of in the manner following - That is to say first of all I do order all my just and lawful debts to be paid.
ITEM: I do give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Anne Lorance one black bald faced horse and one Brown horse with a baldface but one eye My Old Sorrel Horse during her widowhood. Likewise Two hundred pounds in money to be raised out of my Estate if the money rates at the time when she shall demand it, as it does at this present time Dollar at a hea penny,but if it should come to its former value a dollar at eight shillings at the above said time of demand then she shall have but thirty pounds likewise the use of my house I now live in, and all my household furniture likewise my whole plantation on the west side of the Creek I now live on, during her widowhood,except Ten Acres of the lower end of my Meadow with a strate line from the Creek west to the Hill which I reserve for the use of my son Jacob. Likewise give unto my Beloved wife four Cows and Calves of her own choosing two three year Old stears, likewise ten sheep of her own choosing, likewise all my Hogs and geese for the support maintenance of these my children, which I had by her during her widowhood and if it should please God to Remove her by death or if she should marry again before my two sons Joshua & Alex'r become of age then all the above moveables to be equally divided between all my children I had of her at the discretion of my Executors. I likewise order that my Wife shall have use of my 'itch plow'and Waggon with the gears belonging to them, likewise my Iron tooth Harrow, likewise the use of Negro Boy called Ben for the time of eight years from the date hereof and no longer and after the expiration of the above said eight years that then my said Negro Boy shall be my beloved son Abrahams property. I also give unto my Son John my money scales. I also give unto my son Abraham my still and eight still Vefsels, also one Cow-and Calf and three sheep. I also give unto my son Andrew two sheep. I also give unto my son Joshua both my old and young black Mares. I also give unto my daughter Jane my black Mare called fley-and her yearling Colt I give to my daughter Anna. I also give unto my son Jacob my Stone [?] Horse and my three year Old passing mare Colt and one Cow and Calf. I also give unto my step-daughter Agnefs two sheep. I also give unto my daughter Catherine two sheep. I also give unto my beloved wife shoud think it best for my son Jacob to live in the House by himself, that then he shall build a House on the East side of the Creek for himself to live in and shall have the use of the land on that side of the Creek on the above said Plantation, and further if it shoud please my beloved wife to Marry again,or if it shoud please God to remove her by death, That then after either of these, I do give unto my son Jacob the whole Plantation I now live on, with a promise that he give or cause to be given unto my two younger sons, Joshua and Alexander each of them when they come of age fifty pounds proc Currency of North Carolina, and if my son Jacob shoud not be willing to pay the money that then the above said Plantation shall be equally divided between my two younger sons namely Joshua and Alexander at the discretion of my Executors notwithstanding if my son Jacob shoud pay the above s. moneys to said Joshua and Alexander, that then the said Plantation shall be my son Jacobs notwithstanding if it shoud please God to remove my son Jacob by death and he not having a Male Heir that then the said Plantation I now live on shall be equally divided between my two sons Joshua & Alexander. Neverthelefs if my son Jacob should beget a living Male heir, that then the above Plantation shall be his property & only his the paying the above said moneys____ I also order that what moneys I have at present shall be equally divided between my two sons namely Joshua & Alexander. I likewise order that forty shillings be raised out of my Estate and given unto my daughter Margaret or her first born son. I also order that forty shillings be raised out of my Estate & given unto my daughter Mary or her first born son. Also I order that forty shillings be raised out of my Estate and be given unto my daughter Elizabeth or her firstborn son and further I order that the rest of my moveable effects such as my Executors shall not think proper to keep or divide amongst the Children, to be sold at public sale and the money arising therefrom to defray these Legacies I give to my daughters or their children. I also choose and appoint my well beloved Wife Ann Lorance, and my son John Lorance, and my son Abraham Lorance,and my friend John McCorkle to be the Executors of this my Last Will and Testament. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former Testaments, Wills, Legacies and Executors by me in any wise before this time named, willed and bequeathed and Ratefying and confirming this and only this to be my Last Will and Testament in witnefs whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 20th day of April One Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty One. Signed, Sealed, Published, pronounced and declared by the said John Lowrance as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us" signed/John Lorance Junr: signed/William Irvin signed/John Gray signed/John Gracey

Note: From this will, it appears all of the mentioned children are John Lowrance's children he had with Anne Nichols, his second wife.

Marriage

From multiple family trees, Anne, second wife of John Lowrance, is identified as Anne Nichols.
No marriage record has been located.
John Lowrance mentions his wife Anne in his will.

Miscellaneous

Russell Lawrence describes the location of the Lawrence/Lorentz properties in Somerset County:
"Middle Brook is still the same as it was at that time but Lawrence's Brook is now called the Peapack River and what was then called the Peapack River is now called the North Branch of the Raritan River....
The mill and John Junior's house were both on the west side of the Peapack River with the mill almost directly across the river from what is now St. Brigids Church and the land was on the east side of Middle Brook across from what is now the United States Olympic Equestrian Training Center with its beautiful parklike grounds and magnificent buildings. John Junior's house was about 400 feet south of the mill and Alexander's house was about 3700 feet northwest of the mill and west of the neighboring village of Gladstone."

Miscellaneous

John Lowrance mentions the following additional children in his will, however it is not known which of his wives was their mother:

Jane, Anna, Catherine, Margaret, Mary, and Elizabeth.

A step daughter Agnes is also mentioned.