JOHN PETER LORENZ ... registered his brand in Bexar County Texas in November 1856 Book, p 230B. Wilson County was made in 1860. He first had cattle 15 miles from San Antonio Texas. In 1878 he bought land in Wilson County five miles northeast of Stockdale on FM 1107.
Mr. Lorenz came to Texas in 1852 ( some papers say 1854) but I believe 1852 is correct because I have a copy of his brother's journal that says they left Germany early spring of 1852. His parents and siblings (there were 6 boys & 1 girl).
One girl died before they left Germany. One of the 6 boys died in Liverpool. They lived in Heinzenbach .
From there the journal says they went to Bubert on the Rhine, took a steamboat down the Rhine and landed in Rotterdam. Layed over there five week and took a steamer to Hull, England. From Hull took a railroad car to Liverpool, England where they stayed 6 weeks waiting for a ship. It states that it 44 days to land at New Orleans, LA. They waited about 3 days to catch a steamer to Indianola.
Before landing at the wharf both parents died leaving John Peter the oldest at age 21 to look out for his siblings. The youngest was only 6. From Indianola they started for Federicksburg, they father's destination. When they got to New Braunfels, one of the boys got sick.
While there a man from San Antonio persuaded John Peter to come to San Antonio where there was plenty of work. John Peter married Wilhelmina K Shell Dec 1856 in Bexar Co. Texas John Peter lived in Panna Maria, Karnes County Texas. They had eight children.
John Peter and his brother Adam acquired land in Wilson county in 1878. John Peter eventually bought out his brother. His sons Adolph and Will were sent ahead of the rest of the family to cultivate the land for a year, where they began raising corn, cotton and beef cattle (I think hereford).
The Lorenz ranch was one of the first to use wire fencing in the area and the sons spent many hours riding the fences at night to protect them from wire cutters.
Once John Peter joined his sons in the operation, he established a cotton gin, grist mill and lumber mill on the banks of the Ecleto Creek on the ranch. He also operated a freight business between Cuero and San Antonio with wagon and team.
The land is still owned by his great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.
{Courtesy of great grandaughter Laura Swiess}