My Genealogy Hound

John F. Loretz, a native of Lincoln County, N. C., was born in 1830, and was the youngest of two sons and one daughter born to Frederick and Mary (Ramsaur) Loretz, both also originally from Lincoln County, N. C. Frederick was the son of Andrew Loretz, a native of Germany, who came to the United States at an early day. He was a minister of the German Reformed Church in Germany, and after emigrating to this country organized several churches in North Carolina. He fell heir to a large estate, but never came into possession of it, and died at an old age very suddenly. Frederick followed the life of a merchant, and was also a blacksmith by trade. He was killed by accident, by a tree falling on him, when about thirty-three years of age. Mrs. Loretz moved to Georgia after being married in North Carolina to Jacob Carpenter, and fourteen years later came to Arkansas, where she died, in 1881, at the age of seventy years, having become the mother of three children by her first husband: Jacob (who was killed in the Mexican War), John F. (the subject of this sketch) and Jane (also deceased). Mr. Loretz commenced working for himself at the age of twenty-one at the carpenter trade. Settling in Arkansas he remained two years, going thence to Georgia, where he was engaged in the mercantile business, and afterward returning to North Carolina, and in 1860 to Arkansas, when he located where he has since lived. In 1862 Mr. Loretz enlisted in the Twenty-fifth Arkansas Infantry, serving on the other side of the Mississippi River, and was slightly wounded at the battle of Chickamauga. While home on a furlough he was taken prisoner, and sent to Little Rock, where he took the oath of allegiance, and returned home, and has since been engaged in farming. Mr. Loretz was married in 1859, to Caroline Shuford, a native of North Carolina, and daughter of Abel and Adeline (Perkins) Shuford; they were also of North Carolina birth, and are now deceased, having been the parents of eight children, four of whom are still living: William, Martha Ballew, Amelia Rheinhardt and Caroline. Mr. and Mrs. Loretz have had seven children, six of whom are still living: Johnie (a daughter, now deceased), Alice (now Mrs. Harper), Mattie (wife of Dr. Scott Henry), William, Mary and Esther. Mr. and Mrs. Loretz are members of the Presbyterian Church. The former, a strong Democrat, is a member of the I. O. O. F., and an influential citizen.