My Genealogy Hound

JOHN BERNARD LUTZ, bank president, Pittsburgh, was born in Herolz, now in Prussia, May 11, 1822. His father, Valentine Lutz, was an architect and builder in the government employ. John B. attended school till sixteen years of age, when he came to America and located in Pittsburgh, Pa. Here he attended private schools and prepared himself for the profession of civil engineer. In 1841 he became attached to the United States engineer corps, and was employed on surveys in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. On the outbreak of the Mexican war he went with his corps to the front, and received a shot in the arm at the battle of Cerro Gordo, which caused his discharge, and he still carries the bullet in his arm. After his recovery he was employed on the construction of the P. & O. R. R., now a part of the P., Ft. W. & C. road, and on its completion he settled in what is now the South Side of Pittsburgh. He laid out the borough of Ormsby, and was its first burgess. For many years he kept hotel. He was one of the organizers of the German Savings and Deposit Bank, and has been four years its president; is a director of the Birmingham Insurance company, and president of the German Roman Catholic Press company. He is a member of St. Peter’s R. C. Church, and has always been a democrat. In October, 1847, Mr. Lutz married Katharine Keeling, a native of Youngstown, Pa., daughter of Joseph Keeling, of Prussia, and following are the names of their children: Mary (wife of William Trimbure, of Niles, Ohio), John, Frank J., Maggie (widow of John May), William and Henry. All save the eldest are residents of Pittsburgh, the last two named being with their parents.