Nicholas Lutz (American Revolutionary War)

Nicholas Lotz, also spelled Lutz, (February 20, 1740 - November 28, 1807) was a Pennsylvania militia officer during the American Revolutionary War and later served as a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly representing Berks County.

Nicholas Lotz was born February 20, 1740 in the Palatinate, Germany, emigrating with his family to Pennsylvania when a young man around 1752. He first settled in the western section of Berks county, and there married a young woman by the name of Rosina Meyer. Some time previous to the Revolution he located at Reading, and became the owner of the two mills at the mouth of the Wyomissing Creek. At the outbreak of the American Revolution, Lotz was prominently identified with the patriotic movements at Berks county to the Provincial Conference, which assembled at Philadelphia in June 1776, and upon his return home, he took an active part in the enlistment of men. He was commissioned a Lieutenant-colonel, and participated in the movement of the "Flying Camp" from Philadelphia to New York, where he was engaged in the Battle of Long Island and taken prisoner. He was admitted to parole within certain bounds on April 16, 1777, and exchanged on September 10, 1779.

In 1780 he was appointed commissioner of Forage, and whilst serving this appointment he purchased a large amount of supplies for the army, consisting of flour, oats, cattle, sheep, etc. A receipt book of his still extant in 1893, shows receipts for money paid out from August 12, 1780, to December 5, 1781, aggregating $202,033. He advanced large sums of money from his own purse for the government, but unfortunately was never fully repaid. Colonel Lotz represented Berks county in the General Assembly from 1784 to 1786, and again from 1790 to 1794; and he filled the appointment of associate judge of the county from 1795 to 1806, having succeeded Colonel Joseph Hiester in that office. He died November 28, 1807. His grave is located at Reading's Charles Evans Cemetery.[1][2][3]