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This website contains over 400 detailed individuals that are from my personal line of Heinz and Lovier ancestors dating back to the 1700's. Interactive pedigree charts are at the bottom of this page or available in the pedigree link in the menu bar above. You can also search or view the surnames and limited image galleries from the menu bar links above.
   

 George Heinz Sr. and Katherine (Henlein) Heinz were among the first pioneers who came to America. They left Germany in 1839, crossing the ocean in a sailing ship. The voyage lasted ninety days. They landed at Baltimore, Maryland on August 5, 1839.  They came through the St. Lawrence River to Chicago, and then down the Illinois River with a tow boat drawn from a long rope by a mule and oxen, guided by "Captain Moss Co". They landed at what is now Peoria.  

The Lovier's from this line originally came from Maryland in the 1700's descending from Hugh Lovier of Maryland, and then moved to Kentucky and Tennessee in the mid 1800's. They finally settled in Southern llinois's Hardin County area where the fluorite mines were booming. The fluorspar-rich region, which reaches from southeastern Illinois into parts of Kentucky, was called the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar Mining District. The Lovier men were skilled craftsmen and craft-related businessmen, their art extending across at least three generations, and spanning census accounts from 1850 Kentucky to 1930 Florida. Known as silversmiths, watch smiths, blacksmiths jewelers and engravers, Richard M. Lovier and John W. Lovier displayed an inherent interest, talent and skill in this chosen field. This line of Lovier's is originally thought to have migrated from Ireland (from an historical bible submission) and/or France (from oral history) in the early 1700's.

Most first generation Heinz's worked as self-employed large land owner farmers, laborers and in the home construction field. Most first generation Lovier's worked as farmers, silversmiths, blacksmiths and salesmen. The country around that time in the early to mid 1800's in Illinois and Kentucky was still mainly owned by Indians. At intervals during the Heinz family wagon trips from Peoria to Maroa, farmers would come out of their homes to investigate the "strangers," with guns to the shoulder, thinking that perhaps the travelers were belligerent Indians. Most Heinz's and Lovier's witnessed the growth of the United States from the last period of Indian warfare, the Civil War, World War I, and into the early years of the second great European conflict beginning in 1939.

The Dale's and Estes's listed in this site came up to Southern Illinois's Hardin County from Kentucky and Missouri in the early 1800's to also take advantage of the booming fluorspar-rich region in the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar Mining District. Most first generations were employed as miners and mining engineers. 

If you have corrections, other information and/or photos of interest please contact me @ E.J. Heinz

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