Lewis David von Schweinitz was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on February 13, 1780 to Hans Christian Alexander von Schweinitz and Dorthea Elizabeth de Watteville both from prominent German families involved in the development of the Moravian community. Between 1787 and 1798 Lewis was educated in the Moravian community in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. During that time he pursued his interest in botany, which had begun before his school days. Lewis became an instructor of younger students at the school before his own departure. In 1798 his father, Hans, was called to Germany and took his family with him. In Europe Lewis began attending the theological seminary at Niesky in upper Lusatia. After finishing his studies he became a teacher at the Academy at Niesky. Around this time Lewis began to focus his botanical interests on fungi, and in 1805 published new discoveries that he had made and those made by J. B. de Albertini (a former teacher of his with whom he established a long friendship).

In 1807 Lewis began to work as a preacher and was called to the Moravian settlement at Gnadenburg in Silesia where he also acted as a teacher. In 1808 he transferred to Gnadau in Saxony until 1812 when he was sent back to the United States. Before leaving he married Louiza Amelia Le Doux and was awarded an honorary PhD from the University at Kiel in Holstein. Lewis and Louiza settled in Salem, North Carolina. Lewis continued to pursue botany in addition to his other duties and published many articles on the topic.

In 1822 Lewis was transferred to his hometown of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where he acted as general agent for the Brethren and as superintendent of the female school. Because of his botanical work he was asked in 1823 to examine and describe the plants collected by Thomas Say during expedition to the sources of the St. Peter's river. Lewis continued to publish botany articles and over the years travelled back to Europe on Moravian business, making contacts and correspondents along the way. Lewis numbered his correspondents at over one hundred and many assisted him in building his personal herbarium collection, which he donated to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadellphia. The donation consisted of around 23,000 fungi and plant specimens, which included plants he had collected, plants collected for him, and the Baldwin Collection from Zacheus Collins. Schweinitz’s collection of algae was not included in the original gift, but did come to the Academy through a later purchase.

Over the years Lewis described more than 1,000 new species of fungi.

Lewis died on February 8, 1834. He was survived by his wife and four sons -- Emil Adolphus, Robert William, Edmund Alexander, and Bernard Eugene.

from "A Memoir of the Late Lewis David von Schweinitz P.D." by Walter Johnson, 1835. QK31 S4 J6 and Lewis David von Schweinitz: The Botanist Bishop http://ansp.org/explore/online-exhibits/stories/lewis-david-von-schweinitz-the-botanist-bishop/ And The Guide to the Manuscript Collections of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia