The second son of Karl Heinrich Hölzel and Christina Knorb, Moritz was born in Lunzenau, on the river Zwickauer Mulde, in Saxony, Germany.

The Hölzel family lived in a very large, old house and had several servants, including a maid, cook and woman to do the laundry. This was a typical lifestyle for members of the upper-middle class in late 19th century Germany.

Moritz married Selma Maria Friedmann on 20 Feb 1888 in Saxony, Germany. Selma gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy named Conrad, in 1889 or 1890. He died of convulsions at the age of 2 weeks. Another son, Georg Moritz (George Morris), was also born in Leipzig on 21 Nov 1891.

During this time, Moritz supported the family by working in a bakery that he owned and operated.

Moritz's younger brother, Max "Emil" Hölzel, left Germany for America in late October of 1891. Less than a year-and-a-half later, Moritz, Selma and their 16-month-old son, Georg, left home from the port of Bremen, Germany and headed for the United States on board a ship named the Dresden. [See Photo #4 on Selma's memorial to view the ship's passenger list containing the Hoelzels' names and for additional information.]

The passenger-cargo ship Dresden was built in 1887-1888 by Bremer Vulkan Shipbuilders for the Norddeutscher Lloyd Company and was 390' 6" long by 46' 8" wide. The ship had two masts for sails and one funnel for her steam engines, which drove a single screw. The Dresden had a service speed of 13 knots. The ship could carry a total of 1,818 passengers, with room for 38 in first class, 20 in second class and 1,760 in third class. [Double click on Photo #4 on this memorial to see an advertisement for the Norddeutscher Lloyd Company and pictures of ships like the Dresden.]

The family arrived in New York on 25 Apr 1893 and made their way through customs at Ellis Island. They continued their journey to the Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri area where his brother, Emil, and the family of Moritz's uncle, Wilhelm Hoelzel, lived. Selma gave birth to another son, Elmer, less than 2 months after their arrival in America.

The Hoelzels lived in Kansas City for 6 years. Moritz and Emil both became naturalized United States citizens on 09 Mar 1899.

Moritz and Selma's first daughter, Rose, was born in KC before the family moved to Melzo, Jefferson County, Missouri in March 1899. A second daughter, Minnie, was born there that May. In the years that followed, 4 more children--Katheryn, Carl, Frank and Herman--were born at their home in Melzo in 1901, 1904, 1907 and 1910 respectively.

Morris, as he was known after coming to America, and his brother, Emil, built a home on the family farm. It was destroyed by a tornado on 11 Apr 1911 and had to be rebuilt, which the family did, using stones.

In 1912, several members of the Hoelzel family became ill with typhoid fever, and Selma did the best she could to nurse everyone back to health. Morris was the only one who died of the disease, and the family later speculated that he had had a harder time in part because he was still distraught over the loss of their house to the tornado in 1911.

At the time of his death, he was 48 years, 10 months and 21 days old.

He was survived by his wife, Selma; 5 sons, George Hoelzel, Elmer Hoelzel, Carl Hoelzel, Frank Hoelzel and Herman Hoelzel; and 3 daughters, Rose Hoelzel, Minnie Hoelzel and Katheryn Hoelzel.

Morris was buried on 16 Aug 1912.

His wife, Selma, moved to University City, Missouri when her health declined later in life. She passed away in 1936.

Children: 6 sons, 3 daughters.

Father of:
Conrad Hoelzel
George Moritz Hoelzel
Helmuth Emil "Elmer" Hoelzel
Rose Marie Hoelzel Eads
Wilhelmina "Minnie" Hoelzel Vint
Katheryn Martha Hoelzel Killebrew
Carl Wilhelm Hoelzel
Frank Henry Hoelzel
Herman Julius Hoelzel

Moritz's siblings:
Oskar Hölzel
Max "Emil" Hölzel (Hoelzel)
Olga Hölzel
Hulda Hölzel