De Schweinitz was born at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and studied theology at the Moravian College there and at Berlin. He entered the ministry in 1850 and after some years of pastoral life, became in 1870 Bishop of the Moravian church.
De Schweinitz's early life took place in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he pursued theological studies at both Moravian College and Berlin. He began his career as a minister in 1850 and eventually rose to become the leader of the Moravian church by 1870.