TREXLER, Henry J

   User ID: 58.

  General Notes:

Henry J. Trexler was born probably before 1810. His age is listed in the 1860 census as a round 50 as was his wife's age. His son, John Wesley Trexler, stated that Henry was from Pennsylvania. He did come to North Carolina at an early age as he stated his place of birth on his census as North Carolina. The first record of Henry was found in the Rowan County North Carolina Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions dated 21 Feb 1816:

"Ordered by the Court that Jacob Waggoner (Blacksmith) produce Henry Trexler an apprentice boy on the first day of next Court. then and there to show cause why the said apprentice shall not be taken away from him, Information having been given to the Court that the Said apprentice boy is much abused and Barbarously used and beaten by the said Jacob Waggoner."

There is no record that Jacob Waggoner produced him at the next Court. Henry may have been living in York Co. SC in 1830:

Truxeler, Henry
State: South Carolina
Year: 1830
County: York
Roll: M19_173
Township: Unknown Townships
Page: 341
Image: 666

There was a Henry Trexler living as a single man in 1830 in York County, which shares a border with Mecklenburg, NC.

Henry Trexler married Elizabeth Halsey in Troup County, Georgia in 1832. He was living in the county in 1835 when he witnessed a deed between Redick Massingale and John Hardin dated Jan. 6, 1835. His two oldest sons were born in Troup Co. GA, and the remainder of his children were born in Alabama.

Henry spparently moved with his father-in-law, Benjamin L. Halsey, when Benjamin Halsey moved to Chambers County. The 1840 Chambers Co., AL census record is consistent with what is known about Herny's family:

Males under 5 = 1
5-10 = 1
10-15
15-20
20-30 = 1
30-40
Females under 5
5-10 = 1
10-15
15-20
20-30 = 1
30-40

Henry went from Chambers Co. AL to Mississippi, according to his son, John Wesley Trexler. Henry probably went to Marshall Co. Mississippi where his probable brother, Wiley (William) Trexler lived. They both moved to Arkansas by the census of 1860:

TREXLER, HENRY J.
State: AR Year: 1860
County: Poinsett County Record Type: Federal Population Schedue
Township: Bresh Lake Township Page: 538
Database: AR 1860 Federal Census Index

50 yrs. old from North Carolina
wife Eliza 50 from Georgia
William 25, no birthplace listed
Frances, 18, Alabama
Henry, 16, no birth place
Willie, 14, no birth place
Clementine, 13, male, no birth place
John, 12, male, no birth place
Mary, 10 female no birth place
Abner, 9, male no birth place

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Residence, 1834, Troup County, Georgia. ³ Witnessed deed between Massingale and Hardin. [note by researcher, Susan Murray: This source puts Henry Trexler in Troup Co. Georgia during the period his two oldest sons were born. It also spells his name correctly as Henry Trexler, rather than Henry Traxler as on his Troup Co. GA marriage bond.]

2. Residence, by 1840, Chambers Co, AL. ⁴ Living one residence from father-in-law, Benjamin L. Halsey in 1840 census.

3. Residence, 1857, Poinsett Co AR. ⁵ Henry Trexler purchased items at the Wittsburg Store which were recorded in a ledger and microfilmed by the Arkansas History Commission. Since the Poinsett County Arkansas courthouse burned in 1872, there are very few existing records during the time Henry lived in Arkansas. Records extracted:

October 1857 (number 52) Henry Trexler purchased skins, thrad [sic], paper and pins for $9.00.
November, 1857: 3 pairs of shoes - 7.62; 1 Hat, 1 Axe, 2 Books, Pills - 2.75; 1 Pocketknife - 1.50

4. Apprenticeship: Apprenticed to Jacob Waggoner as a blacksmith, Bef 1816, Rowan Co NC. ⁶

Henry married Elizabeth J. HALSEY, daughter of Benjamin L HALSEY and Martha KENNEDY, on 9 Sep 1832 in Troup, Georgia. (Elizabeth J. HALSEY was born about 1810 and died about 1861 in Poinsett Co AR.)

  Marriage Notes:

Henry Trexler's last name is spelled as "Traxler" on his marriage bond.