Major Johann "Mertztown" Peter Trexler, III

Also known as "Mertztown Peter" John Peter was the eldest child of Peter "Macungie" Trexler and Catherine Winck Trexler. During the Revolutionary War he was a captain of the Fifth Company of Colonel Breinig's Second Battalion of Militia. He was promoted to major in 1781, and in May 1783 he became a lieutenant colonel. Parents of eleven children:

• 1. Maria, born July 13, 1774, married John Folk;
• 2. John Peter, born Jan. 2, 1777, died March 19, 1828, married Rachel Fogel, born Sept. 11, 1784, died Jan. 1, 1867,
• 3. Jacob, born September 7, 1779;
• 4.33414835 Reuben Trexler married 33414813 Anna Lesher .
• 5. Benjamin, born Feb. 3, 1784;
• 6. Catharine, born Jan. 26, 1787, married Jonathan Haas;
• 7. Jonas, born June 26, 1789
• 8. Anna, born Oct. 16, 1791, married, first, Philip Dresher and second, John Albright. She died Sept. 5, 1855;
• 9. Judith born April 9. 1795, married Rev. Isaac Roeller and died in 1885;
• 10. Nathan, born Aug. 1, 1797, died Dec. 29, 1864,
• 11. Daniel, born Nov. 8, 1799, died unmarried.

Excerpt from 1916 Schuylkill County Pennsylvania Volume II:

Peter Trexler, son of Peter of Macungie, and the third of the name, was born Aug. 15, 1748, and is known as Mertztown Peter, and frequently in the records appears as John Peter or Horn Peter. He was patriot of the Revolu tion, serving as captain of the 5th Company of Colonel Breinig's second bat talion1 of militia, and on May 5, 1783, was made lieutenant colonel. He was elected county commissioner in 1782; representative in the General Assembly, 1785-86-87-88, thus serving four years, the time limit set by the constitution of 1776. He died March 13, 1828, aged seventy-nine years, six months, twentyeight days, and was buried in the family cemetery. His will (see Will Book 6, p. 187) was made Feb. 15, 1825, and entered April 3, 1828, his sons Peter, Jacob, Reuben and Jonas being executors. He married Catharine Grim, daugh ter of Henry Grim, youngest son of Geittie Grim, the ancestor of the Grim family so prominent in that section. She was born July 30, 1757, and died July 7, 1828, aged seventy-one years, less twenty-three days. Eleven children were born to Peter and Catharine (Grim) Trexler, namely: (i) Maria married John Folk, and had children, Joshua, John, Reuben, Anna (Shuman), Cath arine (first married to Keizer, and second to Hilbert), Caroline (Guise) and Lydia (Guise). (2) John Peter (Jan. 2, 1777-March 6, 1828) married Rachel Fogel (Sept. n, 1784, Jan. i, 1867), and had children: Caroline (Horlacher), Sarah (Seiberling), Maria (Fogel) and Jonas. (3) Jacob be came the father of Reuben, David, Peter, Jacob, Mrs. James Breinig, Cath arine (Breinig) and Mrs. Stephen Sawyer. (4) Reuben (1782-1846) was an iron master, residing in Mertztown, Longswamp township, where he also carried on farming and was well and favorably known. He married Anna, daughter of Jacob Lesher, charming, charitable woman of refined taste, and they lived in the old Trexler mansion in Longswamp township. They had children: Col. William (1816-1905), Horatio (who lived at Reading, ,where he was president of the National Union Bank), Dr. Lesher (of Fort Wayne, father of Mrs. Anna Wertz, of Allentown, and Mrs. Judith Reno, mother of Claude Trexler Reno, of Kutztown), Lucinda (wife of Gen. James Rittenhouse) and Caroline (wife of William Schall). Mrs. Anna (Lesher) Trexler died in 1848, aged fifty-four years. (5) Benjamin (1784- 1855) is mentioned below. (6) Catharine married Mr. Haas, and had chil dren; Judith (Gregory), Nathan, Leana (Butz), Kate (Hoffman), Tallie (Hoffman), Jonathan T., Reuben T. and J. P. T. (7) Jonas had children: Jonas, Willoughby, Abyle, David, Peter, Sarah (Ludwig), Angeline (Ahlum) and Eliza (Miller). (8) Anna married Philip Dresher, and had two children, Nathan and Judith (Reiter). (9) Nathan lived in Longswamp township, where he died in February, 1865. His will is on record in Will Book n, p. 363. His wife Phoebe bore him four children Edwin H., Mary (Mrs. George Schall), Amelia (Mrs. Jonathan B. Grim) and Sarah (Esterly). (10) Daniel died leaving no children. Judith married Rev. Isaac Roeller, and was affectionately known as "Aunty Roeller." She died in 1885, leaving no chil dren. On Aug. 17, 1809, Peter Trexler bought his son Benjamin large fam ily Bible, printed in 1798, costing seven dollars. This is now in the posses sion of Oliver Trexler (born Dec. 21, 1852), son of Nathan and grandson of Benjamin.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 16 2019, 18:20:00 UTC