John Peter's parents were Nicolaus Drechsler (1657-1690) & Elizabeth (Zimmerman) Drechsler; records indicate Peter was born in Damstadt, Germany.
(Per L. A. Norman, At the time of his birth, this location was - Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt).
History from Morton Montgomery Biographies, early 1900s:
Peter Trexler comes from one of the oldest and most numerous families in Berks County. It has numbered in its ranks not alone the honest farmer and industrious laborer, but men in every profession, in civil and military life, and its women have been gracious and womanly. Industry has been a marked characteristic of the family. Money has been made and, when spent, spent wisely, even lavishly when given to the less fortunate. Ambition coupled with ability has made leaders of men, and temperate lives have given strength to meet any issue. Peter Trexler came to Berks County some time prior to 1720, settling in Oley township. As early as 5 Sep. 1720, he was one of the petitioners for the erection of the township. It was but a short time afterward, however, that he left Berks County and moved to what is now Upper Macungie township, Lehigh County, a territory that, covered with brush and scrub oak as it was, offered very little in the way of attraction to the early settler, other than an abundance of water, with which it was blessed. He settled near Breinigsville, his land embracing what is [now] the John R. Gonser farm. On 18 Nov. 1729 he obtained from Casper Wister, the patentee, a deed for this land, and this deed is one of the earliest--if not the earliest--in that region. A seven-year residence was required before naturalization, and Peter Trexler did not take out his papers until 1730. He and his family were the first white settlers in Macungie, and Dr. Helfrich, in his history of the various congregations in Lehigh and Berks counties, says, "Way down in the valley near what is now Breinigsville lived, before the general migration into this neighborhood, a Trexler family, with whom the Indians were very friendly. Mother Trexler often presented the Indians with gifts and gave them bread, and in return they brought her wild skins and showed friendship to the pale-faces." Peter Trexler died in 1758, and his will, dated 17 Dec. 1744, divides his estate among his widow, Catharine, and three sons and three daughters: Jeremiah,John, Peter, Anna, Catharine and Margaret. The son, Peter, was made executor of the will. Peter Trexler and his wife were both buried in the family cemetery on their farm; but the graves, originally marked by soft sandstones now wasted away, cannot be definitely located. Steps were taken by the Trexler Family Assn. at their reunion 28 Aug. 1907 to restore this ancient burial place of their ancestors, and to place a tablet to the memory of Peter Trexler and wife. Of the daughters of Peter Trexler nothing is known, but in the diary of Rev. John Casper Stoever, 9 Nov. 1732, is the record of the marriage of John George Schumacher and Catharine Trexler, of Macungie. (Found a birth date of 26 Feb. 1679 in Darmstadt, Germany, but need to verify this) John Peter Trexler b. 2/26/1680 in Dettingen, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany arrived in New York about 1709. He and his wife, Catherine Breinig, later were among the first (some say first) settlers in Upper Macungie Township, Northampton County, PA. They raised a large family and were very prominent citizens through the years.
(Per L. A. Norman, At the time of his birth, this location was - Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt).
History from Morton Montgomery Biographies, early 1900s:
Peter Trexler comes from one of the oldest and most numerous families in Berks County. It has numbered in its ranks not alone the honest farmer and industrious laborer, but men in every profession, in civil and military life, and its women have been gracious and womanly. Industry has been a marked characteristic of the family. Money has been made and, when spent, spent wisely, even lavishly when given to the less fortunate. Ambition coupled with ability has made leaders of men, and temperate lives have given strength to meet any issue. Peter Trexler came to Berks County some time prior to 1720, settling in Oley township. As early as 5 Sep. 1720, he was one of the petitioners for the erection of the township. It was but a short time afterward, however, that he left Berks County and moved to what is now Upper Macungie township, Lehigh County, a territory that, covered with brush and scrub oak as it was, offered very little in the way of attraction to the early settler, other than an abundance of water, with which it was blessed. He settled near Breinigsville, his land embracing what is [now] the John R. Gonser farm. On 18 Nov. 1729 he obtained from Casper Wister, the patentee, a deed for this land, and this deed is one of the earliest--if not the earliest--in that region. A seven-year residence was required before naturalization, and Peter Trexler did not take out his papers until 1730. He and his family were the first white settlers in Macungie, and Dr. Helfrich, in his history of the various congregations in Lehigh and Berks counties, says, "Way down in the valley near what is now Breinigsville lived, before the general migration into this neighborhood, a Trexler family, with whom the Indians were very friendly. Mother Trexler often presented the Indians with gifts and gave them bread, and in return they brought her wild skins and showed friendship to the pale-faces." Peter Trexler died in 1758, and his will, dated 17 Dec. 1744, divides his estate among his widow, Catharine, and three sons and three daughters: Jeremiah,John, Peter, Anna, Catharine and Margaret. The son, Peter, was made executor of the will. Peter Trexler and his wife were both buried in the family cemetery on their farm; but the graves, originally marked by soft sandstones now wasted away, cannot be definitely located. Steps were taken by the Trexler Family Assn. at their reunion 28 Aug. 1907 to restore this ancient burial place of their ancestors, and to place a tablet to the memory of Peter Trexler and wife. Of the daughters of Peter Trexler nothing is known, but in the diary of Rev. John Casper Stoever, 9 Nov. 1732, is the record of the marriage of John George Schumacher and Catharine Trexler, of Macungie. (Found a birth date of 26 Feb. 1679 in Darmstadt, Germany, but need to verify this) John Peter Trexler b. 2/26/1680 in Dettingen, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany arrived in New York about 1709. He and his wife, Catherine Breinig, later were among the first (some say first) settlers in Upper Macungie Township, Northampton County, PA. They raised a large family and were very prominent citizens through the years.
John Peter's parents were Nicolaus Drechsler (1657-1690) & Elizabeth (Zimmerman) Drechsler; records indicate Peter was born in Damstadt, Germany.
(Per L. A. Norman, At the time of his birth, this location was - Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt).
History from Morton Montgomery Biographies, early 1900s:
Peter Trexler comes from one of the oldest and most numerous families in Berks County. It has numbered in its ranks not alone the honest farmer and industrious laborer, but men in every profession, in civil and military life, and its women have been gracious and womanly. Industry has been a marked characteristic of the family. Money has been made and, when spent, spent wisely, even lavishly when given to the less fortunate. Ambition coupled with ability has made leaders of men, and temperate lives have given strength to meet any issue. Peter Trexler came to Berks County some time prior to 1720, settling in Oley township. As early as 5 Sep. 1720, he was one of the petitioners for the erection of the township. It was but a short time afterward, however, that he left Berks County and moved to what is now Upper Macungie township, Lehigh County, a territory that, covered with brush and scrub oak as it was, offered very little in the way of attraction to the early settler, other than an abundance of water, with which it was blessed. He settled near Breinigsville, his land embracing what is [now] the John R. Gonser farm. On 18 Nov. 1729 he obtained from Casper Wister, the patentee, a deed for this land, and this deed is one of the earliest--if not the earliest--in that region. A seven-year residence was required before naturalization, and Peter Trexler did not take out his papers until 1730. He and his family were the first white settlers in Macungie, and Dr. Helfrich, in his history of the various congregations in Lehigh and Berks counties, says, "Way down in the valley near what is now Breinigsville lived, before the general migration into this neighborhood, a Trexler family, with whom the Indians were very friendly. Mother Trexler often presented the Indians with gifts and gave them bread, and in return they brought her wild skins and showed friendship to the pale-faces." Peter Trexler died in 1758, and his will, dated 17 Dec. 1744, divides his estate among his widow, Catharine, and three sons and three daughters: Jeremiah,John, Peter, Anna, Catharine and Margaret. The son, Peter, was made executor of the will. Peter Trexler and his wife were both buried in the family cemetery on their farm; but the graves, originally marked by soft sandstones now wasted away, cannot be definitely located. Steps were taken by the Trexler Family Assn. at their reunion 28 Aug. 1907 to restore this ancient burial place of their ancestors, and to place a tablet to the memory of Peter Trexler and wife. Of the daughters of Peter Trexler nothing is known, but in the diary of Rev. John Casper Stoever, 9 Nov. 1732, is the record of the marriage of John George Schumacher and Catharine Trexler, of Macungie. (Found a birth date of 26 Feb. 1679 in Darmstadt, Germany, but need to verify this) John Peter Trexler b. 2/26/1680 in Dettingen, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany arrived in New York about 1709. He and his wife, Catherine Breinig, later were among the first (some say first) settlers in Upper Macungie Township, Northampton County, PA. They raised a large family and were very prominent citizens through the years.
(Per L. A. Norman, At the time of his birth, this location was - Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt).
History from Morton Montgomery Biographies, early 1900s:
Peter Trexler comes from one of the oldest and most numerous families in Berks County. It has numbered in its ranks not alone the honest farmer and industrious laborer, but men in every profession, in civil and military life, and its women have been gracious and womanly. Industry has been a marked characteristic of the family. Money has been made and, when spent, spent wisely, even lavishly when given to the less fortunate. Ambition coupled with ability has made leaders of men, and temperate lives have given strength to meet any issue. Peter Trexler came to Berks County some time prior to 1720, settling in Oley township. As early as 5 Sep. 1720, he was one of the petitioners for the erection of the township. It was but a short time afterward, however, that he left Berks County and moved to what is now Upper Macungie township, Lehigh County, a territory that, covered with brush and scrub oak as it was, offered very little in the way of attraction to the early settler, other than an abundance of water, with which it was blessed. He settled near Breinigsville, his land embracing what is [now] the John R. Gonser farm. On 18 Nov. 1729 he obtained from Casper Wister, the patentee, a deed for this land, and this deed is one of the earliest--if not the earliest--in that region. A seven-year residence was required before naturalization, and Peter Trexler did not take out his papers until 1730. He and his family were the first white settlers in Macungie, and Dr. Helfrich, in his history of the various congregations in Lehigh and Berks counties, says, "Way down in the valley near what is now Breinigsville lived, before the general migration into this neighborhood, a Trexler family, with whom the Indians were very friendly. Mother Trexler often presented the Indians with gifts and gave them bread, and in return they brought her wild skins and showed friendship to the pale-faces." Peter Trexler died in 1758, and his will, dated 17 Dec. 1744, divides his estate among his widow, Catharine, and three sons and three daughters: Jeremiah,John, Peter, Anna, Catharine and Margaret. The son, Peter, was made executor of the will. Peter Trexler and his wife were both buried in the family cemetery on their farm; but the graves, originally marked by soft sandstones now wasted away, cannot be definitely located. Steps were taken by the Trexler Family Assn. at their reunion 28 Aug. 1907 to restore this ancient burial place of their ancestors, and to place a tablet to the memory of Peter Trexler and wife. Of the daughters of Peter Trexler nothing is known, but in the diary of Rev. John Casper Stoever, 9 Nov. 1732, is the record of the marriage of John George Schumacher and Catharine Trexler, of Macungie. (Found a birth date of 26 Feb. 1679 in Darmstadt, Germany, but need to verify this) John Peter Trexler b. 2/26/1680 in Dettingen, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany arrived in New York about 1709. He and his wife, Catherine Breinig, later were among the first (some say first) settlers in Upper Macungie Township, Northampton County, PA. They raised a large family and were very prominent citizens through the years.
Gravesite Details
The grave site, which originally had about 35 family members, is located in the midst of a new housing development called Trexler Fields. The graves are surrounded by a stone wall and not too many are left standing; could be replacement stone.
