Since Colonial times, the land that came to be known as the Keystone State has beckoned for those looking for freedom and the pursuit of happiness. In 1765, Richard and Thomas Penn, the sons of William Penn, sold their inherited property from the historic Manor of Maske, and colonists flocked to south central Pennsylvania. Soon the Marsh Creek settlement was formed, with many chief inhabitants that included the patriotic Samuel Gettys and his son James.
With the onset of the American Revolution, Sam Gettys dug deeply into his pockets to help fund the struggling Continental Army. The Americans eventually won the victory, but were unable to repay Mr. Gettys. Rich in land but now without funds, Samuel decided to sell his massive property in order to keep himself financially stable.
Samuel’s son James purchased many of his father’s land holdings and in turn sold them in parcel lots in 1786. One of the first buyers was a native Pennsylvanian, the son of German immigrants who came from Switzerland, named John Troxell. Little did he realize that he would become the first settler of what has become the world-famous town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
By the time the borough was officially incorporated in 1806, John Troxell had already set up a place of residence as well as a business – a tavern known as The Sign of the Buck. Already married with two sons and a daughter, John and his wife, Elizabeth, welcomed their fourth child, Abraham, shortly after their move to Gettysburg.
John was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, who fought with the Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment in the Colonels Company.
When John Troxell died in 1855 at the age of 94, according to his tombstone in Evergreen Cemetery, he left 10 children, 71 grandchildren, 120 great-grandchildren, and 20 great-great grandchildren to mourn his passing. It was quite a legacy that continues in Gettysburg today, with the tenure of one of John’s descendants, Mayor William Troxell, who prefers that everyone just call him Bill.
“You can imagine the number of people I am related to today,” he says with a smile. Born in the Gettysburg house where he still resides with his wife, Honey, Bill has served as Gettysburg’s mayor since 1997. “Mayor Linn had died and I was appointed to fill his term. I have been reelected three times since then.” He hopes that his tenure continues, and is running for reelection in November. By serving as Gettysburg’s mayor, Bill also completes a lesser known Troxell legacy: in every generation, beginning with John Troxell and continuing through Bill, there has always been a Troxell on the Borough Council. Bill is the 6th generation Troxell to serve the community of Gettysburg, literally following in the footsteps of his illustrious progenitor.
A closer look at Mayor Troxell reveals someone with a rich family heritage, and a man who has inherited many of his ancestors’ talents and compassions. He is justifiably proud of his progenitors – and would rather talk about them than himself.
“John Troxell, my great-great-great grandfather, was a Revolutionary war veteran and the first sutler and settler in Gettysburg,” he explained. “His son, Abraham was the first baby born in Gettysburg. He was a carpenter and fought in the War of 1812.”
Bill knows exactly where John Troxell’s house stood in Gettysburg. It was situated where the Adams County Courthouse now stands – on the corner of Baltimore and Middle Streets. His tavern, The Sign of the Buck, had been established on the site where the James Gettys Hotel is now located on Chambersburg Street.
Vestiges of the Troxell family can be found during the Civil War as well. “My great-grandfather, Jacob Troxell, owned a carriage factory on the second block of East Middle Street. After the battle of the first day at Gettysburg, Confederate snipers occupied the second floor of the factory. On the second day of the battle, Union soldiers opened their cannons on it. It was the heaviest damaged building in the Borough.”
One of the Confederates left in such a hurry that he left behind his boot pistol. Bill still has the artifact in his possession. He also has an 1851 Tower Rifle that his grandfather, Jacob’s son Harry, found on Culp’s Hill after the battle. The two guns are still in mint condition, and Bill treasures them. They are not just reminders of the epic history that happened here, they are also a connection to his relatives who found them so many years ago.
What ever happened to the unfortunate carriage factory? A total of nine Union shells were embedded in the building as the smoke cleared on July 4, 1863. “There was a total damage of $310. That was a lot of money in those days,” Bill said. Jacob’s sons petitioned the United States government for compensation and won their case. “And do you know why?” Bill asked. “It was because Union shells caused the damage. Had Confederates done it, my great-grandfather wouldn’t have received a penny.”
Searching his ancestry has created a distinguished historian in Bill Troxell. When he’s not busy with his civic duties, he spends a lot of his spare time on the battlefield, as a licensed battlefield guide for Gettysburg National Military Park. Eager to share what he knows with the visitors who come from all over the world, Bill never tells them he’s the mayor. But, they usually find out when Bill meets acquaintances and fellow guides while on the battlefield. He has visited the White House, had the opportunity of playing golf with Ike, and has met with governors and countless visiting dignitaries.When reminiscing about his golf game with General Eisenhower, Bill recalled that he was unusually tacit. “I didn’t say anything to him,” he said. “At the time I was a Captain in the Army Reserves and had a lot of respect for him.”
Ike definitely had a presence that commanded respect, but, Bill averred, “He was a nice guy.” His temper did, though, flare a bit when one of his balls was snared in a sand trap. Ike tried three times to get it out, and Bill said, “You could tell by his language that he’d been in the army.”
Bill is a veteran of World War II. “I was drafted at 18,” he remembered. “I graduated one day and the next day I was sworn in.” He went to Florida for basic training and was held over as an instructor at Camp Blanding. He was disappointed that he never got to see action overseas. “My father was a Buck Sergeant who was in France in World War I,” Bill explained, “and my brother was a Staff Sergeant in France and Germany in World War II. And where was Bill? Florida!” However, Bill has served a total of fifteen years in active and reserve duty with the United States Army.
At war’s end, Bill attended college in Williamsport, where he met a young woman named Honey Totten. Christened as Ellen, Honey got her nickname from her father, a term of endearment. Soon, everyone who knew her was calling her by her nickname. “If you call her Ellen, she won’t know you’re talking to her,” her husband said.
At one point in her life, Honey tried to go back to her christened name. “I was at church, in a group of young people," she said, "and we were asked to introduce ourselves.” She thought perhaps the time had come to be Ellen again. “The pastor looked over at me and said, ‘Honey, why don’t you start?’ and I thought, ‘well, that’s that!’ And I’ve been Honey ever since!”
Honey met her future husband when they both attended college. She saw him one day on campus, driving his car – and she wanted a ride. The young veteran with the brand new Ford was only too happy to comply.
“It was snowing and I wanted to get out,” Honey said. “So he took me out. We drove into the mountains and got stuck in the snow!”
Bill worked strenuously to get the car out of the snow, eventually succeeding, and Honey was convinced that “he was just wonderful.” Now married for 57 years, they have a son, Bill Jr., and a daughter, Penny. They have two granddaughters, Kristi and Melissa, one grandson, Travis (a Civil War enthusiast like his grandfather), and one great-granddaughter, Caton (Kristi’s daughter). They are also the proud owners of their toy poodle, Sassie. The beloved pet, now ten years old, came from a litter of puppies in nearby Orrtanna. Sassie is almost as well known as her owners, having been the subject of a recent article on the area’s mayoral dogs.
Many years have passed since John Troxell opened his tavern near the Gettysburg Diamond. He would undoubtedly be pleased to know that his descendant still lives in the town he helped to settle, and is maintaining the centuries-old community service John Troxell began. And the citizens of Gettysburg feel secure in knowing that their town is in good hands.
Whether he’s at a civic luncheon with area dignitaries, showing tourists from Europe where Pickett charged, or enjoying a quiet moment with his family, Bill Troxell continues the legacy that began over two centuries ago in the borough that he calls “the best known small town in the world” – a place he dearly loves – called Gettysburg.
Many thanks to Bill and Honey Troxell for the interview granted on January 16 and 21, 2009. Additional information gleaned from the Adams County Historical Society and Evergreen Cemetery.
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