Johann Troxler, a Catholic and mason by trade, was born at the Alsace region of France and arrived at Louisiana about 1721.  As such, he is a certified “First Family” of Louisiana and father of all Troxlers of Louisiana.

Jacques Troxler was born December 4, 1742, at the First German Coast, present-day St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, a son of Jacques Troxler.  This region was called the German Coast because Germans first settled the area in the early 1700s.  Jacques Troxler married Jeanne Dervain about 1767.  She died about 1769, probably in child birth.  Troxler married Elisabeth LeRoux, April 28, 1770, on the German Coast.

Records in the archives at Seville, Spain, document Troxler promised four quarts of rice husks in support of the war effort against the British,that he was able to fire a weapon, and he was a member in the Company of Volunteer Militia of the Second German Coast.  (As the First German Coast became heavily populated with immigrants, Troxler moved further upriver to present-day Saint John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana.)

Gálvez informed his force of 600 men, already on a march of more than 100 miles, to challenge the British at Fort Bute in Manchac, Louisiana, September 6, 1779.  Spain had declared war against the British.  When Gálvez attacked Fort Bute, September 7, 1779, the British, informed of his movement, had already vacated the fort.  The British only left behind about two dozen men.  Gálvez, expecting a four-hundred-man garrison, attacked the fort through heavy ground fog.  After a brief skirmish in which one hapless German grenadier sentry was killed and two others were wounded, the garrison surrendered.  Six British soldiers escaped capture through the fog and made their way to the British Fort at Baton Rouge to notify the commander, Lieutenant Colonel Dickson. The Gálvez force suffered no casualties.  The victory at Fort Bute was hardly a battle, but it gave the Spanish forces under Gálvez their much-needed first victory against the British. The victory also signaled the opening of Spanish intervention in the Revolutionary War on the side of France and the United States.

Gálvez remained at Fort Bute for six days, giving his men time to rest.  He advanced on the fort at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, only 15 miles from Fort Bute.  The Gálvez army included about 398 regulars and 400 militia.  When he arrived at Baton Rouge, September 12, Gálvez found a well-fortified town garrisoned by over 400 regular British army troops and 150 militia.  That force included regulars, some artillerymen, and several companies of Germans from the Third Waldeck Regiment.

Gálvez first sent a detachment of men further up the river to break communications between Baton Rouge and British sites further upriver.  Facing the fort, he was unable to directly advance his own artillery.  He ordered a deceptive thrust to the north through a wooded area, sending a detachment of his poorly trained militia to create disturbances in the forest.  The British turned and unleashed massed volleys in the direction of the disturbance, but the Spanish forces, shielded by substantial foliage, suffered only three casualties.  While the volleys continued, Gálvez dug siege trenches and established secure gun pits within musket range of the fort.  He placed his artillery pieces there, opening fire on the fort, September 21.

The British endured three hours of shelling before they offered to surrender.  Gálvez demanded and was granted terms that included the surrender of the approximate 80 British regular infantry at Fort Panmure (modern-day Natchez, Mississippi), a well-fortified position that would have been difficult for him to take by force.  British losses at Baton Rouge included four killed, two wounded, and about 375 captured, with 30 dying of wounds while in captivity.  Gálvez’ losses included one killed and two wounded.

Jacques Troxler was likely one of the men assembled by Gálvez, who marched to challenge the British at Fort Bute of Manchac, and the fort at Baton Rouge, as local Volunteer Militia units participated in the battles.

The 1784 census, found in the archives at Seville, Spain, for the Second German Coast of Louisiana, Saint John the Baptist Parish, documented Jacques Troxler household to consist of Jacques, his wife Elizabeth, three males under the age of 13, five females under the age of 13, and one female between 13 and 49 years of age. 

Troxler appeared to have done well for himself in later years.  He bought a five arpent farm (an arpent is an old standard French measure equal to about one acre), November 24, 1794.  He paid 2000 piastres for the land which was equal to one hundredth of a pound or 0.0637 U.S. Dollars.  He traded his seven arpent farm for his neighbor’s six arpent farm.

Troxler claimed a tract of land, December 20, 1803, situate on the west side of the Mississippi, that contained 13 arpents in front, and 40 arpents in depth.  It appears he inhabited and cultivated the land claimed and that the same was continually inhabited and cultivated by him for more than ten consecutive years.

Jacques Troxler died April 21, 1809, at Edgard, Saint John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, Second German Coast, and was buried there the following day.  An April 28, 1809 inventory was conducted for his estate.  

Community property was appraised at $25,695.  A large sum for the time, his estate included a farm, 12 arpents wide, located about 37.5 miles above New Orleans, 40 arpents deep, with 40 arpents of cultivable land fenced, having a beautiful main house, an excellent establishment, many pecan trees, and 100 arpents of land suitable for growing crops that was appraised at $12,000.

A public sale, May 16, 1809, including all assets, grossed $34,134.