 September 14th marks the anniversary of the unexpected death of Jesse Lee Reno, a career US Army officer who served in the Mexican–American War, the Utah War, the western frontier, and finally, the American Civil War. He was the highest-ranking military officer to die in the line of duty in Frederick County during the decisive conflict of the mid-19th century. This Union general was known as a "soldier's soldier" who fought alongside his men. Gen. Reno had recently opposed his former West Point classmate and friend, Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson, during the Second Battle of Manassas (or Bull Run) just over three weeks earlier. It’s ironic that both of these men, Reno and Jackson, are said to have had poignant conversations with Frederick’s most famous nonagenarian and flag-waver, Barbara Fritchie. This happened in September, 1862 and it has been reported that Reno actually spent time with the patriotic maven just a few days after her alleged “wrangling” with Gen. Jackson.  Barbara and her flag as Gen. Jackson looks on
 A similar view to what Gen. Reno had while traveling west on W. Patrick St. before crossing over Carroll Creek. (Note the replica Barbara Fritchie house on left with flag flying from dormer window). When passing through town on the 12th, Reno and his brother supposedly encountered Barbara waving a small flag while standing in front of her home on West Patrick Street while the Union Army was heading west in pursuit of the Confederates via the National Road. The Renos are said to have witnessed Barbara holding her flag on the south side of the street in front of her home by Frederick’s Carroll Creek. Simultaneously, their eyes were also caught by another resident on the north side of the street, here, by the approach of the bridge crossing over the town creek. This lesser-known figure in the annals of local history lore was another patriotic senior citizen aged in his upper 80s — Rev. Joseph Trapnell. Seeing both these mature individuals caused Gen. Reno to cheerfully call out to his soldiers, “Behold the Spirit of ’76!” This insinuated that both of these Frederick residents were the products of a greater generation who were alive at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (July 4th,1776) and witnessed our country winning the American Revolution. Gen. Reno then told his brother Frank that the aged female civilian reminded him of his deceased mother. With that, the Reno brothers apparently stopped to visit Barbara at her house by Carroll Creek.  Barbara is said to have given the officer currant wine, along with allowing an opportunity to write a letter home from her family desk. As a parting gift, Dame Fritchie allegedly presented Reno with a flag, perhaps the one she supposedly waved at Jackson a few days earlier when she uttered the immortal line made famous by poet John Greenleaf Whittier: “Shoot if you must, this ole gray head, but spare your country’s flag.” Ironically, it would be this flag that would accompany Reno’s dead body on its trip home to Massachusetts for proper burial a few days later.
Gen. Jesse Reno died atop South Mountain on September 14th, 1862 while leading his men against Rebel forces in the vicinity of the Wise Farm at Fox’s Gap. This was the result of a sharpshooter’s bullet as Reno was surveying the field prior to twilight after a long day of battle.    Gen. Reno's death would be a tremendous loss for the Union Army. He would be memorialized with a monument placed where he fell. Reno also has a road named for said monument here in county, but this isn't quite as impressive as the city named for the fallen officer in Nevada. Jesse Reno is buried in Washington D.C.’s Oak Hill Cemetery, and Barbara is, of course, residing in Mount Olivet as she would die just a few months after her meeting with the Union general. A couple hundred yards away from the heroine's grave is that of the other Frederick participant involved in the Reno “Spirit of ‘76” episode. Rev. Joseph Trapnell is buried in Area E/Lot 14.  So, just who was Rev. Joseph Trapnell? Well, there were three individuals (all related) holding that name in September of 1862 when Reno came through town. Representing three generations of this English family, our subject was an immigrant to this country and both father and grandfather to the other two. Ironically, he would not possess the true "Spirit of '76" as he was an English citizen living in Great Britain at the time of the American Revolution. However, he was a Union supporter during the American Civil War, four-score later.  Rev. Joseph P. Trapnell (1775-1870) Rev. Joseph Pearse Trapnell was a former Protestant Episcopal Minister, born in the neighborhood of Tiphill in Ottery St. Mary, Devonshire, England. This civil parish is located ten miles east of Exeter and is known for St. Mary’s Church, dating from 1260. This Gothic masterpiece was consecrated 516 years before the legendary happenings in Philadelphia and the Continental Congress in July of 1776. However, our Rev. Trapnell was born a year earlier on November 8th, 1775 and was likely baptized in the ancient house of worship there near the banks of the Otterly River.  Ottery St. Mary in Devonshire, UK with St. Mary's Protestant Episcopal Church below  Joseph and his sister Eleanor (b. 1759) were the children of John Trapnell (1734-1814) and Martha Leate (1737-1802). I found Trapnell family ancestors living here in Ottery St. Mary dating back to the 1500s, but could be much earlier. I learned nothing of Joseph’s childhood or entry into the clergy, however I did find a marriage entry date of April 24th, 1809 at St. Thomas' Church in Salisbury, England, some 80 miles to the east of his childhood home. A reference hinted that Joseph could have eloped. Regardless, his bride took the form of Harriet Wylds, born January 29th, 1790 in Bemerton, Wiltshire, England. Our cemetery records show that she was the daughter of William and Sarah Wylds of Bemerton.  Harriet (Wylds) Trapnell (1790-1853)  Wiltshire marriage register showing the union of Joseph Trapnell and Harriet Wylds
Always interested in geography, I found this village just outside of Salisbury and located roughly eight miles south of the famed Stonehenge. Bemerton is also eight miles away from Amesbury, the English namesake town for Amesbury, Massachusetts where John Greenleaf Whittier lived and penned his Ballad of Barbara Fritchie in 1863.
 1779 published engraving of Stone Henge I know the couple lived here in Bemerton for at least five years after they exchanged vows because their three children were born here. This included Sarah Trapnell (b. January 10th, 1810), William Henry Trapnell (b. December 12th, 1811) and Joseph Trapnell, Jr. (b. June 19th, 1814). The Joseph Trapnell family would make its way to America and Maryland, with homes I assumed being dictated by his profession as a minister. He was naturalized as a United States citizen on September 25th, 1828, however he had come earlier. I would discover through immigration documents on Ancestry.com that this would be in June, 1819. The family shows up on the Frederick City census in 1820.  I couldn't identify the Trapnell's home in 1820, but, in time, the Trapnells would own many properties in Frederick County including Frederick, Brunswick, Petersville and Middletown. Much of this was done by Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jr. who would serve (later in life) as rector of St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal Church in Petersville in western Frederick County. My assistant, Marlyn Veek, compiled the following report of Trapnell property purchases: Frederick: Joseph Trapnell Sr. bought the lot just east of Carroll Creek, fronting W. Patrick Street, in 1824. Trapnell sold his lot to his sons Joseph and William in 1866. Today it has the address of 155-157 West Patrick Street.  Rev. Trapnell's former home of W. Patrick St. east of Carroll Creek  West view of former Trapnell home located at 155-157 W. Patrick St Berlin (later known as Brunswick): In 1874, Joseph Trapnell Jr. bought Basil DeLashmutt's half interest in two warehouses in Berlin (today’s Brunswick) - a brick one on the south side of the railroad that was occupied by the firm Boteler & Trapnell, and a frame one on the north side of the railroad (possibly the building shown as Butler & DeLashmutt on the 1873 Titus Atlas map). His half interest was sold to William Gross in 1889, after Joseph's death.  Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jr. owned half interest in the warehouses labeled Butler & Delashmutt on the Berlin map on the 1873 Titus Atlas (lower left above the railroad tracks) Middletown: In 1878, Joseph Trapnell Jr. bought a large property at 11 E. Main St. in Middletown. He died in this house that lines the National Road as it enters historic Middletown just prior to the intersection with MD 17(Church Street). After her father's death, Trapnell's daughter, Emily (Trapnell) Beatty, and her husband Dr. Joseph E. Beatty bought the property from his estate. They would sell this in 1902 and move to Baltimore. Dr. Beatty had earlier served as a major (regimental surgeon) in the Confederacy's 2nd Maryland Infantry during the Civil War.  Former Trapnell/Beatty residence on E. Main St in Middletown (white house with green roof to right) Petersville: In 1881, Joseph Trapnell, Jr. bought a small lot in Petersville (1501 Jefferson Pike), which he sold a year and a half later. Presumably when he was the rector at St. Mark's Church, he lived at the Episcopal Parsonage, which is today a private house located at 4032 Petersville Road).  1501 Jefferson Pike on the south side of the road at intersection with Catholic Church Rd  The Episcopal Parsonage in lower right of 1873 Titus Atlas on Petersville Road as it intersects with Jefferson Pike. Note Dr. Joseph Trapnell, Jr's son Richard Watkins Trapnell's doctor's office on the corner. This is an auto repair business today (Blue Ridge Automotive).  Former Episcopal Parsonage that served as a former home to Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jr. Let's get back to our other leading patriot of West Patrick Street, Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Sr. He sold the western portion of his West Patrick Street property to our legendary Frederick diarist Jacob Engelbrecht in the year 1826. This land actually bordered the creek and was situated exactly across from the original Barbara and John Fritchie house. Jacob writes about this with an entry in his diary on April 13th, 1826: “This day I entered into articles of agreement with the Reverend Joseph Trapnell for a lot of ground adjoining Carroll’s Creek (east side) running with Patrick street to within eleven feet of his brick house dwelling and back to within three feet of his brick house. I having the privilege of the passage or alley terms three hundred dollars. One hundred down, one hundred in one year & one hundred in two years without interest. I am to have my deed by the 6 of May next. George Rohr Esquire holds the contract.” Interesting to note that when Rev. Trapnell’s sons (William and Joseph, Jr.) sold their father’s property in 1869, the deed mentions that the sale did not include a 10-foot square parcel situated in the rear of Jacob Engelbrecht's house which had been granted to Engelbrecht to erect a "privy.”  1830 US Census showing Joseph Trapnell and Jacob Engelbrecht as neighbors living on Frederick's W. Patrick St.  Map of Henry Nixdorf showing homes on W Patrick St at the time of the Civil War. to the right of the creek are the former homes of Jacob Engelbrecht (demolished) and Rev. Joseph Trapnell (far right) Engelbrecht and Trapnell went on to have a lifelong friendship and mutual respect as neighbors. This can be evidenced by Rev. Trapnell having Jacob as a witness to his own last will and testament in 1840, and again with a revision in 1860. Jacob also made an entry heralding Rev. Trapnell’s naturalization date, mentions a number of local weddings administered by the clergyman and discusses additions and improvements that Rev. Trapnell made to his home from time to time.  This photograph is attributed to be Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Sr. When looking through J.T. Scharf’s 1882 History of Western Maryland for references to Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Sr., I found an interesting reference (on pg 518) saying that both Joseph and wife Harriet became members of Frederick’s Baptist Church on May 23rd, 1827. However, the anecdote states that Joseph was excommunicated on July 25th, 1829. He would switch teams and join the Protestant Episcopal Church and was ordained in 1835 by a Bishop Stone. He became rector of St. Peter's Church in Montgomery County. From 1836-1844, Rev. Trapnell served as rector of Urbana’s Zion Protestant Episcopal Church. I also found that in 1837, he was a "professor of grammar" at St. John's College in Annapolis. This was the same school that Francis Scott Key attended at the turn of the 19th century. I saw several advertisements of him marrying local couples here and in Montgomery County into the 1840s. Rev. Trapnell's greatest accomplishments were raising his children into adulthood and moving to America. He guided his sons toward careers with the church. As for his daughter, Sarah, she would marry in 1837, but would not be far from her father throughout her life. Sarah married a local man named Asfordby Beatty (b. 1807), a descendant of early Frederick settler Susannah (Asfordby) Beatty who came here in the 1730s from Kingston, New York. Sadly, their marriage together was short as he would die in 1848, leaving her with at least four boys to care for. A year prior in 1847, Sarah had lost a 10-month-old daughter, Sarah Ellen. She would move back into the family home on West Patrick Street and can be found living here in both the 1850 and 1860 censuses with her parents and sons.  1850 US Census showing Trapnells living in Frederick  Baltimore Sun (July 16, 1853) Rev. Trapnell's beloved wife, Harriet, would die suddenly on June 13th, 1853. Jacob Engelbrecht took time to report this loss in his diary, and a short announcement appeared in the Baltimore Sun. Mrs. Trapnell was buried in All Saints' Burying ground before being brought to Mount Olivet where she was later laid to rest in Area E/Lot 14 on December 23rd, 1854. Mount Olivet would not open until May, 1854 and at some point Sarah would re-bury her husband Asfordby, and daughter Sarah Ellen Beatty, here as well on December 15th, 1863 in Area F/Lot 68. This was less than five months before her own death. As for Sarah Beatty, she was likely at arms reach to her father as he cheered Gen. Reno and the Union soldiers on September 12th, 1862. She would die less than two years later on April 6th, 1864 at the age of 54. Not only did Jacob Engelbrecht write about her death in his diary, he mentioned the honor of serving as a pall bearer for her funeral along with leading citizens Edward Trail, George W. Delaplaine and Valerius Ebert.
In retirement, Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Sr. filled his time with his grandchildren and served on the Board of Directors of the Frederick Town Savings Institution in the late 1850s and early 1860s. After the death of his daughter and the end of the Civil War, it was decided best that he live with his son, Rev. Joseph, Jr. in the small village of Petersville. The younger Rev. Trapnell was the rector here at this time, and we discussed his living arrangements earlier in the story while taking charge of St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal Church. Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Sr. appears in the 1870 US Census living here. This enumeration was taken in the early summer of that year.  Maryland Union (July 15, 1863)   1870 US Census showing Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Sr. living with his son and family Just a few months later, the English immigrant would pass on September 5th. His body would be brought to Mount Olivet for burial.  Maryland Union (Sept. 15, 1870)  Rev. Trapnell's gravestone in Mount Olivet's Area E/Lot 14. Both of Rev. Trapnell's sons followed in his profession as ministers of the gospel. William Henry Trapnell was a 1838 graduate of Bristol College in Pennsylvania. I found him in York, Pennsylvania after graduation and then delivering sermons at St. Andrew’s Protestant Episcopal Church, Wilmington, Delaware in 1841. A few years later he can be found in Cincinnati, Ohio and eventually become rector of St. Ann’s Protestant Episcopal Church in Amsterdam (Montgomery County), New York located northwest of Schenectady and Albany.  1855 New York State Census showing Rev. William H. Trapnell as a resident of Amsterdam, NY  St. Ann's Church in Amsterdam, NY
While there, Rev. W. H. Trapnell courted a profound, local woman named Mercy Annie Allen (1832-1908) for a few years. Ms. Allen was well educated and was an instructor at a school destined to become New York University. In 1872, Reverend Trapnell left Amsterdam for a parish in Upper Marlboro, Maryland at which time Annie and he finally married. She was 40, he was 60. He died four months later here in Upper Marlboro, the county seat of Price Georges County. I learned that the new Mrs. Trapnell would not remarry, but would dedicate herself to the cause of advancing women. Her true claim to local fame was in establishing a local library for her town and also The Century Club in 1895. This latter achievement is still revered today in Amsterdam as her philanthropic and educational drive occurred at a time when women had not been received into full intellectual equality with men. Ms. Allen, knowing there were other women who shared her interest in books and study, invited twenty five friends to become the charter members of the Shakespeare-Browning class. These twenty five friends invited four friends each. When they met in one place, there were a hundred women searching for culture, self-improvement and knowledge. By 1908, the time of "Annie" Trapnell's death, the membership of The Century Club had increased to 250 women. The Century Club still operates today, and St. Ann's would receive a memorial pulpit dedicated to Rev. William Henry Trapnell. Both Rev. Trapnell and wife Mercy Annie (Allen) Trapnell are buried in Amsterdam, New York's Green Hill Cemetery.
Joseph Trapnell, Jr. was ordained by a Bishop Moore and further educated at St. John's College in Annapolis, graduating in February of 1840 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. The prior year, he had married Emily Green Watkins of Annapolis and was already serving as rector of Trinity parish in Upper Marlboro in Prince Georges County. He and Emily would eventually be the parents of at least four sons and three daughters.
 1850 Census showing Joseph Jr. and family living in Baltimore Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jr. eventually "took the reins" of St. Andrews Church in Baltimore, but ran into some major troubles within the church fold. This would lead to a trial. This incident led to a trial, reports of which were carried in newspapers throughout the country. Trapnell would eventually be exonerated, but was forced to move his family north to Bristol, Rhode Island and next to the mid-west for a while.  Early photograph of Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jr.
 I invite you to check Amazon.com to purchase a book for more on Rev. Trapnell's trial. Cost is $21.75 for a reprinting. Full Title: "Report of The Trial of The Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jun., Before The Standing Committee of The Diocese of Maryland, Sitting as an Ecclesiastical Court, in St. Andrew's Church, Baltimore, on Tuesday, the 23d; Wednesday, the 24th; Thursday, the 25th; and Friday, the 26th, 1847.  Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jr. in the Iowa 1850 Census living in Keokuk, Iowa
The Trapnells eventually moved to Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa, where a new Protestant Episcopal church, St. John's, had recently been built. Missions were also being formed as Iowa had just received statehood in late 1846. The family would be back living in Frederick County by the early 1860s as Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jr. would serve St. Mark's Church in Petersville.  At its height, St. Mark's Parish consisted of four churches: St. Mark's, Petersville; St. Luke's, Brownsville; Grace Church, Brunswick; and St. John's, Burkittsville. The churchyard at St. Mark's Church in Petersville contains numerous monuments from the community's prominent families, including Francis Thomas, Maryland politician and congressman who served as the state's governor from 1842 until 1845. Due to the shift of population from Petersville to Brunswick in the early-20th century, St. Mark's Church dwindled and finally closed its doors in 1966. The church is today home to the St. Mark's Apostolic congregation. Rev. Trapnell's wife, Emily, died in March, 1862 and and she was laid to rest in the family plot in Mount Olivet purchased eight years earlier by her father-in-law. It's not known when the sizeable monument was placed over the grave of Harriet Trapnell, now joined by Emily. Rev. Trapnell, Jr. would remarry. His second wife was Ellen C. (Frazier)Marshall (1825-1891), widow of John H. C. Marshall. She would eventually be buried in this plot upon her death, four years after her new husband. Three other children of Joseph, Jr. are buried here in Area E/Lot 14: William Trapnell (1847-1874), Fannie M. Trapnell (1946-1900) and Ella Trapnell (1851-1912), the latter is unmarked. As for Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jr., he died in Middletown on October 3rd, 1887. Now his name would be carved on the gravestone's eastern face. 
We started this article talking about the American Civil War and it is very etched upon my mind as of late as I am currently teaching a four-week course entitled "Frederick in the Civil War" under my History Shark Productions brand. With Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Jr's enthusiastic support of General Jesse Reno in September, 1862, he followed up by making a generous contribution less than a year later after the Battle of Gettysburg for the care of Union soldiers. One would think the man, and his family, were avid and loyal supporters of the Union cause. That brings us to Rev. Trapnell's namesake grandson Joseph, Jr. who was a southern sympathizer and secessionist.  Joseph Trapnell III (1842-1912) In Jacob Engelbrecht's diary, I found this entry dated August 2nd, 1862: "More Arrests - Last night (near 10 o'clock Friday August 1 1862) the Provost Marshal entered the shoe store of J.F. Hill (middle store of German Reformed building) and arrested Mordaunt C. Winchester, Adolphus Fearhake, Junior, Francis Brengle, James McSherry Junior, J.R. Hill, Joseph P. Pope, Joseph P. Myers, Milton G. Urner and Joseph Trapnell of Jos Junior. Subsequently, they arrested Thomas E. Pope, John Myers. Winchester, Fearhake, Brengle, McSherry, Trapnell, & Pope were released on Sunday night 9 o'clock August 17 1862 by taking the oath of allegiance to the United States."  Frederick Examiner (Aug 20, 1862)  Joseph Trapnell III grave in Zion Episcopal Churchyard in Charles Town, WV This Joseph Trapnell's life story is equally interesting and we can again thank his grandfather (Rev. Joseph Trapnell, Sr.) for help making it possible. Here is a transcript of an obituary for this gentleman from a Charles Town, WV newspaper called the Spirit of Jefferson and published March 19th, 1912: "Joseph Trapnell III of Charles Town, W Va, died Saturday, am March 16, 1912. Born in the city of Annapolis, Md, September 1, 1842. A grandson of Rev Joseph Trapnell, who was born at Ottery, St Mary, Devonshire, England, November 8, 1775. Oldest son of Rev Joseph Trapnell, D D, who was born at Bemerton, Wiltshire, England, June 19, 1814. Our subject's boyhood days were spent in Baltimore, Bristol, R I , and Keokuk, Iowa, where his father was rector of churches in these places. He commenced the study of law in the office of Belknap & Lomax, at Keokuk, Iowa, in 1859. In 1861 (his father having moved to St Mark's parish, Frederick Co, Md) he continued his legal studies with Joseph Palmer, esq, a noted attorney of Frederick, Md, until Sept 1862, when he entered the Confederate Army on the 12th, Company G, 7th Va Cavalry, where he remained until the late fall of 1864, when he joined the Maryland Battalion, which had the honor of being the last part of the noble army of northern Virginia to surrender. In the summer of 1865 he continued his interrupted studies in the office of the late N S White, esq, at Charles Town, W Va. In Oct, 1866, he was admitted to the bar at Frederick, Md, and commenced the practice of his profession with his late preceptor, N S White, making the firm of White & Trapnell. On Nov 20, 1866, he was united in marriage in Zion Church, Charles Town, with Miss Rebecca Holmes White, only child of his preceptor and partner. The Rev Joseph Trapnell officiated. His long useful life in the practice of his profession was spent in this ancient and beautiful town. He was chancellor of the diocese of West Virginia, a lay deputy to the general convention of the church, which meets every three years, since 1889; a vestryman, of Zion church, Charles Town, or warden, for upwards of forty years. Throughout the whole valley of Virginia, especially, and in all parts of the state and adjoining states of Virginia and Maryland, in many parts his professional ability made him much sought after - especially in the intricacies of the great science, he was known to be a master of the law. Respected, honored, loved by the whole community, after a life spent there of nearly 47 years, he will be missed in the church and state. He leaves a widow and one sister. His brother is Dr R Watkins Trapnell, of Point of Rocks, and his sister Miss Ella Trapnell, of Middletown, Md." Joseph Trapnell III is buried in Zion Cemetery in Charles Town as are many of his siblings and children. One of these is his oldest son, Benjamin Trapnell (1867-1926) who joined the US military, but his stay was brief.  Benjamin Trapnell (great grandson of Frederick's Joseph Trapnell, Sr.) Benjamin and several cousins attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland—although Benjamin's military career was cut short by an infamous hazing incident. On August 31st, 1883, Captain Ramsay convened a court-martial to try the third-class cadets accused of violating the Hazing Law. The court-martial made national news and received daily coverage in the New York Times and other large newspapers. The first cadet tried was Benjamin Trapnell, who had the most numerous and serious hazing charges against him. Trapnell’s alleged acts included making some fourth-class cadets stand on their heads while wearing only nightshirts, making another sit cross-legged in his hammock while he swung the hammock until the underclassman was thrown to the deck, and making another lie motionless in a tank in the washroom for ten minutes. The court convicted Trapnell.  New York Times (Sept 13, 1883) Several other cousins were officers in the United States Army as was Benjamin's brother, Wallace Probasco Trapnell, who served in the Signal Corps. Following his father, Frederick Mackay Trapnell attended the Naval Academy, graduated, and was commissioned an ensign in 1923. Frederick Trapnell was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. After serving for two years at sea on board the battleship USS California and the cruiser USS Marblehead, Trapnell was assigned to Naval Air Station Pensacola in 1926 for flight training, thus beginning his career as a naval aviator.  Trapnell on far right
 Frederick M. Trapnell at right Frederick M. Trapnell was the first US Navy pilot to fly a jet aircraft, was considered the best, most experienced naval test aviator of his generation, co-founded the branch's first test pilot school, and played a pivotal role in both the development of future Naval aircraft and the survival of the post-World War II Navy's air arm. In 2015, Trapnell was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Trapnell was appointed as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea, effective April 29, 1950. He immediately put his extensive aviator experience to use in order to increase efficiency. Among other innovations, Trapnell revised the system and apparatus utilized for carrier take-offs, considerably streamlining the amount of time expended for the procedure. In February 1951, he was promoted to rear admiral and became- in March- deputy commander of both Sandia Base and the Field Command Armed Forces Special Weapons Project at Albuquerque, New Mexico. He served in this capacity until April 1952 and soonafter medically retired with the rank of vice admiral. After the Navy, Frederick M. Trapnell worked as a consultant for Grumman Aircraft for the next 23 years and became a sailing enthusiast. On April 1st, 1976, the air field at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland's St. Mary's County was officially named "Trapnell Field" in his honor.  Patuxent River Naval Air Station (Trapnell Field) Airport with the Chesapeake Bay in the background  Frederick W. Trapnell was a cousin of Bataan Death March survivor, Thomas John Hall "Trap" Trapnell (1902–2002), a United States Army lieutenant general. He was the son of Joseph H. Trapnell, Jr. (1871-1922), son of Joseph Trapnell III of Charles Town. This gentleman was a West Point grad and career officer who served in World War II and the Korean War. Trapnell survived the Bataan Death March and the sinking of two transportation ships during World War II, put down a rebellion of prisoners of war in the Korean War, was the top US advisor to the French during the French Indochina War, and advised against US involvement in Vietnam. He rose to the rank of three-star general before his military retirement and, at the time of his death, was the oldest living member of the Philippine Scouts.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Trapnell's brother, Walter Scott Kennedy Trapnell, rose to the rank of commander in the United States Navy during World War II. Commander Trapnell, was a 1921 graduate of the United States Naval Academy who married five times and was forced to leave the Navy when an investigation allegedly uncovered evidence that he was operating a bordello while stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. His wife had attended Radcliffe College and was a member of an old Massachusetts family.
Enter son Garrett Brock Trapnell (1938-1993), the most infamous Trapnell of them all. His parents were divorced when he was 4, and he lived his younger years with his mother in Massachusetts. Garrett dropped out of high school, and lived for a time in a brothel in Panama City and joined the Army at the age of 17. He served at Fort Hood, Texas where an uncle was the commanding general, but he developed a long record of infractions and was finally discharged after he shot himself, apparently accidentally. This led to a colorful career as a con man, bank robber, and aircraft hijacker of the 1960s and early 1970s. Trapnell robbed a string of banks in Canada, frequently posed as an agent of the Central Intelligence Agency, masterminded a $100,000 jewelry store heist in Freeport, Bahamas, and simultaneously maintained marriages with at least six women. When arrested for his crimes, he frequently feigned madness and successfully used the insanity defense to be committed to mental institutions, from which he would later escape or be released on the grounds that he was no longer dangerous. While serving life imprisonment for the hijacking of a TWA passenger airliner in 1972, he was the subject of a book, The Fox Is Crazy Too, written by journalist Eliot Asinof.
Our subject, Joseph Trapnell, Sr., gave rise to American patriots just like his neighbor Barbara Fritchie who was a poster child for inspiring countless others. The Protestant Episcopal minister had a lineage that gave us at least three great, great grandsons who would shine through their military duty to his new country of the United States of America and countless other descendants who continue to make important contributions. Unfortunately, there is always one bad apple in every bunch. That would be his scoundrel great, great, great grandson who was not a shining legacy to say the least. You can't win them all, I guess, but what a fascinating history of a family progenitor buried in Frederick's Mount Olivet —one of oh, so many fascinating progenitors.  Author's Note: Great information (and photographs) for this Trapnell family can be found via Findagrave.com, Byrnefamily.net and the Virginia Historical Society. Frederick M. Trapnell, Jr. wrote a great deal of articles and participated in interviews discussing his father's military service. Many photographs exist online thanks to his vast collection.
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