Alexander Trent Jr. (abt. 1729 - 1793)

Born about 3 Mar 1729 in Henrico, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Frances (Scott) Trent — married 27 Sep 1750 (to 1752) in Cumberland, Virginia

Husband of Elizabeth Branch (Woodson) Trent — married 1 Jan 1753 in Goochland VA

Descendants

Died 25 Feb 1793 at about age 63 in Powhatan, Powhatan, Virginia, United States

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Biography

NOTE: There is no documentation establishing "WILLIAM" as a middle name for Alexander Trent. Utilizing suppositional claims to support an enigmatic pedigree likely perpetuates or compounds old errors of fact. Such claims should be deleted from Trent's biography (RLS).

Alexander Trent was born about 3 Mar 1729 in Henrico, Virginia. He was the son of Alexander Trent II and Frances (Archer) Trent.

Alexander Trent was recorded as Alexander Trent, Jr., on his and Frances Scott's marriage certificate. His father, Alexander Trent "Sr" (actually a "Junior" himself) was alive when "Junior" was married. Alexander "Sr" died in 1751, and his father died in 1703 in Henrico County (his Last Will & Testament was probated that year).

His siblings were:

1. Peter Field Trent ( - >1750)
2. Elizabeth (Trent) Archer (~1740 - >1784)

Alexander was a partner in the Mercantile business known as Nathaniel Venable and Company. He was elected as the first justice of the new county of Cumberland, Virginia in 1749 and was Burgess from Cumberland 1765-1771, along with Thomas Jefferson. He was known as Alex Trent of "Barterhill", Cumberland County of Willis River, and Manchester.

Marriages and Children

Alexander was married twice. His wives were:

1. Frances Scott
2. Elizabeth Branch Woodson

His first marriage was to Frances Scott. They were married between 1750 and 1751 (see Reserch Note) in Cumberland County, Virginia. He and Frances had only one child, Frances (Trent) Gay (b.1753)

Frances (the mother) died probably in childbirth or soon afterward. After Frances died, Alexander married 18-year-old Elizabeth Branch Woodson. They were united on 1 Jan 1753 in Goochland County, Virginia. Their children were:

1. Lumina Mira (Trent) Finch (~1748)
2. Elizabeth Trent (~1750)
3. Elijah Trent (1752)
4. Henry Trent (1753)
5. Elizabeth (Trent) Wilson (1756)
6. Obediah H Trent (1758)
7. Pvt. Alexander Trent IV (1759)
8. Francis Trent (1760)
9. Stephen Woodson Trent (~1769)
10. William David Trent Sr. (~1770)
11. Zachariah Trent (1770)
12. Joseph Trent (1773)
13. Josiah Trent (1776)
14. William H Trent (1780)
15. Josiah Trent (1794).

Alexander's possible other children were:

1. John Fielding Trent (~1766)
2. Col. John Archer Trent b. 20 Jan 1769, d. 1839
3. William Peterfield Trent b. 19 May 1766, d. 21 Sep 1799
4. Alexander Trent (~1782).

Alexander died on 25 Feb 1793 at the age of 63 in Powhatan, Virginia, although he was residing in Cumberland County during the 1780s per census records and was enumerated in the 1784 census of Cumberland County, Virginia.

Research Notes

Further research and correction is badly needed.

1. The wrritten bio indicates Alexander's date of birth as exact, but the metadata indicates the date is uncertain.
2. There is a discrepancy in his parent's names: The written bio states "Alexander William Trent III was born on 3 Mar 1729 in Henrico, Virginia to parents Alexander William Trent II and Frances Allen.," but the profile is linked to the profiles of Alexander Trent II and Frances Archer.
3. The following marriage errata was taken out of the bio. One statement said Alexander married Elizabeth Frances Scott on 23 Nov 1751 in Goochland, Virginia, which conflicts with the statement that they were married on 27 Sep 1750.
4. Written bio indicates Alexander and Frances had one child, Frances Trent, born between mid-1751 and late 1752, but the bio is linked to the profile Frances (Trent) Gay who born in 1753. This puts her birth two-three years after his first marriage to Frances AND after his second marriage to Elizabeth.
5. Unlikely chilldren:The statement was made that Frances Trent b. 18 Oct 1753, d. 1780 was the daughter of Elizabeth Woodson. It is not likely that Elizabeth named her first daughter Frances not only after her husband's widow, but also their only child (still living). It is more likely that Henry b.1753, was Elizabeth's first child. It is also unlikely that she had two daughters, both named Elizabeth, born six years apart.
6. The birthdates of Elizabeth's first four children are prior to his marriage to his first marriage to Frances. It is likely some of the children accounted to him and Elizabeth (Elijah, Lumina (Mira), Elizabeth, Henry, Obediah Henry, Francis, Zachariah, Joseph, Jesse, Josiah, and William H. Trent) may belong to another like-named set of parents (cousins-?).
7. There is a birthdate discrepancy for Alexander Trent, the child of Alexander, who was born 10 Oct 1758, d. 29 Nov 1804, but the profile is linked to Pvt. Alexander Trent IV with a birth year of 1759.
8. Alexander's son, Josiah, was born after Alexander's death.

Sources

• West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZJ-DDTZ : 28 November 2018), Alexander Trent and Elizabeth Woodson, 01 Jan 1753; citing Marriage, Goochland, Virginia, United States, county clerks, West Virginia; FHL microfilm.

• Virginia, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1607-1890 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.

• Virginia Extracted Vital Records, 1751

• Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014, 1753.

• Virginia, Compiled Marriages, 1660-1800 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997, 1750.

• Alabama Surname Files Expanded

• Genealogies of Virginia Families, From the William and Mary Quarterly Historical Magazine, Volume V, Thompson-Yates

• Virginia Biography Vol I-II

• The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers Vol IV, Smith Family, p 2167

• Research Notes

• The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Vol II, Mosby Family, p 839

• Virginia Census, 1607-1890; Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp., Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.Original data - Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes. Orig

• Profile

• Smith family records; Cumberland County marriages

• Marriage for Elizabeth Woodson https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRZ6-426

• Virginia Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index

• Find A Grave: Memorial #127785116