My Genealogy Hound

Thomas J. Happel, M. D., of Trenton, Tenn., is a native of Hale County, Ala., and was born January 24, 1847. His parents, Philip and Mary J. (Gibson) Happel, were born respectively in Alsace, France (now Prussia) and Middle Tennessee. In 1834 the father, at the age of eighteen years, came to the United States, and served in the Florida war, and afterward located in Alabama, where he followed mercantile pursuits. He died in Trenton, while visiting his son, Thomas J., September 9, 1883. Thomas Happel was reared to manhood in Hale County, Ala. He graduated from the Southern University at Greensboro, Ala., in 1866, and then taught school in the State of his birth about one year and a half. He then located in Trenton, Tenn., accepting the position of professor of Greek and mathematics in Andrew College, and served in that capacity three years. In February, 1871, he entered the medical department of the University of Virginia, and graduated as an M. D. from the same in July, 1871. After returning home he taught a summer session of school to secure means to enable him to further pursue his medical studies, and the following fall entered the medical department of the university of the city of New York, and later secured the position of assistant surgeon in the charity hospital of that city, where he remained four months. He secured a diploma from each of these institution’s, and in the spring of 1872 returned to Tennessee and began practicing at Memphis, but failing in health returned to Trenton, and taught school six months. He resumed practice in January, 1873, and has met with the best of success. December 18, 1872, he and Irene A. Elder were united in marriage. They have two children: Thomas K. and Horace E. Dr. Happel is a Democrat, a member of the K. of P., president of the county board of health, and secretary of the city board of health. He is also secretary of the board of school directors, and is city treasurer. He has been a member of the board of aldermen for the past ten years; is a stockholder and director in the Trenton Cotton Mills and the Trenton Cotton-Seed Oil Mills. In 1864 he joined Company K, Sixty-second Regiment Alabama Infantry, known as the First Alabama Reserves until 1865, and served until the close of the war; was second sergeant of the company, Thomas Seay, the present governor of the State of Alabama, being orderly sergeant.