He was born on June 1, 1842, in Jersey City to Henry Mackaness Traphagen and Sarah Conselyea. He had a brother, William C. Traphagen.[1] He was the great-grandson of former Jersey City mayor Cornelius Van Vorst. He was a descendant of Willem Traphagen, from Lemgo, Lippe, who settled in Manhattan in 1652. He studied at Rutgers College and Brown University and became an attorney in 1864.
He married Annie Matilda Cambell (1847-1919) on November 9, 1869.[2][3]
He was elected mayor and served one term, from May 4, 1874, to April 30, 1876.[4]
^"Jersey City"(PDF). The New York Times. June 7, 1884. p. 8. Retrieved July 4, 2023. Henry Magnus [sic] Traphagen died in Jersey City a few days ago, ...
^"Hudson County, N.J., Political Notes". The New York Times. May 4, 1874. p. 8. Retrieved July 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Mayor O'Neill, of Jersey City, retires to-day from his official position, and, at noon, Henry Traphagen, the new incumbent, will be sworn in. ...
