On this day in 1885 James Bennet Tradewell at his home in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin at the age of either 88 or 93. He was Michael’s 4th Great Grandfather, and was the first of the Tradewell line to move to Wisconsin, arriving in 1844. He was born in Greene County, New York most probably in 1797, however his obituary claims it was about 5 years earlier.
There are no records of James’ early life, and one of our biggest genealogical brick walls is trying to identify his parents and siblings.
James served in the New York State National Guard, and we have records from 1819-1821 that show he was the equivalent of a modern 1st Lieutenant, although his obituary refers to him as a Captain so it’s likely he continued on and was promoted further. There’s also some unconfirmed indications he may have served in the War of 1812, but we haven’t been able to validate that yet.
He married Catherine (Edwards) Ellarson 3 Jan 1820 in Gilboa, New York and it appears they lived in/near this village until they moved to Wisconsin Territory. Catherine was born in 1793, and had been married for 12 years to William Ellarson before he passed in 1818. Mr. Ellarson had significant land holdings in and around Gilboa, which were inherited by Catherine upon his death. One of the parcels was sold to James’ brother Ephriam which became known as “Treadwell’s Taven Stand” in Gilboa, which was located on the plank toll road that ran through the town. Land records show that James and Ephraim and their families lived across Schoharie Creek from each other.
James and Ephraim migrated to Wisconsin in the summer of 1844, with them both settling in Kenosha before James quickly moved to Racine. In Racine James and Caty first settled at Mygatt’s Corner (currently the corner of Hwy 20 and Hwy 31) and in 1852 he sold a 1/4 acre of land the first School District in Mount Pleasant which erected the Mygatts School. James eventually settled near what was then know as “Western Union Junction” (now Sturtevant).
James and Caty (as she was known) had 5 children together: Margaret Mariah, Mary Ann, Aurelia Louisa, Harriet Augusta, and William Ephriam Wesley. Margaret (10) and Aurelia (1) both died young. Mary Ann married James Bogardus in 1844 (Sullivan County, New York) just as her parents were to set out of Wisconsin, so only Harriet and Wesley (as he was known) made the trip. Harriet married twice and ended up in Black River Falls until she passed in 1872. Wesley married Jane Place and eventually inherited Jane’s family farm that would be known to us as the Tradewell farm, about 240 acres near Spring Street and Highway H in Mount Pleasant.