WI BIO - Dane Co - TRAVIS, James
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 361-362

James TRAVIS, one of the pioneers of Fitchburg [Dane County, Wisconsin], was 
born in Greene, Chenango County, New York, 25 March 1825. His father, 
Stephen [TRAVIS], lived in Westchester [Westchester County], and the 
grandfather of our subject, David [TRAVIS], formerly lived in New York City, 
and then settled near Peekskill, Westchester County [NY], where he bought a 
farm and resided there until his death. He [David] became a soldier in the 
Revolutionary War, and the farm where he spent his last years is still 
retained by his family. The maiden name of his [David's] wife was Miss 
BIRDSALL, who lived in England, but spent her last years on the home farm in 
Westchester County [NY]. She [Mrs. David TRAVIS] reared nine children, four 
sons and five daughters: Stephen [father of the subject], Henry, William, 
David, Ann, Esther, Sallie, Mary, and Rachel.

The father of our subject [Stephen TRAVIS] was reared on the farm, but 
learned the trade of cooper, and went to New York City when a young man, 
where he was engaged as carman, until 1812, when he removed to Chenango 
County [NY], and settled in the town of Greene, where he purchased a tract of 
lumber land*, turned his attention to farming and resided there until 1846, 
when he emigrated to the Territory of Wisconsin, and settled in Fitchburg, 
Dane County. Here he [Stephen TRAVIS] bought a farm, on which he spent his 
last days, dying in 1860. The maiden name of the mother of our subject [the 
wife of Stephen TRAVIS] was Mary A. TIMSON, who was born in New York City, 
and died in 1855. The father [Stephen TRAVIS] was a soldier in the War of 
1812. The parents of our subject [Stephen and Mary A. (TIMSON) TRAVIS] 
reared six children, five sons and one daughter: Benjamin, William H. David, 
John, James [the subject], and Catherine. The latter [Catherine nee TRAVIS] 
married John McWILLIAMS. [* The term "timber land" is usually used in these 
old biographies. Perhaps the biographer has used the term "lumber land" here 
to denote timber land from which the valuable pine had not been previously 
removed and sold for lumber.]

Our subject [James TRAVIS] was reared and educated in his native town. In 
his early days there were no railroads near his home, and Binghamton [now in 
Broome County, New York] was the principal market for all that part of the 
State of New York. His [James'] brothers used to raft lumber down the 
Susquehannah River, and each year used to build what they called an ark on 
the raft and fill it with potatoes and other farm produce, and thus take 
these things down to the Chesapeake Bay and thence to New York City. When 
the Chenango Canal was completed, that became a great highway of commerce. 
The first railway train our subject ever saw, was when he was sixteen years 
of age, and the train was on the Erie Railroad. In those days farming was 
conducted in a very different manner from the present. All grass was cut 
with a scythe, and all grain with the sickle. When the cradle was introduced 
it was considered a great invention. Wages were very low, farm hands 
receiving fifty cents a day, or $12 a month.

Our subject [James TRAVIS] came to the Territory of Wisconsin with his 
parents in 1846. They came via the Erie Canal and Chenango canals to Buffalo 
[Erie County, New York], and thence via the lakes to Milwaukee [Milwaukee 
County], and from there by team to Dane County [both at that time in the 
Territory of Wisconsin]. At that time Madison [Dane County] was but a 
village and the surrounding country was sparsely settled, and but little 
improved. He remained here, working by the month, for $12.50 and board, but 
after a time he and another party bought some cattle and took jobs of 
breaking ground for the settlers, which [p 362] proved quite remunerative. 
About the same time he rented land and engaged in raising grain, which he 
marketed at Milwaukee, drawing it there with oxen. It took seven days of good 
weather to make the round trip. He took provisions with him and cooked and 
camped by the way. 

In 1849 he [James TRAVIS] bought his first land, a tract of wild land that is 
now included in his present farm, and for this he paid $7 per acre. In 1854 
he built on the place and has since placed it all under cultivation, erected 
good buildings, and planted fruit and shade and other ornamental trees. He 
has bought other land and now owns 200 acres, seven miles from the capital 
[Madison, Dane County, WI].

In 1852 he [James TRAVIS] was married to Miss Laura A. SUTHERLAND, born in 
Genesee County, New York, 15 August 1826, daughter of Josiah and Sarah 
(WOOLCOT) SUTHERLAND. Of this union [of James and Laura A. (SUTHERLAND) 
TRAVIS] four children have been born: (1) Julia A., (2) Arthur L., (3) 
Sarah M., wife of Howard SIGGLEKOW; and (4) Mary A. 

Mrs. [James] TRAVIS [Laura A. nee SUTHERLAND] died 17 November 1878. Our 
subject [James TRAVIS] is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is a 
Prohibitionist in politics. He has filled various offices of trust and for 
two years served as a member of the County Board of Supervisors.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly