Commemorative Biographical Record of the Upper Wisconsin counties of Waupaca, Portage, Wood, Marathon, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Langlade and Shawano, containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of many of the Early Settled Families.

Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co 1895
Copied & transcribed by our dear friend, Elaine O’ Leary 
 

Pages 166-167

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BENJAMIN A. CADY   This well known and popular lawyer of Birnamwood and county attorney of Shawano county, who also has a warm place in every loyal heart as a veteran of the Civil war, is a native of Vermont, having been born in the town of Granville, Addison county, February 11, 1840.
     
Jacob and Betsy (Coolidge) Cady, parents of our subject, were also natives of the Green Mountain State, the father born about 1807; a son of Isaac Cady, a soldier who served under Gen. Stark at the battle of Bennington. The mother's parents were natives of Vermont and New York, respectively.   The Cady family is of Scotch and English descent, and the grandfathers on both sides were early settlers in America, most of their descendants being farmers. Jacob Cady came to Wisconsin from Lowell, Mass., making the trip from Buffalo to Milwaukee in a sailing vessel, and settling near the latter city April 6, 1850. His eldest son, Philander, walked all the way from Buffalo to Milwaukee with his brother-in-law, J. J. Richardson.  At the home of this relative, near Milwaukee, Jacob Cady and his family visited for a while, then fitted out an ox-team and went to the Indian lands near the city of Berlin.  Here Mr. Cady located near a stream now known as Cady's Creek, and proceeded to clear the land and make a comfortable home. He spent the remainder of his life on this place, and there passed away in 1885; the mother still resides on the old homestead with her grandchild.  Jacob Cady, although he had only a common-school education, was a man of unusual ability, and a leader among men. He was possessed of strong will power, was generous to the poor, liberal to the cause of religion and of unbounded hospitality; in the expressive parlance of those early days, it was said that "his latch-string was always out." He was no politician, but was made chairman of the town board, and held other minor offices. The children of this worthy pioneer were five in number: Lucinda L., Philander H., Mary A., Artemus W., and Benjamin A.
  
The subject proper of this sketch, whose name appears at the opening, was but ten years old when his father settled in the wilds of Wisconsin, and his early days will never be forgotten. Wolves and deer were to be seen in the forests, snakes crossed the path through the underbrush, and the nearest neighbor was an Indian whose wigwam was a mile away.  There were no schools for five years after their arrival in the county, but fortunately the boy had been in school in Lowell before he left the East, and under the instruction of his parents pursued his studies at home until he was eighteen years of age, when he entered the high school at Berlin, later going to Milton College. On November 24, 1863, he enlisted in Company I, Thirty-seventh Wis. V. I., of which company he was made clerk; in the spring of 1864 the regiment joined the Ninth Army Corps, at Cold Harbor.  Mr. Cady was in several engagements in front of Petersburg, in one of which, June 19, 1864, he was wounded in the right hand, in consequence of which he was sent to Lincoln Hospital, at Washington, thence transferred to Madison, Wis., where he received his discharge, April 20, 1865. He then returned to the farm, took up the study of law, and in March, 1867, was admitted to the bar of Waushara county, Wis. Opening up an office in his own house he commenced practicing, at the same time carrying on his farm and raising stock. He continued this busy life until l881, when he sold out his interests there and removed to Wood county, engaging in lumbering at Milladore where he remained two years. In the fall of 1883 he closed out that business and came to Birnamwood, where he had made some investments, and entered into the mercantile business which he carried on (at the same time continuing his law practice) until 1892, since which time he has devoted himself entirely to his profession, in which he has been remarkably successful.

Mr. Cady is a Republican in his political views, but has always been too busy to become an office-seeker; his fellow-citizens, however, have honored him by placing him in various public positions. He is now district attorney of Shawano county, having been elected in the fall of 1894. He had previously held the same office in Waushara county, two terms, and for eighteen years was chairman of the town board, during two years of which time he was chairman of the county board; he has been a member of the county board in his county, and is now chairman of the Senatorial committee of this Senatorial District. Socially he is a Royal Arch Mason, being a member of Berlin Chapter and of Pine River Lodge No. 207. 

On May 3, 1864, Mr. Cady was married to Julia A. Shepherd, daughter of Orson A. and Mary (Buck) Shepherd, natives of New York, whence they came to Wisconsin in an early day, first locating in Walworth county, later removing to Waushara county; both are now deceased.  By this marriage Mr. Cady became the father of five children, as follows: Julia E., who married George Smith, and resides near her father; Artemus A., married and residing at Birnamwood; Frank P., a carpenter in Waushara county; Maggie M., residing at home; Myrtle R., who married George Cottrill, and lives in Waushara county. Mr. Cady's second marriage took place October 16. 1881, the bride being Miss Ada L. Empie, who was born in the town of. Lake Mills, Jefferson Co., Wis.;  two children have been born to this marriage:  Blanche A. and Arthur L.   Mrs. Cady's parents, John H. and Mary (Montgomery) Empie, were natives of New York, coming to Wisconsin at an early day; they are still, living in Shawano county. They had three children: Lawrence H., Ada L. and Alice F. Cady is a self-made man with a strong will and great energy, up to forty years of age was a tireless worker in the various pursuits which he engaged, and still continues to labor zealously in his chosen profession.