James Ludington

James was born in Carmel, New York on April 18, 1827. In 1843, the Ludington family moved from New York to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when James was 16. James and his father, Lewis Ludington, founded Columbus, Wisconsin. == Land developer ==

In 1854, Ludington was involved in a scandal after he filed for the purchase of unsold school land from the state of Wisconsin that was believed to contain some . The sale was challenged when the parcel was identified as containing more land than thought. Ludington platted 360 acres of the land around Pere Marquette in 1867 and sold lots to individuals, developing the town. In the same year, he built a large commercial building, called "The Big Store" that sold a variety of goods. Also at that time Ludington founded the first newspaper in the village, the Mason County Record. Ludington Avenue and James Street are named after him. The streets Lewis, William, Robert, Charles, Harrison, Emily, Lavinia, and Delia are named after his family members. ==Positions==

Ludington was the treasurer of La Crosse Railroad. In Madison, Wisconsin, he served as an alderman and as president of Bank of the West. In Milwaukee, he was vice-president of the Juneau Bank. ==References==