Phineas Cadwell (1758-1857) was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on February 28, 1757. He enlisted, at age 18, with the 18th Regiment, Connecticut Militia, Captain Merrells' Company in New York from August to September 1776. He subsequently re-enlisted and transferred to at least two other Connecticut line units over the next four years, during which time he was promoted to the rank of corporal. Cadwell was discharged on March 6, 1787, and received a pension for his service.

Phineas married Eleanor Haydon on Christmas Day 1780, and afterwards lived in Harwington, where he kept an inn. Their son, Ebenezer, born in 1787, was a colonel during the War of 1812.

The Cadwells lived in Litchfield for a short time, but in 1801, moved to New York. Phineas farmed and taught school until losing his sight in 1826. Eleanor died in 1841, and eight years later Cadwell came west to Yorkville, Wisconsin to live with his daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Philo Castle. It was here that Phineas helped organize what is now the Union Grove Congregational Church. He was a very active member, leading the singing for a number of years, using a tuning fork to pitch the tune. He was also the church's first librarian and carried the books back and forth in a market basket.

In 1856 Phineas was given a government land grant of 160 acres in recognition of his war service. He died the following year, on February 11, 1857-17 days short of his 100th birthday. Phineas Cadwell is buried in the Union Grove Cemetery located in Union Grove, Section 32, Town of Yorkville, Racine County. The epitaph in his headstone reads: "In my youth I fought for, sought and saw thy prosperity. Free all thy sons. May thy freedom be universal and perpetual.. I leave thee."

To locate Cadwell's grave, take Highway 11 to Union Grove. Turn south where Highway 11 intersects with Highway 45. The cemetery is down the road about ½ mile on the east side. Cadwell's grave is about 40 yards up the middle walk and about 40 yards or so to the left. There is in the cemetery a Wisconsin Historical Marker erected to Cadwell in 2005.

WISSAR Compatriot Charles Larson, of the Captain Hendrick Aupaumut Chapter, is a lineal descendant of Phineas Cadwell.

GPS coordinates -- N42.67319; W088.05119

(Portions reprinted from Solders of the American Revolution Buried in Wisconsin by Robert G. Carroon, who was Curator of Research Collections for the Milwaukee Country Historical Society in 1975.)