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Biography For Charles Bardeen

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Author:
Bill Hart

Background:

Charles Bardeen was born in Brookfield, Madison County, NY on September 23, 1850 to Rasselas and Marie (Palmer) Bardeen. When young Charles was four, his parents moved the family to a farm in Albion, Dane County, WI.  Charles attended the local schools in the district and graduated from Albion Academy in 1870.  He entered UW-Madison but had to quit school because of his poor eyesight.  In December 1871, he moved to Colorado and for the next two years clerked in hardware stores in Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Del Norte.  Returning to Wisconsin in 1873, he studied law in the office of J.P. Towne in Edgerton until September 1874, when he re-enrolled in law school at UW-Madison.  In June of 1875, after earning his law degree, he was admitted to practice in both Wisconsin and United States courts.

Accomplishments:

His first destination was Wausau, where he began  a practice with Roger C. Spooner. Soon Carl H. Mueller joined the firm, now known as Mueller, Spooner & Bardeen.  In 1876 Mr. Spooner retired, leaving the firm of Mueller & Bardeen until 1877, when the partnership was dissolved.  The firm operated as Kellogg & Bardeen until Mr. Kellogg died in 1882.  In 1883, the law firm of Bardeen & Mylrea was formed, and a year later the Honorable Judge Louis Marchetti became a member of the firm.  This partnership continued until 1892 when Mr. Bardeen assumed the duties of the office of judge of the circuit court.  In April 1897, with the unanimous support of the bar of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, Judge Bardeen was re-elected without opposition.  He was appointed to the state Supreme Court in 1898, fulfilling the term of Alf. W. Newman, who died in office.  Six years later, Mr. Bardeen himself would also die in office.

Charles Bardeen was married on June 17, 1876 in Albion, WI to Miss Frances H. Miller of Albion.  Judge Bardeen was prominent in Masonic circles and in 1892 was Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons.  As an interested educator, Mr. Bardeen also served as Wausau school district superintendent.  The Honorable Charles Bardeen, at the young age of 52, died in office on March 20, 1903 in Madison, WI.  He is buried in the family lot on the original Bardeen homestead in Edgerton, WI.

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Other Information

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Date of Birth: 9/23/1850

Place of Birth: New York

Date of Death: 3/20/1903

Place of Burial: Bardeen Family Cemetery Edgerton, WI

Race: W

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