James Wathen

James H. Wathen was a co-founder of El Paso, Illinois. He was born in Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky, in 1816 to Thomas L. Wathen and Mary N. Hubbard Wathen. His father was a Maryland native who migrated to Kentucky during the early westward pioneer movements, while his mother, Mary, was born in Kentucky during the Revolutionary War era. James migrated from Beardstown to Illinois with his family in 1835 when he was just nineteen years old. The family initially settled near Washington.

While his parents remained in Washington—Thomas passing away in Washington in 1848 and Mary in 1858, both buried in Old City Cemetery—in the spring of 1857, James co-founded the town of El Paso, Illinois, alongside George L. Gibson.  Their process actually started in 1852, and it was based on railroad speculation about what would become the TP&W, which was already being staked out.  Wathen and Gibson recognized the need for a village every seven or eight miles along the railroad, and they found some land originally deeded to soldiers of the War of 1812, on which taxes had never been paid. 

Wathen grew into a successful and wealthy local figure, constructing a grand Italianate residence known as the Wathen House in 1858.  We know this building as the Elms of El Paso restaurant, which still stands today.

Often referred to as "Major," James never married. He was elected Mayor of El Paso, serving from 1869 to 1870. James spent the remainder of his long life in the town he helped build, passing away in 1902 at the age of 86, and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in his town.