We have about a 100 year old elm tree that we cut down all the main branches but left the entire 12 ft of the tree.
We dug around the roots with a backhoe and tried to pull it over with chains and tractor, but didn't budge.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get this root and tree out of the ground.
It needs to be mostly out, the ground is heaved and roots were on top of the ground, which made it hard for mowing the grass

thanks

As I read your post, the first thought that came to mind is “why cut down a 100 year old elm?” I’ll assume there were other reasons beside roots making it hard to mow. That problem can be addressed in other ways, but 100 year old elms are hard to replace.

That said, the best way to get rid of the stump is with a stump grinder. Hire a professional to do this, as your tree will require a large machine and they are dangerous to operate, even with training.

First, the trunk is cut close to the ground level. Then the machine comes in and literally shreds the stump and larger roots. You will have to negotiate with the contractor as to what cleanup they will do.

See the report on Stump Grinding on this site, in the Technical Reports section.
Stump Removal