Mineral Point, Iowa County, Wisconsin

The other night, I was idly looking around for info about Mineral Point for a booklet I am writing about Samuel Drew. I found this http://www.mineralpoint.com/ most excellent website. The 4 minute video is well worth a look.

I sent off an e-mail, and received this in reply.
"Geoff,

Thanks so much. It's always fun to get messages like yours. Things are going well here in Mineral Point. I hope they are in your part of the world too. If you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello."

This morning, there was this in my inbox:

"Hello

Joy Gieseke from the Mineral Point Chamber of Commerce forwarded your message about Samuel Drew in Mineral Point in 1870. I did find Samuel and Jane Drew on the 1870 US Census, living in Mineral Point. Samuel was age 25, occupation "carpenter", birthplace, England, personal property worth $600; Jane E. was age 23, birthplace England. They had two daughters, Mary E., age 2, born in Maine and Jane E, 7 months, born in WI. The census was taken in July of 1870.

I think you already have all of the above information, but I also note the following on the same census page (which often indicates neighbors): John and Richard Wearne, iron foundrymen (the Wearne Foundry was a noted Mineral Point industry in the mid 1800's -- a photo of an iron chair attributed to the Wearne Foundry is on the Mineral Point Historical Society website http://www.mineralpointhistory.org/collections.html

Even more interesting, the Drew's next door neighbor (or at least the neighboring census record entry) is Isaac Tamblyn. "Tamblyn's Row" is one of the buildings at Pendarvis, the Wisconsin Historical Society's historic site in Mineral Point. I didn't find a photo on the web of Tamblyn's Row, but I know I have one on a different computer and could send it to you, if you like.

Thanks for your information about the Drews. It seems that several mining families traveled from Cornwall to Wisconsin to Australia over the years -- there are other Mineral Point families with branches in Australia.

Regards,

Nancy Pfotenhauer

Mineral Point Historical Society"

I am now waiting for a reply to the message I sent off to the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum http://www.waukeshacountymuseum.org/siteMap.asp

So, if anyone is passing through Wisconsin at any time, drop in to Mineral Point. It sounds like a great place to visit, and from the stories in the newsletter, a nice place to live as well.

Chris has pointed out to me that the Mayor of Mineral Point is a BENNETT. I wonder ....

Harry's Doings, November 2007

Here are some clippings from the Toowoomba Chronicle of 12 November 2007.

Dad should be out of hospital this weekend. He is having some treatment for the cancer which has invaded his body, but there is no chance of any "cure", as such. Whether he makes his 90th birthday or not is now entirely up to his strength and resilience.

Belated Season's Greetings

Things have been a bit hectic here, and not in a good way. On Christmas Eve, my niece Zoe (the one that bears a striking resemblance to one of Janet's daughters) was knocked off her pushbike by a passing vehicle and spent most of Christmas Day in theatre having both femurs pinned. She will be in hospital for about 4 weeks. On Boxing Day, I received a call to say that Dad wasn't too well, so we visited him the next day. Then, in the wee small hours of Sunday morning he suffered a bad hypoglycaemic event and is currently in hospital for tests and observation. He isn't terribly well at all, but his message to us is "There's no use in worrying".

A fairly recent photo of Harry.

As you can see from the photo, worrying isn't something that Dad does much of.

Happy New Year 2008 to you all.