Clan William: The Mines of Platteville and Eddie Lee Dalen

Early Lead Mines of NW Illinois/SW Wisconsin

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson >  Samuel (2d) Munson > Calvin Munson > Randil Munson > Harlow B Munson > Lucy J Munson > Eddie Lee Dalen

Many of my ancestors relocated to Southwest Wisconsin from places like Ohio (both the Munsons and the Smiths, where their combined story started in Grant County). There were many opportunities in the Driftless Area that included all of Southwest Wisconsin. The Driftless Area was marked by the more rugged terrain than that of its neighboring plain states. This area was bypassed by the last continental glacier eons ago.

This terrain also made it prime for mining. The existence of valuable lead was discovered before the White Man settled the area. In the 1820s, mining began from Galena, Illinois north up the Galena River into Wisconsin. Thousands of Cornish miners flocked the area to work the mines, something they had generations of experience with in their native Cornwall, England. As time went on, many of those miners moved on to new mines in Michigan and elsewhere. I mention this because I have a bevy of Cornish immigrants on my mom's side.  

The peak of production in this area ran until the 1850s, but continued on for decades more on a smaller scale. Many of those in the area farmed and mined part time. 

Platteville, the later home of Charles Dennis Dalen and his wife Lucy Jane Munson (also a descendant of my previous story's Randil Munson - son of Calvin, who was big brother to my 4th GG Freeman Munson). 

Charles & Lucy's children were born in the township of Lima in Grant County, just a hop and skip from nearby Platteville. Charles was a farmer with five children: Francis, Arlington "Arlie," Charles Bird, Eddie Lee, and Frederick Louis. 

Platteville had so many mines operating over the course of time, that the town's design was affected. The streets had to be designed and built to avoid mine pits, so the town's roads are notoriously not-straight. And, unlike many mining towns, when mining died out, Platteville continued to thrive due to the establishment of The Academy (1839-1866), which evolved into the Normal School. The Mining and Trade School took the space in Rountree Hall when the Normal School moved to a new location and later became the Wisconsin Institute of Technology. Both became part of the UW-Plattesville campus in later years. Because of the deep ties to engineering, Platteville continued to thrive to today, bringing with it engineering companies who liked having engineering students so close at hand.

Platteville Miners

To return to our story, in 1905, the Trego-Anthony Mines were still operating. The Anthony was located at the east end of the Trego Mine (both located near today's Platteville Country Club). The Anthony mine was owned by one company, the Trego Mine was owned by HF Trego from 1901-1905. "It had a gravity mill and the concentrates were 25% Zinc and 25% Iron. There were many shafts and one adit to provide access to the mine; the main northeast Trego shaft is 90-feet deep; the main Anthony shaft is 75-feet deep."5

Young Eddie Lee Dalen, who most often went by "Lee," began working at the Trego Mine in Platteville in early 1905. He had the job of dumping the cart of mined ore. Somehow, he got caught up with a descending cart and was dragged down the shaft, falling onto a descending cage, being dramatically grabbed by the leg by his boss, and smashing himself onto some timbers. The early report expected him to survive, but his injuries were too great and he died on August 27, 1905. He was 22.

1. Zinc Ore Mining References: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/tp-026/#tid6

2. Platteville Mining Photo: http://www.miningartifacts.org/Wisconsin-Mines.html

3. History of Platteville: https://www.platteville.com/our-city/history-of-platteville

4. History of Platteville:  https://www.platteville.org/community/page/history#:~:text=The%20community%20of%20Platteville%20began,lode%2C%20in%20November%20of%201827.

5. History of Trego Mine: US Geological Survey Professional Paper, Issue 30

6. History of Platteville: https://catalog.uwplatt.edu/undergraduate/about-uwplatteville/history/

7. Mining Map of Illinois/Wisconsin: https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/tp/id/45908

Clan William: A Legacy of Tragedy

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Calvin Munson > Randil Munson > Harlow B Munson > C Jenet Munson > Caroline Richey > Howard Clinton Bruce > Anthony Todd

I've been digging into the "outer" Munsons of Trumbull County, Ohio - the brothers and sisters of my 4th GG Freeman Munson. I'm working on Randil Munson now.  He was the son of Calvin, Freeman's older brother. 

Deep down in the tree, many generations later, Caroline "Carrie" Mirth Ritchey and her husband Robert Bruce. They adopted a boy they named Howard Clinton Bruce. Howard had, with his first wife, Helen Rose Tiernan, one daughter - Mary Ellen Bruce. Mary Ellen married a gent name William "Billy Jo" Wadsley. The marriage seems to have lasted just long enough to produce three sons: Anthony "Tony," Todd, and one child who is still living.

What struck me about this tragic story is the moment I read about young Todd's accidental and tragic death at age 9, and the cause, I knew there was going to be a trail of tears to follow. 

It appears that Mary Ellen was out of the house, leaving the two boys who were living with her, at home. Not an uncommon thing to do with boys of 12 and 9 when I was growing up. Unfortunately, the boys found a .22 rifle upstairs and young Tony accidentally discharged the weapon, killing his younger brother, Todd. It was ruled an accident. Like so many unnecessary accidents before.

What we understand about such things now, is they have a deep and lasting impact on everyone involved. Who knows if Tony got the psychological help he needed after this very traumatic event. What we can ascertain from the newspaper reports is he had a long history of substance abuse, had lost his license, continued to drink, had an accident that thankfully killed no one else, and died suddenly and alone still going the wrong way down the road, trying to escape his pain at the age of 30.

A mother had now lost two sons. But, then, she'd most likely lost them both that same day in 1971.