MASON SPENSLEY, Platteville; was born Jan. 14, 1815, in Yorkshire, England; came to America in 1841, and located in the Catfish Mining Settlement near Dubuque, Iowa; here he was employed both as a miner and smelter; in 1850, he formed a partnership with Richard Straw, Ralph Spensley and Thomas Staley; the firm rented the old furnace of Bell & Co., on the Big Platte River; in 1852, Ralph Spensley withdrew, the remaining partners removing to Platteville; here in 1855 or 1856, Mr. Staley met an accidental death. Messrs. Spensley and Straw have since continued the business; their blast furnace was purchased of L. Coates; from 700,000 to 1,100,000 pounds of lead are annually produced. Mr. Spensley married Frances A. Taylor, a native of Knox Co., Ind., where her parents both died in her infancy; an aunt brought her to Dubuque when she was 9 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Spensley have nine children - James T., Rosa, Frances A., John T., Maggie, Richard, Mary, Allie and Cora.

This biography generously submitted by Roxanne Munns.