History of Reedsburg and the Upper Baraboo Valley, by Merton Edwin Krug, Publ. February 1929 by the author. Printed by Democrat Printing Company, Madison, Wis., Page 335-337

The development of the mines began with the coming of this experienced miner to the site in 1855. Mr. TOWER was a man of means and came from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where he had recently wed a fashionable lady of that place. In 1853 he came to Mayville, where he built a foundry. There learning of the Ironton deposit he started for Reedsburg, and, upon reaching that place, sought out Mr. REED, its owner, and together the two men journeyed to the bluff over-looking the present site of the village of Ironton. Standing there, enrapt in the magnificent view before him, he remarked to Mr. REED, in a voice that was full of pathos, "This will be my home; I shall remain."

Upon examining the deposits, he was instantly satisfied as to their worth and that year completed the purchase of the property. Those were days of hardships and handicaps and two years (or possibly three) were to elapse before a foundry was completed. The first thing he did was to build a dam on the Little Baraboo river at Ironton, at the present site of the mill, and near this the foundry was established.

In 1858 he began the erection of a fine pioneer house, the object of which was to attract his young wife (a fashionable lady of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., society) to share his life in the western wilderness. This lady, so the story goes, was a very gifted woman and had remained in the East, refusing to come west. But after the house was completed that fall, the finest in all the countryside (and may it be added there was nothing to compare with it for many miles, save perhaps the ANDREWS house in Winfield, or the McCLUNG house at Lodi) she was finally induced to join her husband.

So in the autumn of that year four huge teams from the foundry were dispatched to Portage to bring the new mistress of the TOWER House to Ironton. Thus it was that the village of Ironton came into being, and the mines came to be opened.

During the early days the burning of charcoal for use in the furnace was a great industry, and it gave employment to a large number of people. Mr. TOWER continued to operate the mine, and grew rich at it, and at his death in 1869, it passed to the management of John F. SMITH. This man managed it for many years and at his death, in 1878, the estate was valued at $170,960. At the time of SMITH's demise, Moses R. DOYON was head superintendent, and Francis BYRNE was high in official capacity, having come to TOWER's employ in 1855, and remained with the mining company throughout.

Upon the demise of Mr. SMITH, his sister, Mrs. Moses D. HERRICK became chief heir and her son-in-law, Moses R. DOYON, was superintendent. Under this management the mines were exhausted and Francis BYRNE came into possession of the property, which is still held by his heirs, the BYRNE brothers of Ironton and Mrs. MILLER of Baraboo.

Submitted by Carol