Mayville was founded in 1845 by Alvin and William Foster and Chester May, the settlement that bore his name. The Foster’s and Chester May intended to establish a sawmill on the East Branch of the Rock River. May, a canal and railroad contractor born in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, had come to Wisconsin from New York in 1839 and settled in Fort Atkinson.
In the fall of 1845, May discovered a deposit of red dirt that he believed was iron ore about four miles south of Mayville. Chester May must have been confident that the red dirt was good quality ore, because the following June, he purchased 80 acres in Section 12 of Hubbard Township, along the Iron Ridge, for $100.
In the summer of 1846, May sent small samples of it to Solomon Juneau in Milwaukee (who burned it in crucible and pronounced it "finest quality".) Chester May and his son Eli shipped three tons of ore to the St. Joseph Iron Works in Mishawaka to be smelted. The St. Joseph Works was the closest, established blast furnace to Wisconsin at the time.
The Mays must have been dismayed to hear back from Mishawaka that the ore was worthless. Undaunted, they dug another ten tons of ore, packed it into barrels and sent it to Indiana, this time accompanied by Eli. Seven tons were again fruitlessly smelted using a flux of marl to remove impurities. Finally, the iron workers realized that the Wisconsin ore was pure enough that no flux was needed and cast a stove from the remaining three tons of ore.
Three representatives of the St. Joseph Iron Works visited Dodge County in 1847 and decided to purchase land in the area. In January 1848, they agreed to buy Chester May's 80 acres and another 80 belonging to Eli May. The price was $4000 for each tract, which returned a $3900 profit to each man. These Indiana businessmen incorporated the Wisconsin Iron Company in 1848, and began commercial mining by June 1849. Chester May's tract became the site of the open pit Mayville Mine, which was operated almost continuously until 1912.
Wisconsin Historical Museum
In the fall of 1845, May discovered a deposit of red dirt that he believed was iron ore about four miles south of Mayville. Chester May must have been confident that the red dirt was good quality ore, because the following June, he purchased 80 acres in Section 12 of Hubbard Township, along the Iron Ridge, for $100.
In the summer of 1846, May sent small samples of it to Solomon Juneau in Milwaukee (who burned it in crucible and pronounced it "finest quality".) Chester May and his son Eli shipped three tons of ore to the St. Joseph Iron Works in Mishawaka to be smelted. The St. Joseph Works was the closest, established blast furnace to Wisconsin at the time.
The Mays must have been dismayed to hear back from Mishawaka that the ore was worthless. Undaunted, they dug another ten tons of ore, packed it into barrels and sent it to Indiana, this time accompanied by Eli. Seven tons were again fruitlessly smelted using a flux of marl to remove impurities. Finally, the iron workers realized that the Wisconsin ore was pure enough that no flux was needed and cast a stove from the remaining three tons of ore.
Three representatives of the St. Joseph Iron Works visited Dodge County in 1847 and decided to purchase land in the area. In January 1848, they agreed to buy Chester May's 80 acres and another 80 belonging to Eli May. The price was $4000 for each tract, which returned a $3900 profit to each man. These Indiana businessmen incorporated the Wisconsin Iron Company in 1848, and began commercial mining by June 1849. Chester May's tract became the site of the open pit Mayville Mine, which was operated almost continuously until 1912.
Wisconsin Historical Museum
Mayville was founded in 1845 by Alvin and William Foster and Chester May, the settlement that bore his name. The Foster’s and Chester May intended to establish a sawmill on the East Branch of the Rock River. May, a canal and railroad contractor born in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, had come to Wisconsin from New York in 1839 and settled in Fort Atkinson.
In the fall of 1845, May discovered a deposit of red dirt that he believed was iron ore about four miles south of Mayville. Chester May must have been confident that the red dirt was good quality ore, because the following June, he purchased 80 acres in Section 12 of Hubbard Township, along the Iron Ridge, for $100.
In the summer of 1846, May sent small samples of it to Solomon Juneau in Milwaukee (who burned it in crucible and pronounced it "finest quality".) Chester May and his son Eli shipped three tons of ore to the St. Joseph Iron Works in Mishawaka to be smelted. The St. Joseph Works was the closest, established blast furnace to Wisconsin at the time.
The Mays must have been dismayed to hear back from Mishawaka that the ore was worthless. Undaunted, they dug another ten tons of ore, packed it into barrels and sent it to Indiana, this time accompanied by Eli. Seven tons were again fruitlessly smelted using a flux of marl to remove impurities. Finally, the iron workers realized that the Wisconsin ore was pure enough that no flux was needed and cast a stove from the remaining three tons of ore.
Three representatives of the St. Joseph Iron Works visited Dodge County in 1847 and decided to purchase land in the area. In January 1848, they agreed to buy Chester May's 80 acres and another 80 belonging to Eli May. The price was $4000 for each tract, which returned a $3900 profit to each man. These Indiana businessmen incorporated the Wisconsin Iron Company in 1848, and began commercial mining by June 1849. Chester May's tract became the site of the open pit Mayville Mine, which was operated almost continuously until 1912.
Wisconsin Historical Museum
In the fall of 1845, May discovered a deposit of red dirt that he believed was iron ore about four miles south of Mayville. Chester May must have been confident that the red dirt was good quality ore, because the following June, he purchased 80 acres in Section 12 of Hubbard Township, along the Iron Ridge, for $100.
In the summer of 1846, May sent small samples of it to Solomon Juneau in Milwaukee (who burned it in crucible and pronounced it "finest quality".) Chester May and his son Eli shipped three tons of ore to the St. Joseph Iron Works in Mishawaka to be smelted. The St. Joseph Works was the closest, established blast furnace to Wisconsin at the time.
The Mays must have been dismayed to hear back from Mishawaka that the ore was worthless. Undaunted, they dug another ten tons of ore, packed it into barrels and sent it to Indiana, this time accompanied by Eli. Seven tons were again fruitlessly smelted using a flux of marl to remove impurities. Finally, the iron workers realized that the Wisconsin ore was pure enough that no flux was needed and cast a stove from the remaining three tons of ore.
Three representatives of the St. Joseph Iron Works visited Dodge County in 1847 and decided to purchase land in the area. In January 1848, they agreed to buy Chester May's 80 acres and another 80 belonging to Eli May. The price was $4000 for each tract, which returned a $3900 profit to each man. These Indiana businessmen incorporated the Wisconsin Iron Company in 1848, and began commercial mining by June 1849. Chester May's tract became the site of the open pit Mayville Mine, which was operated almost continuously until 1912.
Wisconsin Historical Museum
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