Richard Straw Biography - Grant County Wisconsin

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Submitted by David W. Taft, dtaft @ cowtown.net

History of Grant County Wisconsin
Western Historical Publishing, Chicago, July 1881
Town of Platteville, Biographical Sketches, Page 923

RICHARD STRAW, of R. Straw & Co. smelters, was born Feb. 15, 1817, in 
Derbyshire, England. He came to America in 1828, with his father, residing in 
New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania until 1834 when he came to Dubuque, Iowa. 
Here he engaged in mining and teaming. In 1840 he came to Hazel Green. Wis., and 
engaged in mining; ten years later he formed a partnership with Messrs. Mason 
and Ralph Spensley and Thomas Staley, and began the smelting business, which he 
has since followed (see sketch of Mason Spensley).  Mr. Straw married Mary 
Place, of Yorkshire, England, whom he has six children - Hannah, Mary A., Anne, 
Margaret, Carrie and Richard. Anne and Margaret were born in Montfort, Grant 
Co., and the others in Platteville. Mr. Straw is a Republican, and a member with 
his family of the M. E. Church. He has served many years on both the town and 
village boards.