Winter Lyceum: A Family History of Miners

Join us for an evening talk by conservationist and descendant of 19th century miners in the Lead and Zinc Mining District. His talk will cover family history from Sylvester Bills Preston and Anna West Preston. Sylvester Bills Preston and wife Anna West Preston claimed a section of land in Mosalem Township in 1835, purchasing it in 1847, as soon as the land parcels were made available. Originally from Maryland, the Preston family came to Dubuque via Mineral Point, Wisconsin, where Sylvester erected and operated a copper smelter. Brian Preston and his Aunt Gerda Preston Hartman still live on some of the land claimed by Sylvester and Anna. They will discuss life on a mining claim, much of which is now part of the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area in Iowa.