The Iron Woman (Annotated)

The Iron Woman is a novel of manners set in the 19th century fictional locale of Mercer, an Ohio River community that represents Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The novel tells the story of Mrs. Maitland, a leathery old widow who owns and operates an iron mill. Her devotion to a Puritanical work ethic alienates her son Blair, who though he stands to inherit the business, is headstrong and in love with Elizabeth Ferguson, a match Mrs. Maitland disapproves of.