The Iron Woman

The Iron Woman is a novel of manners by the American writer Margaret Deland (1857-1945) 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. It was first published in installments in Harper's Monthly from November 1910 through October 1911.