Dear Subscribers to the Carter County, Kentucky Mailing List, In any genealogical search, the occupations of the people being sought can play an important role, and can mean the difference between finding or not finding a family. Since the early iron industry in eastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio attracted multitudes of men looking for employment, a study of these furnaces can be enlightening as to the movements of settlers into and out of a community. That is why I wish to thank those who generously provided information on Pactolus Furnace and Charlotte Furnace. Pactolus Furnace ended its operations after the winter of 1833/34, which removes it from consideration as the Carter County iron furnace that exploded "about 1850", killing James M. THAYER, Sr. and several other furnace workers. The account of the disaster included the unsettling detail that no trace of the victims could be found. Charlotte Furnace, which was located northwest of Grayson in the Iron Hill area, was in blast before the Civil War. Could this have been the ill-fated furnace of "circa 1850"? If anyone has a bit more data regarding this furnace, especially its year of build and last year of operation, please contact me, either personally or to the List. Thank you again for your help; I do appreciate it. Randal W. Cooper Lorain, Ohio