Puddling is the part of the process of making iron from the ore. As the concentrate was heated (I suppose in a large pot) charcoal was added to it. Charcoal is wood that has been heated in such a way as to be short of oxygen so the carbon atoms look for an oxygen atom to grab on to and pull the oxygen out of the iron ore (FeO) leaving iron. Near the end of the century, coke (coal heated in an oxygen-scarce place) replaced charcoal except in certain highly specific uses, such as the making of railway wheels. Anyway, the puddler stirred the iron and charcoal together. It must have been a stinky hot job. Judy Pisano wrote: > --- "John H. Storms" <[email protected]> wrote: > > At some time, my Grandfather William Henry Storms' > > occupation was as a > > "puddler" in Boonton, NJ. between 1890-1891. Does > > anyone of the list > > members know what this refers to? Thanks. > > > > > > John H Storms > > > > -- > > > > I don't know exactly what they did, but puddlers > worked in the ironworks. many of my Boonton ancestors > were puddlers, too. > Judy > > > __________________________________________________________ > > Fight spam now! > > Get your free anti-spam service at > > http://www.brightmail.com > > > > > > ===== > Judy Jamieson Pisano > [email protected] > "The Bird Families of New Jersey" <http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~birdnj> > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. > http://shopping.yahoo.com/