Hi Listers, I have learned a lot! Over the last few days, I have been following the list's "Isabella Furnace" discussion thread and I want to thank everyone for sharing. While I am not researching any of the families mentioned, I find my RITTER/RUTTER family living as neighbors among the ones that were mentioned. In case some of you don't have it, I am posting some of the material I have concerning the families that have been mentioned in the discussion. "1815 Shenandoah County, VA Landowners" BLACKFORD, Arthur, and CO., of Shenandoah Furnace; South RV, Dry Run, Oar Bank, Hawksbill, Pass Run; 20S. (Is Arthur another surname for those in the company or the first name for BLACKFORD? On my modern ADC map, I can see where Dry Run, Pass Run, & Hawksbill Creek come together at South River & is about 20 miles south of Woodstock. The 2003 map show the location at the intersection of Forge Rd & Hook Hill Rd -RT.#654 just northwest of Luray & RT.#340). This is in today's Page County about 3 miles east of the Shenandoah County line.) ARTHUR, John, and CO., of Columbia Furnace; Stoney CK 7W. "1835-1836 Shenandoah County Business License List" March 20, 1835; James S. ARTHUR; Merchant March/May? 11, 1835; James S. ARTHUR; Merchant November 7, 1835; Benjamin BLACKFORD & Son; Merchant May 9, 1836; Benjamin BLACKFORD & Son; Merchant. May 9, 1836; James S. ARTHUR; Merchant. "The German Element of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia" by John W. Wayland 1907 Page 203 &204 On a day in the latter part of October, 1781, as the news of Cornwallis' surrender was being vociferously received in Woodstock, Shenandoah County, a wealthy German and his family came into the town. It was Dirck Pennybacker, son of Col. John Pennybacker of the American army. Dirck Pennybacker had moved from Pennsylvania, a few years before, to a place near Sharpsburg, MD, and there had built an iron-working establishment; but a great freshet had swept away the labor of his hands, and now he was coming to try his fortunes in Virginia. Passing on through Woodstock, he went across the Massanutten Mountain into what is now Page County, and built Redwell Furnace on the Hawksbill Creek. After awhile, as the industry enlarged, the Pennybackers reached over the Massanutten and established a forge and associated iron works on Smith's Creek, a few miles below New Market. The place is still know as Pine Forge; and some of the massive limestone walls of the buildings yet remain. Mr. P. E. Frederick owned and operated Pine Forge for some years prior to the Civil War, and occasionally thereafter as late as about 1885. In 1810, Benjamin Pennybacker, son of Dirck and father of US Senator Isaac Samuel Pennybacker, built for his home the spacious "White House," still standing and doing good service at Pine Forge. George M. and Joel Pennybacker, sons of Benjamin and brothers to the Senator, bought early in the 19th century large quantities of mountain land in western Shenandoah and Rockingham. In the former county they built, a few miles west of Woodstock, the well-known Liberty Furnace, which for many years supplied the iron used at Pine Forge. In Rockingham County, in Brock's Gap, they also built a furnace; but the ore there proved worthless. As a monument of their labor, however, the old stack remains and an oak tree has grown up through it. The Pennybackers were the pioneers in the iron-working industry in Shenandoah and Page; but others, both Germans and English, soon followed them in the same business. John ARTHUR built in 1809 the famous Columbia Furnace, still in operation, ten miles west of Woodstock. The BLACKFORDS and ARTHURS had a furnace in Powell's Fort, and probably one or two more near the western border of Shenandoah. Columbia Furnace came in time into the possession of George F. Hupp, of Strasburg, a paymaster in the War of 1812, and later an extensive iron master. Shortly prior to the Civil War the same property passed into the hands of another German, Samuel Myers, who owned at the same time the furnace near Shenandoah Alum Springs. After to Civil War, Columbia became the property of John Wissler, Esq., who operated it with great success till 1883. (Note: Wayland based the above article on the account furnished him by Joel Pennybacker's daughter, Miss M. M. Pennybacker, of Linville Depot, VA; but he was informed by Dr. S. J. Hoffman, of Woodstock, that Liberty Furnace was built in 1822 by Walter Newman, Esq. It is possible that Newman and the Pennybackers may have co-operated in the enterprise, or that one party succeeded the other. Information was also gotten from Mr. Joel F. Kagey of Hawkinstown, Miss Sarah M. Spengler, of Front Royal-per the author, John W. Wayland).