William Wood (ironmaster)

William Wood was an ironmaster, which means he was a businessman that owned and operated iron foundries, or places where iron was made into different shapes and objects. Iron was an important material in the 1700s and 1800s, and William made a lot of money by producing and selling iron products. William also owned coal mines, which provided the coal used to heat up the furnaces used to turn iron ore into iron. He was a very successful businessman and used his money to invest in other businesses, including transportation and banking.