▁by ▁reading ▁books ▁and ▁newsp apers , ▁he ▁gained ▁an ▁excellent ▁general ▁education . ▁ ▁Iron ▁industry ▁executive ▁In ▁January , ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁Spe ar man ▁took ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁business ▁management ▁of ▁the ▁Sh aron ▁furn ace , ▁which ▁was ▁operated ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁by ▁Sho en berger , ▁Ag new ▁& ▁Co . ▁He ▁held ▁this ▁position ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁six ▁years . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁he ▁purchased ▁the ▁Maz e ppa ▁furn ace , ▁near ▁Mer cer , ▁which ▁he ▁operated ▁until ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁when ▁he ▁accepted ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁Sh ar ps ville ▁furn ace , ▁where ▁he ▁stayed ▁for ▁three ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁he ▁became ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁iron ▁interests ▁of ▁James ▁Wood ▁& ▁S ons , ▁at ▁Whe at land , ▁and ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁took , ▁an ▁interest ▁as ▁a ▁partner ▁in ▁the ▁business , ▁renamed ▁as ▁James ▁Wood , ▁S ons ▁& ▁Co . ▁This ▁association ▁continued ▁until ▁August , ▁ 1 8 7 0 . ▁ ▁Spe ar man ▁moved ▁to ▁Sh aron ▁where , ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁he ▁organized ▁the ▁Spe ar man ▁Iron ▁Company ▁and ▁built ▁the ▁Spe ar man ▁furn aces ▁at ▁Sh ar ps ville , ▁and ▁became ▁general ▁manager . ▁This ▁was ▁a ▁partners hip ▁concern ▁up ▁until ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁incorpor ated , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1