This book discusses the Studebaker family, who came to Maryland in 1736. They came from Solingen, Germany, via the Netherlands and Philadelphia. The head of the family, Peter Studebaker, was a Master Iron Smith. He and his brother Clement set up a business in Hagerstown, Maryland, among fellow German immigrants. They continued to use their skills as iron manufacturers. At Hagerstown, they found ample coal, limestone, and iron ore, but also oil shale, which turned out to be a “magic ingredient.” They manufactured superior iron products, and was able to produce treated wood, which they used to build their house, barns, and workshops. The wood beams, today, are as good as when they made them. Descendants of Studebaker still reside in the area.