Spotsylvania County, VA
History
Spotsylvania County was established on 2 Nov 1720 from Essex, King & Queen and King William counties. The vast new county stretched past the Blue Ridge Mountains and was named for Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor of the colony from 1710 to 1720. The City of Fredericksburg was formed from the county in 1728.Much of Spotsylvania County's early development is attributed to Spotswood's ironworks which was founded in the early 1700's. His Iron Mines Company, a mining and smelting operation, was founded in 1725 at Germanna. This was the first fully equipped iron furnace in the colonies and Spotsylvania County's first industry...In the wilderness of Spotsylvania County, Spotswood left behind a nearly self-sufficient iron empire that set in motion the rise of America's iron and steel industry.
Source - http://www.spotsylvania.org/ff2.htm