Ancestral Occupations Glossary

Some of these, hopefully, will be obvious. Others may be new to you.
attorney: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to represent a person in a legal matter, such as a transaction or lawsuit.

brick-maker: the act, process, or occupation of making bricks.

blacksmith: One that forges and shapes iron with an anvil and hammer or makes, repairs, and fits horseshoes.

carpenter: A skilled worker who makes, finishes, and repairs wooden objects and structures.

collier / coal miner: one who works in coal mines.

collector: in this case, probably a person who gathers information for city/county directories.

clerk: a person employed, as in an office, to keep records, file, type, or perform other general office tasks or a salesclerk.

cornice-maker:  a person who makes the decorative strip of wood [or some other material] used at the top of the walls in a room.

canvasser: see collector

coastal trader: a person who traded goods along the coast or other waterway.

chandler: a dealer in supplies and equipment for ships and boats.

cooper: a maker or repairer of casks and barrels.

cattle tender: one who looks after cattle for the owner or manager.

doctor:  person licensed to practice medicine.

distiller: a person or company that produces strong alcoholic drinks (such as whiskey) by distilling them.

farmstead manager: a person who runs a farm for another person or company.

farmer / planter: a person who owns a farm or plantation.

federal meat inspector: a person who inspects meat for the federal government; usually at a slaughterhouse or meat-packing plant.

farm laborer: one who is employed to work on a farm.

farrier: person who shoes horses.

grist miller: a person who operates a mill for grinding grain. [also flouring miller]

genealogist: do I really need a definition here? :)-

hunter: one who hunts for a living; sometimes for bounty.

housewright: a builder of wooden houses.

iron worker: a worker in iron or a person employed in an ironworks.

janitor: a person employed in an apartment house, office building, school, etc., to clean the public areas, remove garbage, and do minor repairs; caretaker.

lead miner: one who works in a lead mine.

livestock dealer: a person who deals in, trades, and sells livestock.

land agent: a person who acts as an agent for the sale of land.

minister:  a person whose job involves leading church services, performing religious ceremonies (such as marriages), and providing spiritual or religious guidance to other people : a member of the clergy in some Protestant churches.

mariner: a person who navigates or assists in navigating a ship. [I have included ship's captains here as well.]

merchant: person who buys and sells commodities for profit; dealer; trader; a storekeeper; retailer,
etc.

night watchman: Also called: night watch; a person who keeps guard at night on a factory, public building, etc.

papermaker: one that makes paper.

saw miller: a person who operates a mill in which timber is sawed into planks, boards, etc., by machinery.

solicitor: see collector

stone mason: a person who cuts, builds with or dresses stone.

sales agent: one who is authorized or appointed by a manufacturer to sell or distribute his products within a given territory but who is in business for himself, takes title to the goods.

secretary: a person employed by an individual or in an office to assist with correspondence, keep records, make appointments, and carry out similar tasks.

supercargo: a merchant-ship officer who is in charge of the cargo and the commercial concerns of the voyage.

tanner: a person who tans animal hides, especially to earn a living.

tool and die maker: someone who makes dies.

teacher: a person who teaches, especially in a school.

tailor: a person whose occupation is making fitted clothes such as suits, pants, and jackets to fit individual customers.

teamster: a person who drives a team of horses or a truck for hauling, especially as an occupation.

tavern or inn keeper:  person who owns or manages an inn or tavern.

tray maker: a person who makes flat, shallow containers, used for carrying or displaying articles, from wood or metal.

turpentine maker: one who makes turpentine [a type of oil with a strong smell that is used to make paint thinner and to clean paint brushes].

veterinarian: a person who is trained to give medical care and treatment to animals : an animal doctor.

vintner: a wine merchant; a wine maker [in some cases, dealt in other liquors, like beer].

wheelwright: a person who makes or repairs wooden wheels.

A Note on Female Ancestors at Work

I imagine the ladies reading the job lists have asked, "What about female ancestors?"

I only have a handful of references on "regular jobs" taken on by my female ancestors.
Catherine O'Neil came from Ireland in 1852 and taught local Central Indiana farmers to read.
My grandmother, Mayme Faucett, clerked at Vonnegut's Hardware before she got married in 1911.
My mother, Ruthjane McHugh worked as secretary and bookkeeper for her father's tool and die business, spent a few years working at the Naval Ordinance Plant in Indy and handled the paper work for my Dad's Van All Tool and Die.
My great-grandmother, Elizabeth June Cawby Faucett co-owned a millenary shop in Indy for a couple of years.

Otherwise?

Wives and daughters handled the household chores of cooking, cleaning, gardening, soap-making, making and mending clothes and often working in the fields or shops with their husbands. There was also a little item of raising children. Many families had a half-dozen to a dozen kids. Mothers were giving birth about every two years through the late 1800s.

Work? Women? When did they have time?

The post-WWII years changed the women's role in the workplace. Now many share the bread-winning role or have it all to themselves.

Ancestral Occupations: the final families

PEABODY:

John Peabody: planter in Duxbury, Plymouth [1637-1667].

Francis Peabody: grist miller in Norfolk and Essex Co., MA [1672-1692]; also a farmer.

GRANT:

Thomas Grant: probably a farmer in Rowley, MA [1639-1643].

LAND:

Francis Land: planter in Lower Norfolk Co., VA [c1630 - c1659].

Renatus Land: planter in Prince William Co., VA [c1661-1681].

Robert Land: probably a planter in Prince William Co., VA [c1685-1726].

Edward Land: probably a planter in Prince William Co., VA [c1730 - aft 1785].

Thomas Land: planter in Louisa Co., VA and Wilkes Co., NC [c1745-1790].

John Land: planter/farmer in Virginia and Fayette and Madison Co., KY [c1775-1804].

That's it folks! Tomorrow a note on women at work, then a glossary of the occupations mentioned. Then a wrap-up with a tally sheet for the jobs and job shifts between the 1600s and 20th century.

Ancestors at Work

KEENEY:

WilliamKeeney: trader based in New London Co., CT [1660s].

John Keeeney: farmer in New London Co., CT [c1661-1715] and trader [1669]

DOUGLAS:

William Douglas: cooper and farmer in Boson, MA and New London Co., CT [1640-1682]

TURNER:

Humphrey Turner: tanner and farmer in Sciutate, Plymouth Colony [1634-1673].

John Turner "the elder": tanner Scituate[c1641-1687].

Ezekiel Turner: mariner/trader based in New London Co., CT [c1675-1703]

Ancestral Jobs: Mayflower & Thanksgiving Edition

In honor of our Pilgrim ancestors:

BREWSTER:

William Brewster: [of Mayflower fame] farmer and long-time leader of the Plymouth Colony settlement. [1620-1644].

Jonathan Brewster: surveyor, attorney, ferry operator and mariner in Plymouth and Duxbury, Plymouth Colony [1621-1649].  Indian trading post operator in Pequot/New London, CT [c1649-1659].

Enjoy your Thanksgiving!!!

Ancestral Jobs - 10 or so to go!

FRENCH:

Thomas French: probably farmed briefly in Essex Co., MA [1638-1639].

OLMSTEAD:

Richard Olmstead: farmer in Hartford and Norwalk, CT [c1636-1686].

John Olmstead: farmer in Norwalk, CT [c1670-1705].

BENEDICT:

Thomas Benedict: operated a grist mill at Southold, Long Island, NY [c1641-1657], also made turpentine and was a brick-maker.

Ancestor Occupational Countdown continues

GARRISON:

Garrit Jansen van Oldenburg: farm manager on Manhattan and Long Island [1632-1661].

Jan Gerritsen: farmer on Long Island [1662 - c1692].

Johannes Gerritsen: farmer on Long Island [1699-1714].

John Garrison: farmer in Hunterdon Co., NJ [1730-1774].

HOWELL:

Thomas Howell: farmer in Gloucester/Camden Co., NJ [1682-1687].

Daniel Howell: farmer in Bucks Co., PA [c1702-1739].

HOWLAND:

Arthur Howland Sr.: planter in Plymouth Colony [1640-1675].

Arthur Howland Jr.: planter in Plymouth Colony [c1667-1726].

PRENCE:

Thomas Prence: farmer in Plymouth Colony [c1623-1673]; governor of Plymouth Colony [1634, 1638, 1657-1672].

Ancestral Occupations: a couple of dozen, or thereabouts to go

BILLIOU:

Pierre Billiou: a camletmaker in Leiden, Holland, The Netherlands, was probably a farmer on Staten Island [1661-1701].

SWART:

Teunis Cornelis Swart: farmer in Schenectady and Kingston, NY [1664-1677].

TITSOORT:

Willem Abraham Titsoort: blacksmith in Schenectady and Poughkeepsie, NY [1664-1721].

WHITTAKER:

Edward Whittaker: probably a livestock dealer in Ulster Co., NY [1665-1695].

James Whittaker: merchant or businessman in Kingston, NY [c1695-1745]; farmer in Hunterdon Co., NJ [1745-death].

WAKEMAN:

Samuel Wakeman: probably a merchant in Massachusetts and Hartford, CT [c1632-1645 death at sea].

CHRISTOPHER:

Hans Christopher: farmer on Long and Staten Islands, NY [c1669-1690].

BLOM:

Barent Jansen Blom: farm laborer on Long Island, NY [1641-1652]; farmer on Long Island [1652-1665].

Occupational Therapy

More NE occupations......

NEWCOMB:

Francis Newcomb: probably a farmer at Braintree, MA [c1639-1692].

MAVERICK:

John Maverick: minister in Dorchester, MA [1631-1635.]

Elias Maverick: no occupation given.

WEBB:

Richard Webb: farmer in New Haven and Fairfield Co., Connecticut [1649-1676]; operated flouring [grist] mill in Fairfield Co., CT [1651-1676].

Joseph Webb: inherited flouring mill in Fairfield Co., CT [1676-1684].

SCOFIELD:

Richard Scofield: leather presser in Essex Co., MA and Fairfield Co., CT [1641-1671].

SCOTT:

Thomas Scott: farmer in Essex Co., MA [1639-1654].

New England at Work

More NE jobs..............

TWISS:

Peter Twiss, Sr.: farmer and farrier in Essex Co., MA [c1677-1743].

Peter Twiss, Jr.: farmer and housewright in Essex Co., MA [c1699-1757].

MACCALLUM/CALLUM:

Malcolm MacCallum: indentured to Saugus Iron Works, Essex Co., MA [1651 - c1655], either as an iron worker or tending cattle for the company farm. Thereafter, occupation unknown. [Hopefully more on Malcolm after the Salt Lake Institute in January.]

NOURSE/NURSE:

 Francis Nurse: tray maker and farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1644-1695] Accused of witchcraft in 1692; wife Rebecca was last of the alleged witches to be hanged.

TOWNE:

William Towne: farmer in Essex Co., MA [1651-1672/3].

VARY/VERRY:

Samuel Very: farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1657-1683].

THOMAS:

Evan Thomas: sea captain [by 1635-1640] Wales and Massachusetts; vintner in Boston, MA [1640-1661].

George Thomas: no career mentioned.

The New England Job Market

Here are some early New England families and their occupations for the next few posts.....

SINGLETARY:

Richard Singletary: planter in Essex Co., MA [1639-1687].

Nathaniel Singletary: farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1662-1689].

John Singletary: cooper in Essex Co., MA [c1695-1720]; farmer and grist miller in Worcester Co., MA [c1720-1747].

Amos Singletary: farmer and grist miller in Essex and Worcester Co., MA [c1741-1806]. Served with the provincial congress during the Revolution and opposed the ratification of the Constitution as an Anti-Federalist.

GREELEY:

Andrew Greeley: grist and saw miller in New Hampshire and Massachusetts [1640-1697].

Andrew Greeley, Jr.: unsure, but probably farmed in Essex Co., MA [c1666-1736].

CURTIS:

Zacheus Curtis: farm laborer in Esex Co., MA [c1635-1682].

John Curtis: farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1669-1718].

Samuel Curtis: farmer [c1718-death] and innkeeper [1749-1751] in Essex Co., MA.

DODGE:

Richard Dodge: farmer in Essex Co., MA [1638-1671].

Edward Dodge: farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1670-1727].

The Jobs Keep on Coming

Here are a few more......

GORTON:

Samuel Gorton: Spent much of his time in Massachusetts, Plymouth and Rhode Island in jail because of his religious beliefs, He became the leader of the Gortonites in Kent Co., RI from about 1649-1677. Not sure if he could rightly be called a minister by profession.

John Gorton: He was a mariner based in Kent Co., RI. John also held considerable tracts of land from 1668-1714.

Samuel Gorton: farmer in Kent Co., RI [c1694-1722.]

DALLY:

Jean Dally: a mariner in New York and Virginia [c1644-1675], a farmer on Staten Island [1676-1691].

Jan Dally: farmer and carpenter in VA and NY [c1670-1708].

Nicholas Dally: no information jobwise

Henry Dally: merchant in Middlesex Co., NJ [c1736-1756].

OBEE:

Hendrick Obee: recorded as an attorney in 1668 in NY.

GIFFORD:

John Gifford: merchant in Perth Amboy, NJ [c1717-1743].

JENNISON:

Robert Jennison: farmer in Watertown, MA [c1637-1690]

Samuel Jennison: most of his time was spent in public office, but owned considerable land in Watertown, MA [c1666-1701].

Robert Jennison: farmer in Auburn, MA [1726-1779].

Joseph Jennison: no details on Joseph, but probably farmed near his father in Auburn, MA.

Peter Jennison: probably considered more of a planter than farmer, as he owned a number of slaves in Sutton, MA [c1769-1812] and Chenango Co., NY [1812-1816]

Employment Opportunities Galore

Jobs, jobs, jobs....

HOLDEN:

Randall Hoden: probably too busy in local affairs to hold down a job!

Charles Holden: he was busy in politics as well

GREENE:

John Greene: doctor/surgeon in Salem, MA and Providence and Kent Co., RI in 1635 to 1658/9.

John Greene: farmer in Kent Co., RI [1643-1708]

REMINGTON:

John Remington: carpenter and school teacher in Essex Co., MA and Kent Co., RI [c1649-1709]

Thomas Remington: farmer in Newport and Kent Co., RI [1692-1710]

Daniel Remington: ship's carpenter in Kent Co., RI [c1712-1787]

More Ancestral Employment

 RHODES:

Zachariah Rhodes: farmer in Providence and Newport Co., RI [1646-1666]

John Rhodes: farmer in Providence and Kent Co., RI [c1670-1716]

John Rhodes: farmer in Kent Co., RI [c1733-1776]

Holden Rhodes: unknown in RI

Holden Rhodes: mariner from Kent Co., RI [at least 1776-1809]; served as US privateer during Rev War.

Zachariah Rhodes: mariner/sea captain from Baltimore,MD, possibly Kent Co., RI [at least 1810-1815]

WATERMAN:

Richard Waterman: hunter and farmer in MA [1629-1637] and farmer in Providence Co., RI [1638-1673]

Resolved Waterman: unknown in RI.

WILLIAMS:

Roger Williams: minister in MA and Providence, RI [1631-1683]

Ancestors at Work continues

More jobs:

Rittenhouse:

Wilhelm Rittenhouse: paper maker in Germantown, PA [c1690-1708] and Mennonite minister/bishop [c1701-1709]

Gerhard/Garrett Rittenhouse: farmer and grist mill operator in Cresheim, PA. [c1694-1742/3]

William Rittenhouse: farmer and saw mill operator in Hunterdon Co., NJ [c1718-1767]; also operated the 'Crosskeys' tavern [dates unknown].

Isaac Rittenhouse: farmer, innkeeper and part-owner of a fishery in Hunterdon Co., NJ [c1756-1809]

Howell:

Thomas Howell: farmer in Gloucester Co., NJ [c1683-1687]

Daniel Howell: evidently a planter, he resided in Philadelphia and Bucks Co., PA and deeded his land to heirs in 1734.

How They Made Their Living

Back to the non-Quaker ancestors:

CUNNINGHAM:

Clotworthy Cunningham: farmer in Baltimore/Harford Co., MD [c1745-1780]

James Cunningham: supercargo [cargo master/overseer on board ship] based out of Baltimore/Harford Co., MD [1770s-1799]

TREADWAY:

Thomas Treadway: tavern keeper [c1741 - c1757] in Baltimore Co., MD ; planter in Baltimore Co., MD [c1757-1782]

WALL:

William Wall: farmer in Newport and Washington Co., RI [by 1720 - 1742]

John Wall: unknown, Kent Co., RI

More on the Quaker Job Market

I thought I'd wrap up the Quaker families that eventually migrated to Virginia....

BALLINGER:

Henry Ballinger: farmer in Burlington Co., NJ [early 1680s - 1733]

Josiah Ballinger: farmer in Frederick Co., MD [c1725 - c1736]; planter in Frederick Co., MD [c1736-1748].

WRIGHT:

James Wright, Sr.: Quaker minister and farmer in East Nottingham, Chester Co, PA/Cecil Co., MD [c1707-c1730], Orange and Frederick Co., VA [c1730-1759]

HARDING:

Thomas Harding: farmer in Burlington Co., NJ [1681-1708]

DAVIS or BOWATER: There is some question as to the maiden name of  James Wright's wife. Therefore this family will be omitted.

Welsh Quaker and Swiss Lutheran Occupational Study

Narrow focus today!

ROGERS:

Roger ap Robert: farmer in Chester Co., PA [c1700-1723]

John Rogers: farmer in Montgomery Co., PA [c1710-1742] and Back Creek Valley, Frederick Co., VA [1742-1763]

Evan Rogers: farmer in Hampshire and Frederick Co., VA [c1742-1805]

John Rogers: farmer in Hampshire and Frederick Co., VA [by 1777-1826]


PUGH:

Robert ap Hugh/Pugh: farmer in Montgomery Co., PA [1698-1717]

RINKER:

Hans Casper Rinker: farmer in Germantown, PA [c1743-1757]; farmer and inn-keeper in Frederick Co., VA [1757-1804]

Families at Work

To continue:

MAHURIN/HURIN:

Hugh Mahurin: iron worker [c1690-92] and farmer [c1693-1718] in Taunton, MA.

Ebenezer Mahurin: collier [c1710-1730] and farmer [1731-1755] in Taunton, MA and Hunterdon/Morris Co., NJ.

Seth Hurin: farmer in Morris Co., NJ, Ulster Co., NY and Hamilton/Warren Co., OH [c1750-1815] (Provided provisions for Morristown encampment during Rev War.)

Othneil Hurin: farmer in Morris Co., NJ, Ulster Co., NY and Warren Co., OH [c1779-1814]

ST. JOHN/SENTION/SENSION:

Mathias St. John I: chandler, baker and farmer in Dorchester, MA, Windsor, Wethersfield, Hartford and Norwalk, CT. [c1633-1669]

Mathias St. John II:  farmer [c1650-1677] in Massachusetts and Connecticut and inn-keeper [1678-1728] in Norwalk, CT.

Samuel St. John: farmer in Norwalk and Ridgefield, CT and Westchester Co., NY [c1692-1752]

Job St. John: farmer in Westchester and Ulster Co., NY [c1741-1788]. Served as an exempt [on guard duty] during Rev War.

John St. John: farmer in Westchester and Ulster Co., NY and Hamilton/Warren Co., OH. [c1770-1819] Served with Westchester militia and NY Line during Rev War.

HAZEN:

Edward Hazen: farmer [c1634-1669] and inn-keeper at [1670-1683] in Rowley, MA.

Thomas Hazen: farmer in Rowley and Boxford, MA and Norwich, CT [c1677-1735]

John Hazen: farmer in Boxford, MA, Norwich, New London and Old Lyme, CT. [c1708-1772]

LOCKWOOD:

Edmund Lockwood: farmer in Stamford, CT [c1650-1692]

Joseph Lockwood: farmer in Stamford, CT and Westchester Co., NY [c1686-1750]

James Lockwood: farmer in Stamford, CT and Westchester Co., NY [c1741 - c1778]

Ancestors' Job Resumes

And still more:

CROUSORE/KRAUSHAAR:

Nicholas Crousore/Kraushaar: farmer in Fayette Co., PA [1785-1813] (probably farmed in eastern Pennsylvania c1753 - c1784)

John Crousore: farmer in Fayette Co., PA, Clinton Co., OH, Rush, Delaware and Howard Co., IN [c1793-1850s]

Jacob Crousore: farmer in Clinton Co., OH, Rush, Delaware, Madison and Howard Co., IN, and McPherson Co., KS. [c1820-1877]

SMITH:

Henry Smith: farmer in Henry and Franklin Co., VA. [c1780-1735] Served with Virginia troops during American Revolution.

William Smith: farmer in western Virginia, Clinton and Highland Co., OH, Delaware Co., IN [c1798-1849]

HUBBARD:

Levin Hubbard: farmer in Dorchester Co., MD, Delaware, Clinton Co., OH [c1789-1849]

CLARK:

Isaac Clark: farmer in Butler Co., OH and Hendricks Co., IN [c1807-1874]

More Ancestral Work

The job market for:

WAGNER:

John Wagner: lead miner in Madison Co., Missouri and Lafayette Co., Wisconsin [c1845 - early 1850s]

LAUBSCHER:

Catherine Laubscher: farmer in Lafayette Co., WI [c1850 - c1882]

O'NEIL:

Catherine O'Neil: taught local central Indiana farmers to read [c1853-1857]

SIMMONS:

John Simmons, Sr.: tavern keeper in New York City [1770-1776; 1784-1795]; served with provisional NY troops during Revolutionary War.

John Simmons, Jr.: land sales agent [for father] and farmer in Montgomery/Chenango Co., NY [1793-1814], farmer in Dearborn Co., IN [c1815-1822]; tavern keeper in Canonsburgh, PA [c1823 - c1830]; served with NY militia during Revolutionary War/

John William Simmons: carpenter and farmer in Chenango Co., NY, Switzerland, and Henry Co., IN, Butler Co., OH and Campbell Co., KY [1801 - 1857]

James Morris Simmons: carpenter in SW Ohio and Central Indiana [c1826-1883].

John T. Simmons: farmer and sawmill worker [c1849-1909]

Ancestors at Work

Jobs continue:

GULLEY:

Thomas Gulley: planter in Orange and Culpepper Co., VA [c1750-1783]

Enoch Gulley: farmer in Orange and Culpepper Co., VA [c1770-1801], Elbert Co., GA [1802-1810?], Davidson Co., TN [1811-c1814], Madison Co., KY [c1814-1827] and Shelby Co., IN [1827/8] Probably served with the 3rd Virginia Regiment during the Revolutionary War as George Gulley.

Willis Gulley: farmer in Elbert Co., GA, Davidson Co., TN and Madison Co., KY [1802-1827], Shelby, Decatur and Hendricks Co., IN [1828-1879]

SUMTER:

William Sumter: farmer and grist mill owner in Hanover - Louisa - Albemarle Co., VA [1730-1752]

BARLOW:

Thomas Barlow: planter in Hanover - Albemarle Co., VA [c1719-1778]

Henry Barlow:  planter in Albemarle Co., VA [c1747-c1789], farmer in Fayette, Woodford and Scott Co., KY [1789-1814]

More Occupations

We continue with ancestral jobs:

CRAIL:

James B. Crail, Jr.: I really wish I knew!

Aaron S. Crail: farmer [c1857-1868] in Marion and Hamilton Co., IN. Served with the 124th Indiana Infantry [1864/5] during the Civil War.

James Crail: blacksmith [late 1870s - early 1890s] Miami, Marion, Howard and Tipton Co., IN; veterinary surgeon [c1895-1920] in Shelbyville, IN, Chicago, IL and Indianapolis,  IN; federal meat inspector [1908-1920] in Chicago and Indianapolis.

WOLARY / ULLERY:

Henry Wolary: farmer in Frederick Co., VA and Clinton Co., OH [c1800-1849]

William Wolary: farmer in Grant Co., OH and Clinton, Shelby, Auglaize, and Fayette Co., OH [c1840-1894].

CAWBY:

Johannes/John Cawby: farmer in Lincoln Co., NC and Jessamine Co., KY [1789-c1820] (possibly Maryland as well, prior to 1789)

Martin Cawby, Sr.: farmer in Lincoln Co., NC and Jessamine Co., KY [1805-1824] (possibly Maryland as well) Served in the 17th Kentucky militia during the War of 1812.

Martin Cawby, Jr.: farmer in Jessamine Co., KY, Johnson, Hendricks and Decatur Co., IN, [c1840 - c1880], night watchman in a sawmill and teamster in Indianapolis [c1880 - 1898].

TRISLER:

Peter Trisler: physician in Hagerstown, MD and Jessamine Co., KY

Occupations 2

The job market continues:

MCHUGH:

John McHugh: coal miner, Schuylkill Co., PA [c1833 - c1843], stone mason and farmer [c1845 - 1887] Galena, IL and Gratiot, WI.

James McHugh: stone mason and farmer, Lafayette Co., WI [c1865-1896]

Charles Joseph McHugh, Sr.: machinist/tool and die maker [c1904-1954] Chicago and Indianapolis.

Ruthjane McHugh/Prall: secretary for father [late 1930s - early 1940s], worked at Naval Ordinance Plant [mid-1940s] Indianapolis, IN

FAUCETT:

John Faucett: farmer [1770s - 1838] Fayette and Washington Co., PA, Hamilton/Warren Co., OH and Marion Co., IN. Ranger and spy during Revolutionary War [1777-1781]

Joseph Faucett: tailor [c1810 - ????], farmer [c1817 - 1871] Warren Co., OH and Hendricks Co., IN.

Benjamin Franklin Faucett: farmer [late 1840s - c1882] Hendricks Co., IN; carpenter [c1882-1885] Indianapolis, IN.

Charles Elmer Faucett: teamster, sales agent and janitor [mainly for Kingan & Co.], [c1882-1934]Indianapolis, IN.

Mayme Faucett: clerk at Vonnegut's Hardware [late 1900s - early 1910s] Indianapolis, IN.

Ancestors and Occupations: How those that came before made a living

I'm going to take a few posts to look at how my ancestors made their living. Right off, I'd say that farmers and millers will  rank 1st and 2nd, but you never know. I'm going to go family by family, generation by generation. I thought about chronological order, but decided the other would be easier. Some folks will have more than one occupation listed. When in doubt, I'll skip on to the next person. I will try to include the time frame for each person [1650-1675, for instance] and will include the females, if I have anything specific on them. Several ancestors were involved in local politics; unless politics became the person's primary job, I'll not include office holding.

For those of you who equate planter and farmer as the same occupation, I'm differentiating the two by land holdings [plantation: large farmstead; farm: smaller farmstead] and whether the property is referred to as a plantation or farm in records.

PRALL:

Jan Arentsen van Heerde: bouw meester [bowery master] or the head, manager, of a farmstead on Staten Island. [c1650 - c1658] (no record of Jan after 1658)
 
Arent Jansen Prall: wheelwright in Kingston and on Staten Island [c1663 - 1725] and farmer/planter on Staten Island [c1675 - 1725]

Pieter Prall: farmer and planter on Staten Island [by 1697 - 1748] (Pieter began with a 40 acre farm, but later established a homestead that was called "Morning Star.")

Aaron Prall: businessman, probably a tanner  in Hunterdon Co., NJ and Kingston, NY [c1716 - at least early 1730s], farmer [c1716 - 1757] in Hunterdon Co., NJ.

Cornelius Prall Sr.: farmer, operator of a sawmill and gristmill at various times in Hunterdon and neighboring counties in New Jersey [mid-1750s - 1813]

Cornelius Prall Jr.: farmer in New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania [by 1791 - 1834].

Isaac Rittenhouse Prall: farmer in Harford Co., MD and York Co., PA [mid-1820s - 1865] (The 1870 Clinton Co., OH census shows him as an 'ex-farmer.')

Hugh McDonald Prall: carpenter in Ohio [1870s], farmer in Grant Co., IN [1880s], thereafter listed as a solicitor/canvasser, collector, clerk and cornice-maker [1890s-1907] in Grant Co., IN. (The solicitor and canvasser jobs were apparently collecting data for the city/county directories or pollster. Collector may have been the same.)

William Marshall Prall: solicitor [1895/6], candy maker [1897 -1900] in Marion, IN, [1901-1906] in Cincinnati, OH and [1907-1839] in Indianapolis, IN.

Hugh Charles Prall: tool and die maker [1939-1977] Indianapolis, IN.

Terry Dean Prall: elementary and middle school teacher, Nocatee, FL [1973-1979], Arcadia, FL [1979-2003], Arcadia, FL;  genealogist [1990-current], Arcadia, FL and Avon, IN.

Quirky Ancestors Finale

I'm sure that I've missed more than a handful of quirky folks, but I have decided to put the wraps on the topic.

Basically all of my ancestors [or anyone's for that matter] had to be a bit quirky. To leave home, be it England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, German States, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium [Wallonia or Flanders], Normandy, wherever], with no guarantee of survival or safety, venturing onto a new continent made you a bit quirky. Facing shipwreck, starvation, perils of the wilderness, inhospitable natives or neighbors, or other dangers was risky, at best.

Later arrivals may have had it a little better than those who arrived during the early 1600s. Yet it was likely those later arrivals that were starting the cycle all over, but farther west then their predecessors.

Religious and ethnic persecutions followed some of the immigrants wherever they went. Others assimilated nicely over a generation or two.

Of course staying in their native countries may have made most of our ancestors even quirkier!

Quirky Ancestor or Quirky Research?

For a long time my Hazen line was Hazen - Dart - Douglas line. At least one researcher claimed that the Hazens were a family with Mayflower ancestry.

That idea became the focus of a Salt Lake trip. Elizabeth Dart [1696-aft. 1736], wife of John Hazen [1687-1772] was the key to the solution. Good old-fashioned research turned up two marriages for Elizabeth. The first, as Elizabeth Turner to Thomas Dart. The second as Elizabeth Dart to John Hazen. An assortment of records confirmed that Elizabeth Dart Hazen was, indeed, Elizabeth Turner.

That changed the picture and confirmed the rumor. Elizabeth Turner Dart Hazen was the daughter of Ezekiel Turner and Susanna Keeney. Ezekiel was the son of John Turner "the elder" and Mary Brewster. Mary was the daughter of Jonathan Brewster and Lucretia Oldham. Jonathan was the son of the Mayflower's William Brewster. Ta-da!

Susanna Keeney was the daughter of John Keeney and Sarah Douglas. Sarah was the daughter of William Douglas Sr. and Ann Mattle. Sarah's brother, William Jr. was Thomas Dart's grandfather. Even with all of the ancestor juggling, I managed to keep my Douglas line in the fold!

Quirky Ancestor: Sounding more American

Seth Mahurin was descended from either Scots or Ulster Scots. His grandfather, Hugh Mahurin, had arrived in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay by 1692. Hugh may have been drawn by the iron works in the colony.

Seth was advised at some point to drop the Ma from Mahurin so that his name would sound more "American." Tradition holds that it was a Yale College professor who made the suggestion, but I contacted the university and there was no record of Mahurin ever attending.

So, Seth became Hurin or Huron, while most of the family kept Mahurin. One brother refused to change the name, because he didn't want it to sound like an Indian tribe. [Huron Indians]

If you have a Hurin/Huron line and/or a Mahurin line, chances are they are descended from Hugh.

SLIG 2016 Update / Return to Quirky Ancestors

I submitted my summary, report, research log, family group sheet and pedigree chart for Malcolm MacCallum over the weekend. That sets up things up for the consultants to evaluate my material and prepare a "plan of attack" for January 11-15.

My quirky ancestor theme has been neglected for awhile. This one isn't a case of quirky ancestors as much as quirky filing by the US government, I guess.

2nd great-grandfathers Willis Gulley and Martin Cawby Sr. both served in Lt. Col. John Franciso's regiment of the 17th Kentucky militia. Gulley filed for a pension, which was granted. Cawby did not. Or so it seemed.

Martin Cawby died in 1824. His wife, Susanna, applied for a widow's pension in 1852, but it was never granted. Susanna's application was filed with those from the Revolutionary War rather than the War of 1812.

And you thought the bureaucracy only got out of hand recently!