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.