FAMILY TIES Article 14 by Dan Burrows The occupations of our ancestors and other relatives can tell a lot about our families. For example, the first Burrows ancestor on my father's side of the family was sent from Coventry, England to London to become an apprentice butcher. He came to America just before the revolution, joined the American Army, and afterward changed his occupation to ship rigging in New York City, having been affiliated an iron monger. After Thomas Burrows died, his wife and children came upstate again to Orange County and then onto Tioga County where Thomas Jr. and Daniel Burrows became farmers. Thomas Jr.'s youngest son Josiah, my great great grandfather, farmed in Steuben County and was also a finish carpenter and justice of the peace. Josiah's son Daniel decided to further his education and ended up an executive and large stock holder in the Borden's company traveling through upstate New York, northwestern Pennsylvania, and northern New Jersey before retiring and settling in Chester, New York. Daniel's son Gail was a farmer first and then a butcher for many years with carpenter's ability on the side. His son Daniel, my father, also took up the butcher's trade and did carpentry on the side. As in the repetition of occupations in my family shown above, similar trends seem to prevail in many family lines. Trades were passed down from father to son or grandfather to grandson and these occupations all seem to play a part in what we do today. Below is a list of occupations often referred to in death and marriage certificates, old documents, and family papers. Some are self-explanatory while others could easily fool you. Accomptant -- Accountant Almoner -- Giver of charity to the needy Amanuensis -- Secretary or stenographer Artificer -- A soldier mechanic who does repairs Bailie -- Bailiff Baxter -- Baker Bluestocking -- Female writer Boniface -- Keeper of an inn Brazier -- One who works with brass Brewster -- Beer manufacturer Brightsmith -- Metal Worker Burgonmaster -- Mayor Caulker -- One who filled up cracks (in ships or windows) or seams to make them watertight by using tar or oakum-hemp fiber produced by taking old ropes apart Chaisemaker -- Carriage maker Chandler -- Dealer or trader; one who makes or sells candles; retailer of groceries Chiffonier -- Wig maker Clark -- Clerk Clerk -- Clergyman, cleric Clicker -- The servant of a salesman who stood at the door to invite customers; one who received the matter in the galley from the compositors and arranged it in due form ready for printing; one who makes eyelet holes in boots using a machine which clicked. Cohen -- Priest Collier -- Coal miner Colporteur -- Peddler of books Cooper -- One who makes or repairs vessels made of staves & hoops, such as casks, barrels, tubs, etc. Cordwainer -- Shoemaker, originally any leather worker using leather from Cordova/Cordoba in Spain Costermonger -- Peddler of fruits and vegetables Crocker -- Potter Crowner -- Coroner Currier -- One who dresses the coat of a horse with a curry comb; one who tanned leather by incorporating oil or grease Docker -- Stevedore, dock worker who loads and unloads cargo Dowser -- One who finds water using a rod or witching stick Draper -- A dealer in dry goods Drayman -- One who drives a long strong cart without fixed sides for carrying heavy loads Dresser -- A surgeon's assistant in a hospital Drover -- One who drives cattle, sheep, etc. to market; a dealer in cattle Duffer -- Peddler Factor -- Agent, commission merchant; one who acts or transacts business for another; Scottish steward or bailiff of an estate Farrier -- A blacksmith, one who shoes horses Faulkner -- Falconer Fell monger -- One who removes hair or wool from hides in preparation for leather making Fletcher -- One who made bows and arrows Fuller -- One who fulls cloth; one who shrinks and thickens woolen cloth by moistening, heating, and pressing; one who cleans and finishes cloth Goaler -- A keeper of the goal, a jailer Glazier -- Window glassman Hacker -- Maker of hoes Hatcheler -- One who combed out or carded flax Haymonger -- Dealer in hay Hayward -- Keeper of fences Higgler -- Itinerant peddler Hillier -- Roof tiler Hind -- A farm laborer Hostler -- A groom who took care of horses, often at an inn Hooker -- Reaper Hooper -- One who made hoops for casks and barrels Huckster -- Sells small wares Husbandman -- A farmer who cultivated the land Jagger -- Fish peddler Journeyman -- One who had served his apprenticeship and mastered his craft, not bound to serve a master, but hired by the day Joyner / Joiner -- A skilled carpenter Keeler -- Bargeman Kempster -- Wool comber Lardner -- Keeper of the cupboard Lavender -- Washer woman Lederer -- Leather maker Leech -- Physician Longshoreman -- Stevedore Lormer -- Maker of horse gear Malender -- Farmer Maltster -- Brewer Manciple -- A steward Mason -- Bricklayer Mintmaster -- One who issued local currency Monger -- Seller of goods (ale, fish) Muleskinner -- Teamster Neatherder -- Herds cows Ordinary Keeper -- Innkeeper with fixed prices Pattern Maker -- A maker of a clog shod with an iron ring. A clog was a wooden pole with a pattern cut into the end Peregrinator -- Itinerant wanderer Peruker -- A wig maker Pettifogger -- A shyster lawyer Pigman -- Crockery dealer Plumber -- One who applied sheet lead for roofing and set lead frames for plain or stained glass windows. Porter -- Door keeper Puddler -- Wrought iron worker Quarrier -- Quarry worker Rigger -- Hoist tackle worker Ripper -- Seller of fish Roper -- Maker of rope or nets Saddler -- One who makes, repairs or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses Sawbones -- Physician Sawyer -- One who saws; carpenter Schumacker -- Shoemaker Scribler -- A minor or worthless author Scrivener -- Professional or public copyist or writer; notary public Scrutiner -- Election judge Shrieve -- Sheriff Slater -- Roofer Slopseller -- Seller of ready-made clothes in a slop shop Snobscat / Snob -- One who repaired shoes Sorter -- Tailor Spinster -- A woman who spins or an unmarried woman Spurrer -- Maker of spurs Squire -- Country gentleman; farm owner; justice of peace Stuff gown or stuff gownsman -- Junior barrister Supercargo -- Officer on merchant ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial concerns of the ship Tanner -- One who tans (cures) animal hides into leather Tapley -- One who puts the tap in an ale cask Tasker -- Reaper Teamster -- One who drives a team for hauling Thatcher -- Roofer Tide waiter -- Customs inspector Tinker -- An itinerant tin pot and pan seller and repairman Tipstaff -- Policeman Travers -- Toll bridge collection Tucker -- Cleaner of cloth goods Turner -- A person who turns wood on a lathe into spindles Victualer -- A tavern keeper, or one who provides an army, navy, or ship with food supplies Vulcan -- Blacksmith Wagoner -- Teamster not for hire Wainwright -- Wagon maker Waiter -- Customs officer or tide waiter; one who waited on the tide to collect duty on goods brought in Waterman -- Boatman who plies for hire Webster -- Operator of looms Wharfinger -- Owner of a wharf Wheelwright -- One who made or repaired wheels; wheeled carriages, etc. Whitesmith -- Tinsmith; worker of iron who finishes or polishes the work Whitewing -- Street sweeper Whitster -- Bleach of cloth Wright -- Workman, especially a construction worker Yeoman -- Farmer who owns his own land ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. 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