Occupations
As far back as I’ve yet been able to discover, my ancestors were rural farmers like most of their neighbors, whether they lived in the Mid-Atlantic, the South, or the Midwest. Among that set, I’ve yet to find their occupations a useful tool in solving any of my research problems. When I research other people’s ancestors, especially in urban areas, it’s a very different experience.
Andrew Allen, bird cage maker, lived in New York City from at least 1812, when he married Maria Lasher, until 1842, when he bought land and moved to Suffolk County. With an occupation that unusual, I was confident that it would be easy to differentiate the subject Andrew Allen from other NYC men of the same name and time period. I was seriously mistaken.
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About Author
Aaron Goodwin
Aaron is a genealogist and house historian specializing in New York City research across all time periods, from the Dutch colonial era to the 20th century. His book, New York City Municipal Archives: An Authorized Guide for Family Historians, won the National Genealogical Society’s 2017 Award for Excellence: Genealogical Methods and Sources. He is also editor of NGS Monthly, former contributing editor of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, and former editor of the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. In 2011, he received the American Society of Genealogists’ Scholar Award.
I have successfully used occupational records in solving genealogical problems, and am a firm believer in their value. If I may, I’ll point to my article in the NGSQ 103:3, “James Wesley Mooney of Will County, Illinois: Business Records Reveal His New York Family,” which references glass factory records from 1817-18 in upstate New York.
Sue Kratsch