If not, there are ways of finding out. If you have discovered your great-grandfather’s occupation, but wish to find more information, there are resources that can help you.
If you’re trying to figure out what line of work your ancestors were in prior to 1850, check your local tax records. They often listed occupations. From 1850 on, the Federal Census listed occupations.
After 1850, city and county directories were printed on a fairly regular basis. These books can provide both occupational information as well as street addresses for your ancestor. Over the years, the information in these directories became more refined and included business listings and advertisements. Not only could you find out what company your ancestor worked for, but what specific job they held at that company.
For instance, my grandmother, Margaret Uhland Bitzer, and her sister and brothers all worked at Hamilton Watch during the 1920s and 1930s. The Lancaster City Directories show that my grandmother worked as a friction jeweler for the company while her brothers, Charles and Lloyd, worked in the finishing department and her sister, Kathryn, worked in the timing department.
Once you find the basic information of where someone worked and what they did there, you can still dig a little deeper. First, continue looking through city and county directories to learn more about the business. This will give you an idea of how long the company was in operation.
Next, search for a short history of the business. Look through newspapers or check for published histories at your local historical society or library. If the company in question is still in business, try contacting them to see if they keep old records. Larger companies sometimes have their own archives, which might hold the information you seek.
If you want to find old photographs of your ancestor’s place of employment or maybe even of your ancestor at work, check with your local historical society or the company in question. The Lancaster County Historical Society has a growing collection of more than 16,000 photographs. You never know: We may just have an image of your ancestor hard at work.
This fall the Lancaster County Historical Society will publish the second book in its series of photographic histories of the county: “Lancaster at Work: Businesses of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania” will feature great images of Lancastrians farming, selling, manufacturing, typing, serving the community and much more. Watch for it at local bookstores in October.
Marianne Heckles is a research assistant at the Lancaster County Historical Society. Send your questions about how to trace your family’s history to “It’s All Relative,” Lancaster County Historical Society, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603. The columnists will not be able to answer each letter personally. Process-related questions will be answered in a future column. For additional information on genealogy or the historical society’s research services, consult their Web site at www.lancasterhistory.org.
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