Ancestor Occupations

In most of my blogs about my ancestors I’ve concentrated on who they were and where they were from. I thought I’d take a little break from that and look at what the occupations of my ancestors were. I’ve limited this research to four generations (from my parents back to my great-great-grandparents) for the simple reason that census records prior to 1870 do not record occupations, although in a few cases I’ve been able to go back an additional generation where the individual was still living/working in 1870.

In the below table, I’ve also used the notation “KH” for most of the wives as their occupation is listed as “Keeping House”. While the job of raising a family, preparing meals, and often gardening or tending animals is not a simple task, it adds little interest to this study. I’ve also used the letters F/M to denote “father” or “mother”. Where an individual had different occupations in different census records, I’ve indicated both of them.

Myself – Alan Russell – Systems Analyst / Business Analyst

            F – Vernon Russell – Draftsman / Tool Designer

                        FF – Erskine Russell – Foundryman / Electrician / Security Guard.

                                    FFF – Louis Russell – Farm Laborer / Electrician

                                                FFFF – Walter Russell – Farmer

                                                            FFFFF – Silas Russell - Farmer

                                                FFFM – Lois Cook – KH

                                    FFM – Anna Merchant – KH

                                                FFMF – Hever Merchant – Collier

                                                FFMM – Anna Soan – KH

                        FM2 (second wife of Erskine) – Elizabeth Evans – Dressmaker / KH

                                    FM2F – David Evans – Silverplate factory

                        FM – Vera Levy – Itinerant saleswoman / KH

                                    FMF – Maurice Levy – Printer

                                                FMFF – Alexander Levy – Stationery sales

                                                FMFM – Phoebe Isaacs – KH

                                    FMM – Caroline Northrop – KH

                                                FMMF – Lawrence Northrop – Liniment dealer/manufacturer

                                                            FMMFF – Joel Northrop - Farmer

                                                FMMM – Mary Lois Rogers – KH

                                                            FMMMF – Benjamin Rogers – Boot maker

                        FF2 (second husband of Vera) – Charles Rogers – Watch repair

                        FF2F – Oren Rogers – Watchmaker

            M – Sylvia Pierpont – KH

                        MF – Harold Pierpont – Milkman / Plumbing Supply

                                    MFF – Wilson Pierpont – Farmer

                                                MFFF – Charles Pierpont – Farmer

                                                MFFM – Mary Ann Warner – KH

                                    MFM – Annie Merrill – KH

                                                MFMF – Nathan Merrill – Baker / Printer

                                                MFMM – Eunice Hoadley – KH

                        MM – Sara Blackman – KH

                                    MMF – Clarence Blackman – Mechanic / Foreman

                                                MMFF – Isaac Blackman – Farmer

                                                MMFM – Harriett Johnson – KH

                                    MMM – Alice Talmadge – KH

                                                MMMF – Stephan Talmadge – Butcher

                                                MMMM – Sarah Few – KH

As you can see, most of my ancestors held “blue collar” jobs that involved working with their hands. Except for the occupation of farmer, there were few individuals who had the same occupation. Only Erskine Russell, who was brought into the powerhouse at Scovill to work with his father Louis, and Charles Rogers, who learned his skills in watches, had occupations like their fathers.

All of these individuals had schooling and could read/write with the exception of Silas Russell who was the 4^th generation of Russell men in America who were a family of illiterate farmers from Scotland.

I’m happy to have as my ancestors so many individuals who had the types of occupations that helped make this country what it is today.