Aaron Biterman's Ancestors: Occupational Sketch
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Some people who research their family history spend much effort getting birth, death, and marriage facts, but give little notice to what their ancestors did to provide for their "keep". Our ancestors were exactly like us in that they spent most of their waking hours in some type of work or occupation. Whether they kept house, farmed the land, or worked in a factory, they had a job to do. The occupation of your ancestors often shape their personalities. In my paternal family (Jewish), occupations were the backbone of society. The daughter of Gerszon the capmaker was known as “[Daughter’s name], daughter of Gerszon the capmaker.” Research on my paternal line has been complicated by lack of historical records, language barriers, and historical persecution of Jews. I have only been able to identify about thirty ancestors. Among those ancestors was a scrap metal salesman, a grain worker, a store owner, a locksmith, a farmer, a cap maker, a vinegar maker, and a cooking oil producer. On my maternal line (Roman Catholic), I have identified approximately 160 ancestors in six different countries. I list ancestral occupations, by generation, below: Great-grandfathers: Joe Hirschboeck, tavern owner/operator and machinist; Peter A. Kolb, postal worker and clerk Great-grandmothers: Antonia Strablegg, tavern owner and hospital chef; Margaret Frank, corsetiere Great-great-grandfathers: George Hirschboeck, solderer (assemblyman); Alois Strablegg, butcher; Peter Kolb, laborer and cooper; Joe Frank, farmer and carpenter Great-great-great-grandfathers: George V. Hirschboeck, shoemaker; Josef Lemberger, laborer; Peter Kolb, cultivator; Henry Doll, farmer; Theodor Frank, farmer, carpenter and wine merchant Great-great-great-grandmother: Thekla Vogl, washer-knitter (She notably made clothing for the children of the King and Queen of Germany.) Great-great-great-great-grandfathers: Sebastian Hirschboeck, shoemaker, messenger, and clockmaker; Andreas Reichl, blacksmith master; Peter Kolb: cultivator; Gerhard Kaiser, farmer Great-great-great-great-great-grandfathers: Damion Hirschböck, shoemaker and messenger; Adam Mayer/Maier, day laborer and half-farmer; Joseph Reichl, blacksmith; Caspar Eisenbarth, farmer; Peter Lemberger, small holder (cultivating a small area of land); Johann Pritzl, weaver; François Louis Braa: teacher Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfathers: Melchior Hirschböck, shoemaker and messenger; Cosmas Reichl, blacksmith; Johann Schwinger, weaver; Wolfgang Liebl, weaver; Joannes Boehles, tailor; Andreas Gabriel: farmer Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfathers: (unknown) Hirschböck, shoemaker; Georgius Reichl, blacksmith; Joseph Bez/Pez/Betz, potter; Jakob Lemberger, innkeeper; Josef Müller, mason; Simon Greil, farmer; Sébastien André Gabriel: farmer; Ludovicus Frison: doctor |
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My Family Genealogy |