Occupations of Your Ancestors

I'm sure most of us would love to find out that our family tree contained royalty or a connection to someone famous. I vaguely remember hearing some story that one of my 2nd great-grandfathers was an exiled Prussian prince who escaped to America. Not likely.

My husband's ancestors include lawyers, doctors, and even one of the first residents of a town south of Pittsburgh. Mine? Mostly laborers: steelworkers, puddlers, coal miners, and glasshouse workers. There were a couple of tavern and shop owners. One of my great-grandfathers was a police officer, and his brother was a fireman.

But I'm proud of my family. They may have been common "everyday" people, but they're my family and I still think they are worthy of researching, remembering, and honoring. Don't research to find sensational stories. Research to learn more about your ancestors' lives and the times in which they lived.

If you need any help researching your family history, please contact me. If you're stuck, maybe I can take a look at it with a fresh eye and find something new.

(Puddler photograph courtesy of Christopher Bailey and the Father Pitt blog.)