It would seem logical that most early arrivals to New England became farmers by necessity. They had to have a way to feed themselves. It wasn't any different for Samuel Packard, my 8x-great-grandfather. He arrived with a wife and one child in 1638 at Hingham, Plymouth Colony. Not long after, he removed his family to Weymouth, and finally settled in Bridgewater. By the time of his death in 1684, he had acquired a goodly amount of land, much of it farmed.
Much later, my great-great grandfather Nelson Reed McKee was listed in the 1860 census as being a farmer in Allen County, Indiana. Either he did not succeed as a farmer, or he just found that he did not like the occupation, for in the 1870 census, he is listed as a silversmith. At that time, he was living with his wife and two children in Portland, Jay County, Indiana.
A several-times great-granduncle was a farmer in Maryland. His name was Jean-Pierre LeSueur, and he had come over from France to fight on the side of the American colonies in our Revolution. His descendant, my great-granduncle Levi Curtis LeSourd (the spelling varied over time) was also a farmer, in Indiana. He and his family lived in a small town called Sleeth, in Carroll County. named for the family of Levi's wife Rachel Anna Sleeth.
Harold Blaine White was the third husband of my grandmother Ruth Nave. Her first husband, Benjamin Franklin Reed, was my grandfather. He died in a railroad accident in 1917. Harold White was raised on a farm, and his first occupation was as a farmer. From what I have learned of him, he was not a success as a farmer. He apparently was not much of a success at much of anything, because he attributed to himself several occupations, but in each census in which he was listed, he is shown as unemployed. His earnings for the year, as shown in censuses, were much less than that of my grandmother.
Farming did not survive as an occupation in my family into the 20th century.
6 comments:
1638 is an early arrival - I had relatives in the 1630s in Weymouth too - our ancestors would have known each other!
Regards Anne
https://anneyoungau.wordpress.com/2024/02/10/up-and-gone-to-massachusetts/
Well, they had to eat! Most of the early arrivals in my family were farmers as well, and the families that lived in the south were either in farming, the railroad or were coal miners. My mom's side lived in the city, so they tended to have jobs that were geared toward more city life. My great-grandfather repaired carriages.
It's impressive you've managed to trace back your lineage and find so detailed accounts. Farming is such an important job to have, i feel it's underrated because it's too "blue-collar". but the working class makes the world go round. Idea-ist@GetLostInLit
In all fairness, farming is difficult. My ancestors farmed and no one was rolling in money! At least they usually ate well.
I read somewhere that farming was the main occupation in the US prior to 1850. It was certainly true for my ancestors, and it appears your as well. Look forward to the other occupations!
My Uncle lived on a farm for awhile. it was fun visiting them, I seem to remember lots of pig roasts. My post is about a zoo holiday. There are lots of farm animals in the zoo!
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