Welcome to the History Corner!
Celebrating the rich history of Port Byron, New York, an old Erie Canal village in the Town of Mentz. This site is dedicated to the legacy and heritage of our community as well as a variety of regional historical tidbits. I hope you enjoy your visit and will stop by again.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Old Occupation Titles

Every once in awhile in census records I see an occupation listed that is not common today.  A good example is a person who lists themselves as a "scavenger".  One would think perhaps this could be an alternate use for a person who may be a junk dealer. 

However, I have found an alternate list for Scottish occupations, which lists a scavenger as a person who was a street sweeper. 

Don't be overly impressed if you see someone listed as a scholar, this lists indicates that would be a child who is attending school, not the graduate of worthy abilities.

It's an interesting read, hope you enjoy the list!

http://www.scotsfamily.com/occupations.htm