Jobs in The Colony.

Apothecary

A apothecary colonial times were the same as today’s pharmacists. They made medicines from minerals, plants, and herbs and sold them

Blacksmith

The blacksmith used a forge to make and fix things like horseshoes, tools, axe heads, hammers, nails, and plowes

Cabinetmaker

When the first settlers came to America they made their own furniture. But, as the colonies grew and got more money, cabinet makers made high quality furniture. Some items are tables, chairs, and desks.

Chandler (candlemaker)

A chandler was a merchant who made candles. Candles were an important in America because they didn’t have electricity for lights. Candles were usually made from tallow, but could also be made from bayberry or myrtle wax. To make a candle, the candlemaker would dip a wick into heated tallow or wax until the candle reached the size they wanted it. The early settlers made their own candles and not a chandler.

Cobbler (shoemaker)

The cobbler made and repaired shoes. Some larger towns would have multiple cobblers. Cobblers would often specialize in different types of shoes. The best shoemakers made men’s boots.

Cooper

The cooper made containers like barrels, casks, and buckets. These containers were important in colonial times for storing all sorts of items like ale, wine, flour, gunpowder, and tobacco. 

Gunsmith

The gunsmith made and fixed guns for the town. Gunsmiths had to be good in working with wood and metal. Most of the gunsmiths in colonial times fixed guns rather than making new guns. New guns came from England.

Milliner

The milliner was the owner of the local clothing store. They sold items for sewing like cloth and thread. They also made hats, shirts, aprons, hoods and cloaks. The milliner was normally a woman and was one of the trades that could be owned by a woman during colonial times.

Printer

The printer during colonial times printed things like legal documents, newspapers, books, proclamations, and pamphlets. Each page was set up and then ran through the printer. It was important that they didn’t have any typos.

Tailor

The tailors of colonial times made custom clothing of all types for men and women. They made most of their money making coats and breeches for men. Tailors normally did not sell cloth or clothing. Their customers would buy the cloth elsewhere and bring it to the tailor for it to be made into clothing.

Wheelwright

The wheelwright made and repaired wheels for vehicles like carriages and wagons.

Wigmaker

Wigs were very popular during colonial times. Men with lots of money wore powdered wigs. The wigmaker used human and animal hair to make wigs.