St Croix Census Responses–Creative Occupations

It’s always interesting to read old census forms because they often have amusing entries.  Occupations, in particular, are interesting.  In the St. Croix census, the Occupation field held either a person’s job or other information on what they did or how they were supported.  Sometimes they provided extra information or even commentary that gives a modern reader, who is used to the “just the facts” responses, a chuckle.

Here is a set of responses I collected that struck me as unusual, either in the way the occupation was put (quill driving or bookkeeping), the extra information provided (principal stock keeper, an excellent man), or by the many ways a person can be described as unemployed (sitting down, nothing) and (lives by what he can obtain).  Some of these people are having a hard time finding work (House servant; has given up and will leave this place) or are in some way poor (no support and very destitute). 

It is also interesting that the problems with cheap imports are hardly new.  William Betts is listed in 1841 as a “shoemaker, but at present can scarcely make a living by it in consequence of the great importation of foreign shoes”.  I’m also wondering about Mr. de Silva who is listed as a “Schoolmaster, Lutheran clerk, gravedigger and inviter”.  I don’t think I want to accept one of his invitations.

If anyone has a clue what Carl P Dick did in 1841, let me know.  Kind of looks like candidate philosopher.  Not much call for that still.

These come from the St Croix censuses on the VISHA Database (http://stx.visharoots.org/db.html).

Year	Name	Age	Sex	Occupation
1835	Peggy	60	F	small gang, minding sucking children
1841	Alexander	2	M	house servant, infant incapable of working
1841	Carl	50	M	keeps the yard & street clean and brings wood
1841	Carl P. Dick	24	M	candid. philos., looking for employment in the island
1841	Isabella Hodge	39	F	mother of a sick woman and in poor circumstances, lives by needlework
1841	Jacob	35	M	Cleans candle sticks, knives & forks etc. etc..
1841	Lucy Ruan	59	F	Ensane, and can give no explanation whatever either with regard to herself and her two leprous children, who are supported by the Land Treasury. They all belong to the English Church
1841	Sophia Abraham	62	F	employed to take charge of the house, which is unoccupied and out of repair
1841	William Betts	28	M	shoemaker, but at present can scarcely make a living by it in consequence of the great importation of foreign shoes
1846	Francis Armstrong	35	M	no employment, living upon what he has worked for
1846	Henry Malleville Francis de Silva	29	M	Schoolmaster, Lutheran clerk, gravedigger and inviter
1846	I. N. Meinche	20	F	not specified; presumably Prison warden, as he signs the form
1846	Isabella Charles	62	F	Celebrated fruit seller
1846	J.C. Krause	50	M	lives by what he can obtain
1846	Jim Keating	22	M	No situation, being an Idiot
1846	John G. Krause	58	M	on good cheer, no title, no office
1846	Peter Teal	62	M	no support and very destitute
1846	W. von Bretton	60	M	quill driving or book keeping
1850	Ann Norager	36	F	constantly in the hospital occasioned from an incurable sickness
1850	Betzy Andrew	34	F	Said to be doing nothing
1850	Caroline	52	F	takes care of her family which is very large
1850	Eliza Mitchell, Miss	56	F	living by economy & industry
1850	Elizabeth Hansen	59	F	charity, by Gods help
1850	Isabella Gowan	24	F	don't know what she does
1850	J L Wittrog	47	M	burgher, support his family as he best can
1850	Johannes	64	M	fisher on his own hook
1850	John Slate	40	M	stopping without permission
1850	Madlane	41	F	does nothing since the revolt
1850	Mary Lucas	57	F	trafficking fruit, assists her husband in making a living
1850	Rachel Gordon	18	F	little or nothing, supported by me
1850	Rosanna	60	F	renter of a house but cannot say how she lives
1855	Albert	15	M	caring stock and to do what he is told
1855	Andreas	32	M	principal stock keeper, an excellent man
1855	Barsheba James	55	F	sitting down, nothing
1855	Elisabeth Elskau	58	F	minding her husband
1855	Leah Nickson	49	F	not employed but minding her mother
1855	Martha Ruan	51	F	attending to her husband by permission
1855	Rosina	16	F	washer apprentice to Sophia Dyer by order of the judge
1855	Sarah	32	F	allowed to live with her husband being delicate and not fit to work
1855	William Alexander	16	M	going to America I believe
1857	James J. Grant	10	M	employed in various ways when he returns from school
1857	Paulina Edwards	11	F	apprentice, attends the Anglican church & school by the request of her mother
1860	Caroline Daniel	60	F	does what is in her power
1860	Sue	42	F	skulking
1880	Alexander Sanders	30	M	former cartman; given up and will leave this place this week
1880	Mary Peterson	27	F	House servant; has given up and will leave this place