Family History Tips--Part 38

The Genealogical Road Trip Continues: Heading to Work with Your Great Grandparents 
by Brenna Corbit, Technical Services Librarian

Last time I gave advice on how to locate your ancestors’ homes, providing they are still standing. Those houses, I am sure, had nice comfortable beds, but morning comes early, and our great grandparents had to rise and shine and head off to work.

You may have discovered many occupations for your ancestors—blacksmith, nurse, hat maker, or farmer. So, just as it is really nice to find your 3x great grandparents’ home, wouldn’t it be sweet to find their places of employment? 


If a census record states your ancestor is a merely a “laborer,” you will have little luck locating where they worked, but if, say, your ancestor lived in Adamstown, Pa. and is listed as a “hat maker” in a “hat factory,” your chances of locating that factory would be greater. Many of the Adamstown Blimlines I was recently researching were hat makers. A Google search indicates the Bollman Hat Company in Adamstown was founded in 1868. A short drive to the factory would reveal if the original factory still stands. And if it does, ask about a tour.

In another example a census record indicates my aunt’s ancestor George Hamilton worked in Philadelphia as a “salesman” for a “soup company,” but his death certificate was more specific—Campbell’s Soup Company. I feel the connection; I was raised on this stuff. However, a web search indicates the old Camden, N.J. headquarters was demolished in the 1990s. 

In some cases, you can still see the legacy of your ancestors’ labours. The Borkerts on my mother’s side were bricklayers in the late 19th century and early 20th century, with one of the largest Berks bricklaying firms in its day—Borkert Brothers. Digital newspapers name many buildings erected by the firm. Many still stand in Reading—Freeman Shoe Factory (now an apartment building) and St. Mary’s School, to name a few. In another case, one of the old concrete pavements in my Pennside neighborhood still bears the stamp of Dominic Maurer, Inc., an ancestor of my wife Jolene Flamm. Every time we walk the neighborhood, we are walking on my wife’s genealogical history.

When trying to determine where your ancestor worked, keep in mind where they lived. Most people lived near their jobs. Mass transportation did not come until much later. By the way, the old factory steam whistle not only signaled starting and quitting, they were also used to awaken the workers since few had alarm clocks. 

Here are some resources to locate your ancestors’ places of employment:

Family History Tips Blog Entry #9—Other Often-Ignored Information in Ancestral Records—Occupations 

County Histories—Many county histories written during the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries contain profiles of industries, including biographies of prominent citizens and their businesses. Couple this information with other records, such as census records, information in corporate deeds, and articles gleaned in digital newspapers, and you may be lucky finding a place. County histories are available online, in locations such as Ancestry and Google Books. Hard copies can be found in libraries and historical/genealogical societies.

Historic Sites—Places like Charming Forge and Hopewell Village operate as living history museums. Some old grist mills still exist.

Census Records—If a person is listed as a “presser” in a “clothing factory,” you could try looking for a factory in the area. Historical societies could help you identify some of the buildings. If the person has his or her own business, and is listed, for example, as a “barber” at his “own shop,” refer to a city directory of the same year to obtain a street address.


City Directories—Sometimes the addresses and/or names of a person’s business or place of employment are listed for an individual. Directories also list businesses in a separate section by categories. 

Military Draft registrations—These usually give a registrant’s place and address of employment.

Newspapers articles, obituaries—OCR searches reveal a whole world of information. 

At the rate the old buildings are disappearing, your chances of visiting your ancestors’ places of employment are getting slim. As I write, more than half of Vanity Fair Knitting Mills is being demolished. But when you find a place, it really puts things into perspective. When I look at some of these grim, hulking brick structures, and I have worked in a few of them myself, I feel a strong sense of connection to my past. Until next time, keep your engines running.