The overwhelming majority of Missourians in 1821 were farmers, often referred to as planters or yeomen. Some craftsmen even devoted most of their time to farming in order to support families. Other part-time professions were an outgrowth of farming—distilling was a way of preserving part of an apple or corn crop, for example.
Many professions are recognizable today, such as merchant, baker, wagon maker, trapper, miner, or potter. Many men were part-time blacksmiths, who crafted iron or steel items, and a few made all their living at that trade. The term “Smith” referred to any profession working in metal, such as coppersmith, tinsmith, or gun smith.
Common trades rarely mentioned today included cooper (barrel maker), tanner (processed hides into leathers—a smelly profession by all accounts), cobbler (repaired shoes), cordwainer (manufactured new shoes from leather), and joiner or house joiner (joined lighter, ornamental pieces of wood). Some made a living in parts of southeast Missouri extracting tar, turpentine, and rosin from pines.
Full-time craftsmen might establish a shop, often advertising in local newspapers. Most manufacturing operations were small, but some in southeastern Missouri included in the 1820 census of manufactures pertained to lumber, leather, distilling, milling, and mining.
Most skilled workers learned their trade in 1821 by apprenticeship. The parent of an apprentice often drafted a legal agreement with the master craftsman. The youth received training and sometimes room, board, clothing, and education in exchange for payment and labor to the craftsman for a period of years.
Enslaved people were mostly involved in agriculture, but tradesmen might train some individuals to assist in their business. Examples include blacksmithing, tanner, miller, and miner.
