Women’s Work: Genealogy Resources for Women’s Employment
by Mary Beth Newbill, Southern History Department, Central Library
It’s quite likely that you are very well aware of the occupations and professions of your male ancestors, but have you ever wondered about the employment history of your female relatives? While we may think of the “working woman” as a fairly modern invention, women have a long history of working in a variety of occupations. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s take a look at several sources that can shed some light on what our female ancestors did for a living.
The first place to look for anyone’s occupation is in the Federal Census which has included this type of information since 1850. Interestingly, the Census Bureau must not have thought that women would be working for pay in 1850, as the enumerators were instructed to list the “Profession, occupation, or trade of each male person over 15 years of age.” By 1860, the instructions had been expanded to include the occupation of “each person, male and female over 15 years of age.” A quick glance at the 1860 census reveals that most women who worked did so as servants, domestics, teachers, and inn keepers. In the more industrialized parts of the country, many women were employed in mills and factories.
The 1940 census included many questions about people’s work and occupations, including whether or not someone was employed in one of the many public works projects that were part of the New Deal. Below is the listing for Audrey Garmany of Gibson County, Tennessee, who, at the age of 18, worked as a stenographer for the National Youth Administration. We learn that she earned $125.00 in 1939.
If your ancestor (male or female) worked for the federal government, see if you can find them listed among the employees recorded in the Official Register of the United States. Published at regular intervals beginning in 1817, the Official Register lists federal employees, the agency they worked for, place of birth, and their salary. Many women are listed as postmasters, clerks, copyists, and more. The Official Register can be found online through 1921 at Hathi Trust.
Perhaps your female ancestors decided to serve their country in a different way by answering the call to join the Cadet Nurse Corps. Signed into law in 1943, the Cadet Nurse Corps offered a free, accelerated nursing education program. The goal was to avert a critical shortage of nurses in civilian and military hospitals. The CNC was completely free of discrimination and was open to all women between the ages of 17 and 35 with a high school diploma. Card files on those who joined the CNC have been digitized and can be viewed using the library’s subscription to Fold3.com. The smart uniforms were used as a recruitment tool. They were designed to be very fashionable and included one for summer and one for winter.
The cards include the applicant’s home address, marital status, the name of their husband, parent, or guardian, and the name of the school to which they are applying.
For more information about how to research the employment of your female ancestors check out some of these sources:
"Discovering the Work Your Female Ancestors Did"
"Early Working Women Relatives"
From Working Girl to Working Mother: The Female Labor Force in the United States, 1820-1980
"Women Workers in Wartime"
Out to Work: A History of Wage-earning Women in the United States
"Early Women Occupations, Jobs, and Avocations"
It’s quite likely that you are very well aware of the occupations and professions of your male ancestors, but have you ever wondered about the employment history of your female relatives? While we may think of the “working woman” as a fairly modern invention, women have a long history of working in a variety of occupations. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s take a look at several sources that can shed some light on what our female ancestors did for a living.
The first place to look for anyone’s occupation is in the Federal Census which has included this type of information since 1850. Interestingly, the Census Bureau must not have thought that women would be working for pay in 1850, as the enumerators were instructed to list the “Profession, occupation, or trade of each male person over 15 years of age.” By 1860, the instructions had been expanded to include the occupation of “each person, male and female over 15 years of age.” A quick glance at the 1860 census reveals that most women who worked did so as servants, domestics, teachers, and inn keepers. In the more industrialized parts of the country, many women were employed in mills and factories.
The 1940 census included many questions about people’s work and occupations, including whether or not someone was employed in one of the many public works projects that were part of the New Deal. Below is the listing for Audrey Garmany of Gibson County, Tennessee, who, at the age of 18, worked as a stenographer for the National Youth Administration. We learn that she earned $125.00 in 1939.
If your ancestor (male or female) worked for the federal government, see if you can find them listed among the employees recorded in the Official Register of the United States. Published at regular intervals beginning in 1817, the Official Register lists federal employees, the agency they worked for, place of birth, and their salary. Many women are listed as postmasters, clerks, copyists, and more. The Official Register can be found online through 1921 at Hathi Trust.
Perhaps your female ancestors decided to serve their country in a different way by answering the call to join the Cadet Nurse Corps. Signed into law in 1943, the Cadet Nurse Corps offered a free, accelerated nursing education program. The goal was to avert a critical shortage of nurses in civilian and military hospitals. The CNC was completely free of discrimination and was open to all women between the ages of 17 and 35 with a high school diploma. Card files on those who joined the CNC have been digitized and can be viewed using the library’s subscription to Fold3.com. The smart uniforms were used as a recruitment tool. They were designed to be very fashionable and included one for summer and one for winter.
The cards include the applicant’s home address, marital status, the name of their husband, parent, or guardian, and the name of the school to which they are applying.
For more information about how to research the employment of your female ancestors check out some of these sources:
"Discovering the Work Your Female Ancestors Did"
"Early Working Women Relatives"
From Working Girl to Working Mother: The Female Labor Force in the United States, 1820-1980
"Women Workers in Wartime"
Out to Work: A History of Wage-earning Women in the United States
"Early Women Occupations, Jobs, and Avocations"
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