Trades along the Battle Road

Trades along the Battle Road. Minute Man Nat’l Hist Park, Mass. In 1775, the house before you was the home of Job and Anna Brooks, and their children Asa and Anna. Across the street was the home of cousin Joshua Brooks and his family., From the late 17th century until the 19th century, there was a tannery at this site near Elm Brook. At the time of the Battle, it was run by Joshua Brooks. The brook provided water to wash leather hides, and to fill large vats in which the hides were tanned. The Brooks family also ran a nearby slaughterhouse, a brick kiln for baking bricks, and a saw mill. All of these are examples of local Colonial industries. Few people in the 18th century were solely farmers. Most men supplemented their income through trades such as shoe making, cabinet making, rope making, or blacksmithing. Many local men worked here at the tannery. Women made dairy products, spun and wove wool and linen cloth, and practiced midwifery. There was a very lively local exchange of goods and services., “I, Benjamin Brown, Jr. of Lincoln . . . a minor, Hath put himself to Apprentice . . . , to learn tanning and curreing Art, Trade or Mystery . . . ” , -- Benjamin Brown Jr. at age 15, 1762