Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Was Your Grandfather a Blacksmith?

I hear a lot of great stories from people about their memories of visiting a blacksmith shop in their youth. Some visitors tell me about relatives that were blacksmiths. I’ve heard about blacksmiths that shod horses and smiths who made precision parts for fire engines and steam turbines! I’ve met men that worked in blacksmith shops on the Erie Canal and on the New York Central Railroad. I’d love to hear more stories and am inviting you to share yours. We are starting a project to record and transcribe these stories. They will be archived in the New York State Historical Association Library. If you would like to share your story or family’s history you can reply to this blog and I will contact you. It doesn’t matter what state you are in, or even the country in which you reside. We would love to hear your story.

3 comments:

  1. Odds are at some point there was a blacksmith in my family. Not for generations, though.

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  2. My 3rd great grandfather was a blacksmith who had a shop in Cooperstown, NY. He also served in the Civil War and was at the Battle of Wilderness. In researching genealogy, it is simply amzing what one discovers about their ancestors. Kathleen Olmstead

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  3. Kathleen,

    Thanks for the information! I'll write about Cooperstown Blacksmiths later this month. Perhaps I'll be able to find a reference to your relative!

    Thanks for connecting with us!

    Steve - Blacksmith at The Farmers' Museum

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