Leatherworkers



The tradesmen or artisans who made useful propducts from processed animal hides probably represented the largest single segment of the early Albany production economy.

These were early Albany's shoe and bootmakers, cordwainers, harness and saddlemakers. Cobblers repaired shoes and boots. By-products were produced by candlemakers, soapmakers, . [ This is only a preliminary list. ]

Follow this link to more information about shoes and shoemakers on this website. In 1756, twenty-one individuals were identified as shoemakers on a census of householders taken by the British army.

Frequently, early Albany leatherworkers also were involved in the production of the leather they later cobbled. Consequently, some of them operated tanning pits along Foxes Creek.

Follow this link to more information about cordovans and cordwainers on this website.

Follow this link to more information about saddles and saddlemakers on this website.

Follow this link to more information about harnesses and harnessmakers on this website.

Follow this link to more information about candles and candlemakers on this website.


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notes

Sources: Baston family;

During the second decade of the nineteenth century, shoemaker James P. Van Benthuysen (1772-1835) also was identified as a lastmaker (the forms or molds that shoemakers and cobblers used to hold shoes and boots). He practiced his trades and sold leather items in his shoestores on South Market and then on Division Street.



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first posted: 3/20/07; revised 11/17/08

Pictures of lasts = not hapy usiing any of the copable items I see online to represent something VBT might have made and/or used. Wonder if anyone out there can help with a link or a digital image? I'll bet we have one in the NYSM collection. Let's see who might pile on here! 11/17/08.