Question:
I have come across two old occupations which I am wondering what they are. Can you tell me what these ancestors did for a living? One ancestor was a "millpeck" and the other a "Japanner".
Answer:
The occupation of Mill peck was one who would travel to the local mills and sharpen the mill stone(s). The grinding surface of a mill stone would eventually wear down, and a new surface would be carved from the stone. The occupation of the Japanner would be one who worked with applying varnishes to various types or wooden surfaces.