Harness Maker
Harness makers were skilled colonial leatherworkers who made and repaired the equipment used to connect horses to carriages, wagons, and riding gear. Because custom harnesses were expensive, their customers were often wealthier colonists who could afford horses and carriages.
Expensive and Long-Lasting Work
Because relatively few colonists had much money, and even fewer owned a carriage, harness makers often catered to wealthier customers. A custom-made harness could cost as much as a month's wages, take around 30 hours to make, and last for 25 to 30 years. Harness makers also produced and repaired many other leather goods, including cushions, pistol buckets, razor cases, cartridge cases, bags and pouches, water buckets, and horse-riding accessories.
Becoming a Harness Maker
Becoming a harness or saddle maker required years of training. Apprenticeships often began around age 13. Apprentices had to learn complicated systems of cutting, stitching, and assembly used to connect a horse safely to a carriage. They also learned to make the strong thread used in leatherworking, which was often made from flax or hemp and coated with beeswax.
Specialized Tools and Saddles
Harness makers and saddlemakers learned to use specialized knives, awls, and dividers for cutting and shaping leather. Skilled craftspeople also learned to make many different types of saddles, including sidesaddles, racing saddles, luggage saddles called portmanteaus, and postilion saddles used by carriage drivers. Saddles could also be made in different colors and textures and treated to improve their resistance to water.
Why it mattered: Harness makers helped keep colonial transportation moving by creating and repairing the leather equipment needed for horses, carriages, wagons, and riders.
Explore the Colonial Town
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