These photographs below of young workers from the 1915s include names of children from New York, Mississippi and Maine who worked in the cannery industry.

Canning was once an industry that hired young workers in America as seen by the following photographs. Instead of attending school, children were often forced to work by their parents at a very early age before child labor laws were instituted.

Names of some of the young workers from 1915

A photojournalist, Lewis Wickes Hine traveled around the United States documenting this problem by photographing many young children working in factories.  The notes with the pictures are his notes and provides names of some of the workers.

The photograph below of the young boy and the horse is of an eight-year boy named Jack, carrying cans of milk on a stone boat. The chore involved heavy lifting. August 1915 – photo by Lewis Hines.

 

Young Cannery Workers in Buffalo, New York

Below is a Group of Cannery Workers, School #1, Buffalo, N.Y. (from left to right): 1) Rose Paralto, 12 years old last summer. Helped mother on strawberries, Canning Factory, Simcoe, Canada. Entered school , January 3d, 1910. Last year, school work excellent, this year not good. 2) Josephine Pellina, 10 years old last summer. Strings beans in sheds of Forestville[sic?], Cannery. Came to school in September. 3) Christian Cengo, 10 years old last summer. Worked stringing beans in sheds Forrestville Cannery sometimes until 8 or 9 P.M. 4) Anna Gengo, 10 years old last summer. Sheds of Forrestville Cannnery. 5) Metea Spana, 13 years old last summer. Worked on peas and beans in the sheds of Eden Center Canning Factory. 6) Josephine Leone, 12 years old last summer. Helped in the sheds at Barker Cannery. 7) Frances Imperllario, 11 years old last summer. Worked on berries Cherry Creek Factory. 8) Mary Lefesso, 12 years old last summer. Worked at Barker Canning Factory. Entered school October 22d. Location: Buffalo, New York (State) Photo by Lewis Hines March 1910

 

South Dayton Cannery, Buffalo, New York

Photograph below shows Buffalo, N.Y. (from left to right): 1) Frank Lefasso, 13 years old last summer. Worked in canning factory at Barker. 2) Anthony Traeisi[?], 10 years old last summer. Worked on beans South Dayton, Cannery. 3) James Schillacer, 12 years old last summer. Earned 50 cents a day putting cans in holes in factory St. Catherines, Canada. 4) Peter Delsalvo, 13 years old last summer. Worked in the factory at Brant, N.Y. 5) Anthony Baraone, 11 years old last summer. Worked on apples, beans, tomatoes, in factory at Wilson, N.Y. 6) Thoma Laessi, 12 years old last summer. Worked on beans in sheds at Hamburg, N.Y. 7-9 A.M.; 3-5 P.M. 7) Joseph Lanca, 12 years old last summer. Strings beans in sheds. (All these boys worked on tomatoes.) Location: Buffalo, New York (State) photo by Lewis Hines March 1910

 

Young worker at Albion Canning, Buffalo, New York

Below is a picture of Angelo Rizzo, 5 Trenton Ave., Buffalo, N.Y. Worked 5 months in sheds of Albion Canning. Canning, stringing beans. Was 10 years old last summer. Worked from 7 A.M. until 9 P.M. Returned to school September 27th, losing 2 weeks time. School record good. Location: Buffalo, New York (State) March 1910

Buffalo, New York workers

Below is a Group in School #1, Buffalo, N.Y. (from left to right): 1) Angeline Cortesi, 195 Trenton Ave., 13 years old last summer. Worked in factory at Hamburg, made 50 cents a day. Entered November 20th, and is doing excellent work. 2) Frances Pringvalli, 110 Georgia St., 12 years old last summer. Worked in Cherry Creek Canning Factory, husking corn. Entered school October 12th. 3) Minnie Leffero, 116 Georgia St., 10 years old last summer. Worked on corn and beans in sheds of Albion Canning Factory. Entered this school January 10th, from St. Anthony School. 4) Lena Ballanca, 209 7th St., 11 years old last summer. Went to Canada and helped mother shell peas and snip beans. Lost about 56 days of school. Was good last year but not so good this year. 5) Rose Capenti, 203 7th St., 13 years old last summer. A cannery worker. Entered school November 2d. 6) Anna Barone, 114 Trenton Ave., 9 years old last summer. Worked at home stringing beans for Cherry Creek Factory. 7) Charles Gullo, 115 Wilkinson St., 9 years old last summer. Worked Albion Factory made about $2.50 a week. Lost 7 weeks school time. Location: Buffalo, New York (State) March 1910

 

Workers from Gorenflo Canning Co. Biloxi Mississippi in early morning

View of the Gorenflo Canning Co., Biloxi, Miss., taken at 7 A.M. Many tiny workers here, some of whom began to arrive at the factory as early as 5 o’clock, an hour before they were allowed to begin work, and long before daylight on a damp-foggy day. The whistle had blown and they came and stood around merely to hold their places. When the “catch” has been good, they begin work early, but today it was not good so they were waiting for daylight. In this group I ascertained the ages of a few, as follows, 1 child of 6 years, 1 of 7, 2 of 8, 1 of 10 and there were many more. See report also. Location: Biloxi, Mississippi. March 1911

 

Workers from Gorenflo Canning Co. Biloxi Mississippi at 7:00 A.M.

Below is a photograph of View of the Gorenflo Canning Co., Biloxi, Miss. Taken at 7 A.M. Many tiny workers here, some of whom began to arrive as early as 5 O’clock, and [sic] hour before they were allowed to begin work, and long before daylight on a damp, foggy day. The whistle had blown and they came and stood around merely to hold their places. When the “catch” has been good they begin work early, but today it was not good so they were waiting for daylight. In this group I ascertained the ages of a few, as follows, 1 child of 6 yeards, 1 of 7, 2 of 8, 1 of 10, and there were many others. See report also. Location: Biloxi, Mississippi. March 1911 (Photograph by Lewis Hines -documenting child Labor)

 

Nine-year-old packer in Eastport, Maine

Nan de Gallant, 4 Clark St., Eastport, Maine, 9 year old cartoner, Seacoast Canning Co., Factory #2. Packs some with her mother. Mother and two sisters work in factory. One sister has made $7 in one day. During the rush season, the women begin work at 7 a.m., and at times work until midnight. Brother works on boats. The family comes from Perry, Me., just for the summer months. Work is very irregular. Nan is already a spoiled child. Location: Eastport, Maine. Photo by Lewis Hines August 1911

Home of young packer at Seacoast Canning, Eastport, Maine

Below is Nan de Gallant, 4 Clark St., Eastport, Maine, 9 year old cartoner, Seacoast Canning Co., Factory #2. Packs some with her mother. Mother and two sisters work in factory. One sister has made $7 in one day. During the rush season, the women begin work at 7 a.m., and at times work until midnight. Brother works on boats. The family comes from Perry, Me., just for the summer months. Work is very irregular. Nan is already a spoiled child. Location: Eastport, Maine.

 

WHERE DO I START? Hints and Tips for Beginning Genealogists with On-line resources

 

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