a birth certificate from 1866.father was provision merchant. what is that?

Answer 1

Maybe provisioning for ships?

Answer 2

A provision merchant sold almost anything but food. He might have owned a General Store in town or travelled in a wagon. They were sometimes called sutlers, especially during the Civil War. In 1866 he would have been selling the provisions the people needed to get on with their lives. Depending on the local economy, he might have sold pans, buckets, and shovel to gold miners, tack to ranchers, or plows to farmers. In addition, he might carry blankets, dishes, silverware, cloth, needles, thread, and seed.

Answer 3

A shop owner. J.Sainsbury was a provisions merchant.

Answer 4

A 'provision merchant' was one who sold 'provisions' (food, guns, bullets, blankets, etc.) to people who were going across the country in a covered wagon.

Answer 5

It sounds like a person who operated a grocery store or something similar. "Provisions" refer to food items, and "merchant", of course, is a store owner or salesman.

In Great Britain, they are referred to as "wholesalers," or people who buy goods at a lower price and then sells them to others at a slightly higher price (retail) in order to make a profit.

Answer 6

Seller of provisions- worked in a shop.

Answer 7

Basically, he sold provisions. These could be basic everyday commodities like sugar, tea, candles, soap that sort of thing.

Answer 8

A grocer... more particular one who sells ground provisions or vegetables or other natural foods.

Answer 9

He ran a store, which sold food, utensils, clothing, and other things to the general public.

Answer 10

usually groceries, food, etc, or wood or coal, anything people needed in shops or had delivered. could be flour, butter or cattle feed. look on a history site