Barnabas' occupation?

Okay fellow Shadowphiles, we've *sorta* already discussed this, when we were talking recently about DS characters as trial lawyers, but I want to 'refine' the discussion.

What do you all think Barnabas did for a living in his actual life?  We know of course that he worked for his pop at the shipyards, but *what* did he actually do?  We know that Jeremiah was the designer of the ships, as he is the architect of Collinwood, and we can reasonably guess that Joshua was the President/CEO, money guy for the company.  But was was Barnabas' role?

I personally think he was the lawyer.  I came to this conclusion because it was he who was sent to Martinique to close the deal w/Andre Dupres so I'm thinking he traveled there w/a contract.  This would also explain why he did such a good job defending Quentin at his witchcraft trial in 1840.  He seemed to know a lot about the law.  And to me it makes sense for Joshua to want a lawyer in the family so why not send his only son to law school, Harvard perhaps?  It's not like Barnabas would have gone against Joshua since in 1795 he seems scared to death of the man.  I actually have visions of him as a child cowering behind Naomi whenever Joshua went into a rant.

What do you think?

Good theory, I would have to agree with you.

So the truth is that Joshua was grooming Barnabas to run for congress and it all went to hell in a handbasket when Angelique showed up.

I love it......

Good theory.  It makes sense too.  No wonder Barnabas is such a bloodsucker! *ducking*  

I'm thinking that Joshua had bigger things for Barnabas in the political field....like president.

President Barnabas Collins.

Sounds nice.

President Barnabas Collins.

Hmmm, President Collins!  I like that too! 

But which party? Democrat? Republican? Federalist?

But which party? Democrat? Republican? Federalist?

Republican, of course. The man thinks nothing of sucking the life's blood out of the Collinsport Working Girls......

But which party? Democrat? Republican? Federalist?

Hmmm, good question.  If we're talking an actual party from that era, I'd say either Federalist or possibly a Whig.  If we're talking today's parties, being a rich, blue-blood I'd be inclined to say Republican.  But if we base it solely on his personality, I'd say Democrat.  He could have Teddy Kennedy as his VP, LOL! 

Has to be Republican.  Joshua was a Republican and made damn sure everybody knew it.  Barnabas was a Republican because thats what his father was.  Besides, if he went against the grain, God knows what Joshua would have done, and probably the whole Republican party.  It makes my back crawl to think about it.

I don't know, but if Barnabas got a crewcut, he'd look just like former (?) third party presidential candidate, Ross Perot, imho.

I thought Barnabas was suppose to become second in command of the Collins business? I see him more as an administrator type.

I thought Barnabas was suppose to become second in command of the Collins business? I see him more as an administrator type.

Who says lawyers can't administrate? 

What do you all think Barnabas did for a living in his actual life?  We know of course that he worked for his pop at the shipyards, but *what* did he actually do?  We know that Jeremiah was the designer of the ships, as he is the architect of Collinwood, and we can reasonably guess that Joshua was the President/CEO, money guy for the company.  But was was Barnabas' role?

I personally think he was the lawyer.  I came to this conclusion because it was he who was sent to Martinique to close the deal w/Andre Dupres so I'm thinking he traveled there w/a contract.  This would also explain why he did such a good job defending Quentin at his witchcraft trial in 1840.  He seemed to know a lot about the law.  And to me it makes sense for Joshua to want a lawyer in the family so why not send his only son to law school, Harvard perhaps?  It's not like Barnabas would have gone against Joshua since in 1795 he seems scared to death of the man.  I actually have visions of him as a child cowering behind Naomi whenever Joshua went into a rant.

What do you think?

He was the eldest (and only) son of the eldest son. Most wealthy families of that period tended to have oldest male follow in the father's footsteps. Second and third were sometimes groomed to go into law or the military or the church. I suspect law would have been seen as a fine profession for a younger son, but not the only heir to the business. I believe this was much less regimented than the English where career paths were almost formulaic:

Eldest son - heir
2nd son - military
3rd son - clergy
etc.

Americans lacked the prejudice against business that their peers in England had (it was declasse for decades to have a fortune derived from business or industry--it was okay if your money came from the land or "the funds" but not an inheritance of say, mills or factories).

That he had a good understanding of how the law worked isn't that surprising. He was a member of the upper class in a transitory period in American history.

I think attorney is a bit far fetched since Joshua was not an attorney.  You apprenticed with your father or were a clerk in someone's law firm.  It's more then likely he was being prepped to take over the family shipping business.  You would have to have knowledge of contracts and such to conduct business.

There are many aspects to running a shipping business.  Ships, ports, port workers and ship crews, types of goods being shipped and their shipping requirements, insurance (yes Lloyd's was around then), clients, customer relations, claims, ship wrecks and damaged goods, spoilage of goods, and blah, blah blah.

A few executives or managers would be needed to be on top of things with the slow communication of the day.  It was a family business and the men would have all been needed.  With Barnabas the only son of Joshua, he would have ultimately been the heir apparent.  However, I believe this task utimately fell to Daniel when the others were killed off or indisposed in their coffin.

I am also basing this musing on the fact that Barnabas did not take up Victoria's defense but instead asked his Judge friend (who turned down the case) and then Peter Bradford.  He was good at arguing the Constitutional law "she is innocent until she is proven innocent" and would have been a fine lawyer had he choosen that career path.

If they were anything at all, I do think the family may have been Federalist.  George Washington was one as was Alexander Hamilton.  Alexander Hamilton was very important to the merchant class with credit, national bank, etc.  The old Democratic-Republicans were more for farming.  They needed a strong credit system, banks, etc.