Eli – Blacksmith & Livery






Eli — Blacksmith & Livery


Dakota Territory

Frontier Lives – Historical Character

A polished “character card” for Eli — with images included.

Trades • 1870s–1880s

Eli — Blacksmith & Livery

Wagon repair
Farrier work
Town hub

Let me introduce myself. Name’s Eli. If you’ve heard the ring of iron on iron down the street, that was me at the anvil. Around here, everything breaks sooner or later—wheels crack, shoes wear thin, and tools lose their bite. I keep folks moving: horses shod, wagons mended, plowshares sharpened, and tempers cooled while the forge roars.

I also keep the livery—feed, water, clean stalls, and a few good rigs for rent. Travelers board their horses with me, teamsters swap stories by the hay, and most days I’m walking the line between sparks at the forge and the sweet smell of fresh oats. It’s honest work, and a man can stand by it.

Ask me about: hot-shoeing a nervous horse, fixing a busted axle roadside, tempering steel that won’t chip, or what to check before you rent a wagon for a long pull.

Responsibilities

  • Shoeing & farrier work for saddle and draft horses
  • Forge work: hinges, nails, tools, wagon tires & fittings
  • Repairing wheels, axles, doubletrees, singletrees
  • Keeping the livery: boarding, feed, water, clean tack

Skills

  • Drawing, upsetting, punching, drifting, riveting
  • Heat-treating & tempering tool steel
  • Balanced shoeing for tough trails & rocky fords
  • Quick trail fixes with what’s on hand

Gear & Shop

  • Anvil, forge, bellows, swage block, hardy tools
  • Hammers, tongs, fullers, drifts, punches
  • Farrier kit: nippers, rasp, clinchers, hoof knife
  • Coal bin, quench tub, slack tub, shoeing stocks

Livery Services

  • Boarding by the day or week—box stalls & tie stalls
  • Horse, buggy, and wagon rental (when stock allows)
  • Hay, grain, tack repair, and basic veterinary care
  • Warm water & blankets for winter travelers

Connections

  • Farmers, freighters, and trail outfits
  • Stage line & riverboat teams that pass through
  • Soldiers from the fort needing shoeing & repairs
  • Neighbors who trade a story while the iron heats

Rules of the Forge

  • Cash or fair barter; no promises on a Sunday rush
  • Horses cool & calm before shoeing
  • Repairs in order of need—trail damage first
  • Mind the sparks and keep the aisle clear

“If it bends, I’ll straighten it. If it breaks, I’ll make it better.”