The 1880 census in Clark County, Missouri, indicated that two relatives were “mantamakers.” The term was foreign to me.A google search indicated that, generally speaking, a mantua is type of dress. This was discovered by just googling what the word looked like and going from there. Wikipedia has a short reference on this type of women’s apparel at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantua_(clothing).
Even if you think you are reading something incorrectly, consider googling the term. If nothing else, someone else might have posted a blog entry about it!
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From the Wikipedia article: “From this garment arose the term mantua-maker, an early term for a women's dressmaker.”
In the Andes of South America, a “manta” is (traditionally) a hand-woven multi-purpose rectangular cloth, worn over the shoulder or shoulders, and used as needed for warmth, baby-packing, load-carrying, etc. Perhaps the words mantua and manta spring from the same linguistic root.