Vasilii Iakovlev Makulov

Blacksmiths were in great demand during the Bering expedition. Iron was extremely expensive to purchase and equally expensive to transport to Okhotsk. Every ship had a smith on board who earned one full share of the pelts which was equal to what the Captains of the ship earned. The demand for Smiths' was great because anchors and chains had to be built for the ships that were needed as well as any iron or metal joints to fasten parts of the ships. In case a ship's anchor was broken, a blacksmith was needed on board to make any repairs. Later Smiths were needed to build churches and create the ironwork needed for them.

Vasilii Makulov was a creole native who learned the trade of blacksmith in the 1830s in Unalaska. By the 1850s he was promoted to the position of work team leader and metal worker. His Father, a Smith also, came from Okhotsk and was one of the first 7 blacksmiths requested by Bering for his expedition.

Source (http://www.academia.edu/4238320/_A_Class_of_People_Admitted_to_the_... ), (p.371)

Because Smiths were in such great demand, Natives were trained to learn the skill. Vasili Makulov was either trained as a Smith by his father or by the Priest Ioann Veniaminov in Unalaska. There are likely structures in Unalaska that Vasilii helped to build under instruction of Veniaminov.