Following the Black Hawk War in 1832, the U.S. Government established the Black Hawk Purchase, an area extending 50 miles west of the Mississippi River along the eastern border of the Territory of Iowa. The area that is now Jones County was located at the center of the Black Hawk Purchase. Early settlers were attracted here because of the proximity of good soil, water, land, timber, and building stone.
The Bowen's Prairie Historical Archaeological District lies between the north and south forks of the Maquoketa River in northeastern Jones County. It is near the Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois borders - and, located about 300 miles east of Sioux City, Iowa and about 150 miles northeast of Des Moines, Iowa.
Census records suggest that, while most of the first arrivals in the 1830s and 1840s were American-born, almost 10 percent were immigrants hailing primarily from Ireland, Canada, England and Germany.
In addition to farming, local industries included flour, saw, and grist milling, and stone quarrying. The dairy industry became prominent in the 1870s, which included cheese factories and creameries.
The Old Military Road was a key transportation corridor through the area in the mid-nineteenth century. Regular stagecoach routes linked homesteads such as that of Moses Collins and villages like Bowen's Prairie, Richland and Prairie Springs providing impetus to their growth and expansion. These same communities later witnessed a decline when bypassed by the first railroads.
The relatively short interval of time during which sites on Bowen's Prairie existed provides a unique snapshot of nineteenth century life on the frontier and the changes that accompanied the opening of the Iowa Territory and the establishment of statehood."
The Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa produced a group of nineteenth century red earthenware preserve jars (see below) in similar shapes and sizes - they were all uncovered within a circa 1830s-1870s archaeological context. These type jars may commonly be attributed to Galena, Illinois today based on the form, glaze and stamped number, but it appears that these style of jars were also produced in Iowa in the 1800s. Although, archaeologists also recovered other forms of domestic red earthenware at the site, which included a rundlet (not pictured), a jug (see below), and a handled crock (see below) that appears directly related to a rare butter churn in my collection (see below).
According to author, William C. Ketchum, Jr. (American Redware), "Iowa had many potteries scattered throughout the state, but they either made stoneware or their output is uncertain. Among possible sites are Boonesborough, Eldora, and Ottumwa. However, there is no doubt that redware was manufactured at Sergeant Bluff, just south of Sioux City, Iowa. The first kiln was built in the 1850s by a man named Wortman. He was succeeded by Charles W. Borders, known as "Uncle Charlie," where Borders conducted an active business from 1870 until 1889 when he sold out to J.L. Mattocks, who was still in business as late as 1895.
Mabel Holman Gray of Sergeant Bluff recalled in 1939 that: 'The products of the pottery were mostly dark brown with a high glaze, although a seemingly endless number of flower pots of all sizes and shapes were left in the natural sandy pinkish color. The glaze was given by slip. I remember the large vats of slip in which the hand-turned hand-dipped wares went. Sometimes a light grayish slip was used, as for milk crocks. Sometimes the lower half of the jug or crock would be dark and the upper half light (note: a style that is also attributed to the industry in Galena, Illinois today).'
There is no doubt that this was a substantial manufactory. In the 1880s, the Sioux City Journal described it as turning out 3,000 gallons per week of churns (see below), butter pots, preserve jars (jars recovered at Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa), jugs, pitchers, spittoons and milk crocks."
Red Earthenware Preserve Jars, Jug and Crock Recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa
Various 19th Century Red Earthenware Preserve Jars Recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa
Likely Made in Iowa or a Potter's Business Located Near Northeast Iowa
Circa 1830s-1870s
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: The Office of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa
(Left) 19th Century Red Earthenware Jug Recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa
Likely Made in Iowa or a Potter's Business Located Near Northeast Iowa
Circa 1830s-1870s
(Right) 19th Century Red Earthenware Crock Recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa
Likely Made in Iowa or a Potter's Business Located Near Northeast Iowa
Circa 1830s-1870s
The Butter Churn Shown Below is Directly Related to this Crock
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: The Office of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa
A Collection of Midwestern Red Earthenware Objects
This is a collection of red earthenware objects, which I have collected over the years from various private collections, auctions and antique shops. Some of these objects have previously been generically attributed to New England, whereas, I have always doubted that attribution. I have also already written about some of these objects suggesting a New England origin, but I have always been open to opinion for any facts that could provide an accurate location for manufacture.
Nevertheless, I now believe these may be Midwestern products based on the preserve jars and crock, which were recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa. I also believe that at least two of these objects can be directly related to the residents and the type of utilitarian household pottery, which they used on the Bowen's Prairie in the nineteenth century.
19th Century Red Earthenware Objects Possibly Made in the Midwest
See Article for More Information
19th Century Red Earthenware Jar
This nineteenth century red earthenware jar appears directly related to the preserve jars that were recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa. This jar closely resembles the preserve jar that I have marked with a number 1 above, the sharply cut base that I marked with a number 4 and the glaze also closely matches the crock (and churn below) that I have marked with a number 7 above.
19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Very-Possibly Made in Iowa
Object Closely Resembles Jars and a Crock Recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa
Possibly Made in Iowa or Illinois
Circa 1830s-1870s
Possibly Made in Iowa or Illinois
Circa 1830s-1870s
Stands 7 3/8" Tall
See Article for More Information
Another View of the Jar
View of the Sharply Cut Base
A Similar Base is Shown Above Marked with the Number 4
View of the Rim and the Collar
Similar Collars are Shown Above
View of the Interior
View of the Base
19th Century Red Earthenware Butter Churn
This five gallon nineteenth century red earthenware butter churn pretty-much undoubtedly appears directly related to the crock that was recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa, which I have marked with a number 7 above. The handles, glaze and base are an identical match.
The streaking glaze seen on the front of the churn also closely resembles the glaze seen on the preserve jar that I have marked with a number 1 above - and, the stamped gallon capacity is similar to the stamp that was used on the preserve jar that I marked with the number 2.
Note: The style for how the base on this butter churn and the edge of the lid was cut also closely resemble the sharply cut base marked with the number 4 above.
My Niece, Alexis is Pictured for a Size Comparison
19th Century 5 Gallon Red Earthenware Butter Churn Likely Made in Iowa
This Object is Directly Related to a Crock Recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa
Likely Made in Iowa or Illinois
Circa 1830s-1870s
Stands 16 1/4" Tall
See Article for More Information
Note: The Glaze on this Jar and Churn Closely Resemble Each Other
View of One of the Handles
Directly Related to a Crock Shown Above that was Recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa
Another View of the Glaze
View of the Base
View of the Interior
View of the Lid
Another View of the Lid
View of the Sharply Cut Edge on the Lid
Edge Closely Resembles the Cut Base on the Preserve Jar Marked Above with the Number 4
Red Earthenware Jar
This jar is not an exact match to any of the objects recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa; although, it may be Midwestern in origin. The form is similar to the jars that were recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site, which are marked above with the numbers 2 and 3; however, the way the base is sharply cut is pretty-much a perfect match to the bases on all of the preserve jars shown above, especially the base that I have marked with the number 4.
19th Century Red Earthenware Jar
Possibly Made in the Midwest, New England or even Pennsylvania
Shares Characteristics with Some of the Jars Recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa
Stands 8 5/8" Tall
See Article for More Information
View of the Sharply Cut Base
This Style of Base Closely Resembles the Bases on the Preserve Jars from the Bowen's Prairie Site
Red Earthenware Jars
These jars do not specifically match anything that was recovered at the Bowen's Prairie Site in Iowa, but I still believe that they may have been made in the Midwest. They may have been made Iowa, but they could have also been produced in Illinois or maybe even Missouri. The characteristic that can tie them to the preserve jars found at the Bowen's Prairie Site is the fact that these jars have been stamped with a number, which was also the case with the jar that I have marked above with the number 2. However, these jars have been marked with a vertical number, which is a documented characteristic that was used at the industry in Galena, Illinois in the nineteenth century.
Note: The style that the base has been cut on these jars is also similar to the crock shown above, which I marked with a number 7, but this style is also found in Illinois and Missouri.
19th Century Red Earthenware Jars Stamped with Vertical Numbers
Possibly Made in the Midwest or New England
(Left) Stands 7 1/2" Tall
(Right) Stands 6 1/2" Tall
See Article for More Information
View of the Cut Bases
Pleas Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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