It has been reported that William Hutchinson's business was established in St. Johnsbury around 1815. He may have originally trained under the Clark family in Lyndeborough sometime after 1775, which was a prominent eighteenth and nineteenth century family of potters. But his brother, Ebenzer Hutchinson (1764-1854/55) also ran a potter's business in Lyndeborough, where he may have also worked; although, I suspect the Hutchinsons must have had some connection to the Clarks, as well.
Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins wrote about the Hutchinson Pottery in 'Early New England Potters and Their Wares:' Although St. Johnsbury made much fine stoneware, the town also supported a redware shop. This was started in 1815 by William Hutchinson, either alone or with Ebenezer Hutchinson, who sold his potter's business in North Lyndeborough in the spring of that year and removed to St. Johnsbury. He had a brother, William, who was presumably the St. Johnsbury man.
The existence of Ebenezer's shop was printed in the 'Farmer's Cabinet' in Amherst, New Hampshire on September 8, 1815: "The subscriber having removed his pottery from Lyndeborough, to Vermont, acquaints those indebted to him that he will be at his father's house in Lyndeborough on the 15th to 20th day of September next, when he requests they will call upon him and make payment, or they may expect costs."
The Hutchinson Pottery was apparently still running in 1840, when according to the Haskel and Smith Gazetteer two shops were in operation at St. Johnsbury. Otherwise, nothing further has transpired about them. Richard W. Fenton and his son, who ran the other works (in St. Johnsbury), made redware bowls, milk pans, flowerpots, and such utensils in addition to their stoneware output."
It seems that William established the business in St. Johnsbury, but his brother, Ebenezer must have taken over ownership around William's death in 1820. Ebenezer eventually died in St. Johnsbury in 1854/55 so it can probably be assumed that he produced red earthenware well-into the 1840s, and possibly right up until he died.
I feel this is, yet another example of a red earthenware potter's business in Vermont, which operated for decades, but little is known about the production today. I have never seen or heard about an example of red earthenware attributed to the Hutchinsons in St. Johnsbury.
Interestingly, Ebenezer sold his business in Lyndeborough in 1815 to a potter from Peabody (formerly South Danvers), Massachusetts, which I assume reveals some type of Essex County, Massachusetts connection; whereas, a similar connection can be found with many of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth century red earthenware potters in Vermont. It is also important to indicate that the Clark family of potters in Lyndeborough were originally established by Peter Clark (1743-1826), an Essex County trained potter, who migrated north to southern New Hampshire just months before the American Revolution began.
Nevertheless, I have no doubt that pottery survives today from the Hutchinson's decades of production in St. Johnsbury. Unfortunately, this is not a subject that has been greatly researched; although, it is a safe assumption to write today that I would not be surprised to learn that their work is generically attributed to another location today, such as Maine, New Hampshire or Massachusetts.
It should also be noted that there is an Ebenezer Hutchinson on file with the New Hampshire Historical Society as both a potter in New Hampshire and Vermont, but he also reportedly worked as a printer and a publisher. I assume this is the same man, but the historical society provides a different year of birth. I have included an example of this type of work that is owned today by the New Hampshire Historical Society - the skill that went into the following Masonic apron suggests that he was a skilled artisan, which I assume must somewhat represent the ability the family possessed as potters, as well.
Note: While I have no archaeological evidence, I would still assume that some of the wares made by the Hutchinsons in St. Johnsbury, Vermont may somewhat resemble production from Essex County, Massachusetts. For example, the Hutchinsons began their careers in Lyndeborough, New Hampshire, an area that was largely influenced by what was made in Essex County in the eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries.
19th Century Silk Masonic Apron
19th Century Masonic Apron Printed on Silk Reportedly by Ebenezer Hutchinson
Circa 1820
See Article for More Information
Link to Object Posted on NH Historical Society's Website
Photo Courtesy: New Hampshire Historical Society - Concord, NH
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