According to the New York Historical Society, "Political cartoonist Thomas Nast published biting caricatures in Harper's Weekly (1857-1916) that exposed the corruption at Tammany Hall, the political machine that controlled New York City in the mid-nineteenth century.
This has also been a subject of interest for the Museum of the City of New York, "Tammany Hall, the New York Democratic political organization was founded in the eighteenth century, and is now best known for its scandals, corruption, embezzlement, fraud, and rigged elections. At the heart of it all was William Magear "Boss" Tweed (1823-1878), the corrupt man and state senator (served 1868-1873) behind the Tammany Hall political machine from the height of its power in 1868 to its eventual downfall in 1871. It is estimated that he defrauded the city out of $30 million to $200 million dollars (equivalent to $365 million to $2.4 billion dollars today). He eventually died in the Ludlow Street Jail in New York City in 1878."
Also according to the New York Historical Society, "The potters Cornwall and Wallace Kirkpatrick presented this jug to Nast about 1871 in recognition of his efforts. The jug's swirling snakes represent the corruption at Tammany Hall; the serpents feature the faces of ringleader William M. "Boss" Tweed and his cronies."
However, temperance jugs were not exclusive to the pottery in Anna; for instance this type of jug was made at other potteries in the Midwest, such as known examples from Indiana and Texas. This same statement can also be said for the famous Anna Pottery pigs, which were imitated and produced elsewhere in the Midwest.
While recently studying some of the red earthenware and stoneware in the collection of the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis, I came across this snake jug made at the John M. Jegglin Pottery in Boonville, Missouri, circa 1867-1890.
According to the book The Arts and Architecture of the German Settlements in Missouri: A Survey of Vanishing Culture, published by the University of Missouri Press, "The Jegglin Pottery, owned by John M. Jegglin, a native of Wurttemberg-Baden, Germany where he learned the potter's trade, went to Boonville before 1856, served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and shortly afterward established a stoneware pottery on the west side of Seventh Street, between Spring and Locust.
In 1870 his works represented a capital investment of $1,000, and with one hand and one horse (to turn the pug mill for mixing the clay), he produced wares valued at $1,500. Ten years later he increased production to $10,000 a year and his working force to twelve men, who received wages totaling $6,000 a year.
Before 1881, having learned of the excellent clays found near Calhoun, Henry County, Missouri, he purchased an interest in a pottery and clay pits there and sent one of his sons, George A. Jeglin to work there in partnership with Mr. Reeves. Six months later he bought out Reeves, and George continued operating the works until sometime after 1896.
During his father's lifetime, much of the clay used in the Boonville plant was shipped from the Henry County pits. Workmen at Calhoun included a number who had come from the family pottery in Boonville where one of these, L.F. Simpson, had turned stoneware, made molds, and had also been a traveling salesman for the works.
Shortly before his death in 1892, the senior Jegglin transferred his Calhoun property to a son, G.A. Jegglin, and his Boonville pottery to two other sons, E.A. and Hermann Jegglin, but, as the former explained it, after some years "we broke up (Hermann) lived too high. He later went down south and ran a big pottery there."
In 1938, when E.A. Jegglin was 80, he reminisced about his experiences, mentioning the various wares produced in the plant: the pig banks he had molded, the hatpin holders, pottery rose jars, flowerpot urns, jelly jars and other pieces. "The last kiln I burned was on May 11, 1897," he said. "I burned some bricks and put a little jug that I still have with the date marked on it."
19th Century Stoneware Temperance Jug from Boonville, MO
19th Century Stoneware Temperance Jug
Made at the John M Jegglin Pottery in Boonville, MO
Circa 1867-1890
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Missouri Historical Society
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