EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: 19th Century Red Earthenware Cake Mold Brought to the Site of the Gleason Family Pottery in Morganville, New York

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

19th Century Red Earthenware Cake Mold Brought to the Site of the Gleason Family Pottery in Morganville, New York

According to the Genesee Country Village and Museum in Mumford, New York, "Fortunatus Gleason, Jr., and his son, Charles Gleason, operated the Morganville Pottery in Stafford Township, Genesee County, New York, until about the time of the Civil War. By then, most of the rural red earthenware potteries had succumbed to competition from the larger stoneware factories, but the Morganville Pottery turned away from jugs and jars, concentrating on earthenware flowerpots and drain tiles for which there was sufficient demand. Through a succession of family related potters, the Morganville operation survived into the twentieth century.

Excavations at the Morganville site by the Rochester Museum and Science Center in 1973 uncovered the building's foundations as well as the floors of two kilns, one inside and one outside of the building. Also found were quantities of earthenware fragments which have helped to identify and document surviving examples or Morganville pottery."

Once the archaeological excavations were finalized in 1973, the site of the Morganville Pottery was then placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Furthermore, archaeologist and museum specialist, George Hamell wrote about this pottery in an archaeology report published in 1980 in Northeast Historical Archaeology, titled, Earthenwares and Salt-Glazed Stonewares of the Rochester-Genesee Valley Region: An Overview: "It has been suggested that Charles Gleason took over the pottery operation in Morganville in 1845, when he purchased the lot, on which the pottery was later known to have been located, from his uncle, Wilson Gleason, then a resident of Westmoreland, New Hampshire. Wilson Gleason had acquired the lot in 1837 from Fortunatus Gleason, Jr., his brother and the father of Charles Gleason - and that Charles Gleason had begun the manufacture of earthenware by 1846 is now confirmed.

It has been thought that Charles Gleason's father had established the pottery at Morganville in 1828-29. Fortunatus, Jr., like his brother Lyman, had moved to Morganville from the family home in New Hampshire. There is circumstantial evidence that there was a pottery in operation in Morganville at least by 1835. However, Charles cannot be identified in the documents as a potter before 1846, nor can his father before 1850. Recent information, however, provides circumstantial evidence for Lyman Gleason's possible involvement in the Morganville Pottery prior to 1846.

Lyman and his write, Priscilla, had moved to Morganville in 1827, and remained residents of the community through the 1830s, but by August 1840 they had become residents of Leroy, Genesee County. His occupation is unknown, although there is some suggestion in the deed records of his involvement in milling. However, by the late 1840s, Lyman and his wife had moved to Paris, Brant County, Ontario, Canada, where he established a pottery. According to the 1851 census, the pottery was "...new to this place" and the census taker went on to note "what the cause (is) I do not know, but the ware has not the finish on it that imported goods have." Gleason's Paris, Ontario pottery closed in 1857."

While vacationing two weeks ago in Western New York with my nephew Jason and niece Alexis, we purchased this wonderful nineteenth century red earthenware cake mold near Buffalo at Muleskinner Antiques in Williamsville, New York. The mold is attributed to the Gleason family pottery in Morganville - although the form is what I really liked, which vastly differs from the majority of cake mold forms made anywhere in America. This particular example is reminiscent to some forms made in Germany, and while driving through the area, we stopped at the site of the Gleason Pottery, which is marked today by a historic marker. The marker reads, "Pottery & Drain Tile Factory Established Ca. 1830 By Fortunatus Gleason & Son, Charles, Of Morganville. Last Owner Was Charles Ford Ca. 1900. Excavated by R.M.S.C. 1973."

Site of the Gleason Family Pottery in Morganville, New York