EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: A Great Piece of Early Ontario Red Earthenware Surfaces in the Mid-Atlantic Region

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

A Great Piece of Early Ontario Red Earthenware Surfaces in the Mid-Atlantic Region

A great of piece of early Ontario red earthenware just surfaced in the Mid-Atlantic region, discovered by Eric Jenkins who recently authored a book on Virginia stoneware, titled, Ceramics in Virginia. Interestingly, this object is not signed, but it is attributed to a Pennsylvania-born potter, who may have apprenticed there as well, seeing that the production of this jar resembles jars reportedly made by Henry Swope Sr. (1826-90), Frederick Leutzinger (1817-79) and Henry Gast (1806-89) in Pennsylvania. In fact, some of these jars are represented in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as well as an article I posted on this website on October 1, 2019. This upper Ontario jar is thought to have been used to store tobacco, and it was originally manufactured with a lid.

According to Ontario collector, Paul Slater, "One of the earliest potters in Ontario, and certainly the earliest Mennonite potter in Waterloo County, was Jacob Bock (1789-1867).

Jacob was born on February 18, 1789 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and was one of six children to Frederick and Maria Catherine (Reichert) Bock, Frederick being a native off Wurttemberg, Germany. Jacob immigrated to Waterloo County in the early 1800s at a young age while the remainder of his siblings reportedly stayed behind in Pennsylvania; he lived with his uncle, Christian Reichert, in the village of Freeport (now a subdivision in Kitchener). Early records suggest that Jacob served as a private in the 2nd Regiment of York Militia in the War of 1812. On July 31st, 1814 he married Catherine Elizabeth Shupe in New Dundee (Wilmot Township, Waterloo County) and together they raised a family of 15 children born from 1815 to 1840.

The next trace of Jacob is in 1823 when he was appointed township clerk and assessor for the former Waterloo Township (which comprised a large portion of present-day Waterloo County, including Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge). We also know through signed and dated red earthenware, one of which bears his name, and all three marked 1825, that he established his pottery business in the small community of Waterloo during the same era, perhaps a bit earlier. One author theorized that Jacob's business was located on rented land at what is now the corner of King and Dupont Streets in downtown Waterloo, the same location that German immigrant potter John Jacobi purchased in 1852 to establish his own potting business. If true, Bock likely sourced the red earthenware clay used to make his wares from nearby Laurel Creek or Silver Lake (now within the boundary of Waterloo Park).

Whether Jacob and his family lived in Waterloo at the time is not clear for two reasons: the first is that according to census and other records, all 15 of his children were born in Wilmot Township. And the second is that Jacob was heavily involved in various political and religious activities in neighboring Blenheim Township, Oxford County (just a short distance from New Dundee) including being ordained as the first deacon of the Blenheim Mennonite Church in 1841, a position he held until his death in 1867.

Documentation also exists indicating that in February 1848, Jacob Bock (noted as "Buck" in the document) was given a land grant equal in value to 100 acres of land in recognition of his military service some 35 years earlier. This land was almost certainly the farm property in (or near) New Dundee that became his family homestead. The first census that Jacob and his family are documented is 1851 where he was still listed as a potter. Since records indicated that John Jacobi owned the Waterloo pottery beginning in 1852, it is not clear whether Bock ended his pottery career at that time or if he established another pottery from his New Dundee farm. In the 1861 census, Jacob is listed as a farmer and there is not any mention of his pottery business in any directory that I have from that area. In any case, in spite of the roughly 30 years where he made pottery, it was likely at best a part-time endeavor. Jacob Bock passed away on March 18, 1867 at the age of 78. He and other family members are buried in the Blenheim Mennonite Cemetery adjacent to the church that he devoted much of his adult life to.

To this point there are three documented pieces of signed and dated red earthenware made by Jacob Bock, one of which resides in the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto (the other two are in private collections). All three are red earthenware tobacco jars with four relief portraits of St. Ambrose or Aurelius Ambrosius, a highly influential 4th Century religious figure. One is marked "Waterloo the 4 Jan 1825"; another "Waterloo, Upper Canada, September 17 1825, Jacob Bock, Potter"; the third is the same as the first except "January" is spelled in full. Beyond these three pieces, other pottery has surfaced which some have attributed to Bock, including two storage jars with "1820" marked on the base, a small barrel marked "Waterloo 1827," and a small cup marked "September 1836." Although, it is probable that other examples exist, there is no question that marked pieces by Jacob Bock are extremely rare to see today."

In any case, images of Aurelius Ambrosius (ca. 340-397 AD) are found on a variety of decorative displays at major art museums around the world today, such as pottery, paintings and stained glass. Saint Ambrose was born in one of Germany's oldest cities Trier, and his father was an important Roman soldier. He is considered to be one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century, and was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia, based in Milan, before being made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374 AD, even though he was not even a priest.

For many years, Ambrose defended the faith of the Church, writing hymns and influencing other Christian songwriters. After Ambrose's death on April 4, 397 AD and because of his love of Christianity, the Church declared Saint Ambrose a Doctor of the Church, and his life has been celebrated ever since. However, these tobacco jars are to my knowledge, the only examples of seventeenth, eighteenth or nineteenth century utilitarian pottery made in America or Canada which honor the life of Aurelius Ambrosius. In fact, they more than likely represent Bock's faith and his commitment to his church.

Aurelius Ambrosius (Circa 340 to April 4, 397 AD)

Saint Ambrose Barring Theodosius from Milan Cathedral

Painted by Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641)

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: The National Gallery at the Smithsonian Institute

Nevertheless, the inscribed pieces of red earthenware that exist from Bock are also considered to be the earliest known dated examples of Ontario pottery. And like Bock, many of the other Ontario potters who came before him also migrated from Pennsylvania. But in spite of that, it is extremely rare to find any Ontario pottery that predates 1840, and this particular jar found by Eric Jenkins is an excellent example from about 1825. The jar has also traveled back to Ontario where it now resides in a private collection today.

Molded Red Earthenware Jar Found in the Mid-Atlantic Region