EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1629-1818, by Thomas Bellows Wyman

Thursday, December 5, 2019

The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1629-1818, by Thomas Bellows Wyman

While speaking last night with Massachusetts potter Rick Hamelin, it dawned on me that I should write about the origin of what is largely known about the colonial potters in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins (1892-1982) wrote extensively about Charlestown's industry in Early New England Potters and Their Wares, but her information was mainly drawn from two sources - the first being John Parker's (1725-65) 1747-1761 potter's daybook from Charlestown owned by the Baker Library at Harvard University, which is relatively well documented today.

John Parker's 1747-1761 Potter's Daybook from Charlestown, Mass.

John Parker's 1747-1761 Potter's Daybook from Charlestown, Mass.

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Photo Courtesy: Baker Library at Harvard University

However, it may not be widely known that the bulk of Watkins' information came from Thomas Bellows Wyman (1817-78), who's research into the history of Charlestown was published the year after his death. The two volume set, The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1629-1818, was published in 1879. It is because of this publication that Watkins was able to write Chapter 4, "The Provincial Potters of Charlestown," which has since been cited over and over again, including throughout many archaeology reports.

Interestingly, this research was certainly held special by Bellows since he was a lifelong resident of Charlestown, born on December 11, 1817. He also appears to have been a descendant of Charlestown's pottery industry - his mother was Mary Frothingham (1791-1875), who was a descendant of Benjamin Frothingham (1679-1729), a local Charlestown red earthenware potter from the early-eighteenth century. Benjamin Frothingham was related to the Kettle family, which was one of the earliest families producing red earthenware anywhere in America, dating to the seventeenth century. He may have trained at the Kettle Pottery in Charlestown in the early-1700s.

Nevertheless, I recently purchased a first edition of this two volume set, and the information it contains is wonderful. Although, I suspect there is still yet more to be uncovered about the history of Charlestown's pre-1775 industry and its potters, than what has already been published by Thomas Bellows Wyman and later cited by Lura Woodside Watkins. But this is an excellent publication that should be owned by anyone who enjoys New England pottery, as well as the history of Boston and Charlestown. I am more than thrilled to own a copy!

The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1629-1818