Two years ago, I wrote about John Fritz (1828-1913), an immigrant Swiss potter who worked in western New York and later lived in Iowa. In 1843, an inspirational leader of the Amana Colonies, Christian Metz, organized the community's move from Germany to America. By 1845 over 800 followers had settled in Ebenezer, New York, near Buffalo. They established a communal system and chose to be a self sufficient religious commune with skilled artisans who could supply them with needed tools for life. The potter, like the blacksmith and tinsmith, was an important craftsman in this community.
The Ebenezer settlement had several potters who made red earthenware for storing, cooking and other domestic tasks. The community's potters included Clements Schnetzler (1807-1875), John Fritz (1828-1913), Frederick Kern (active around 1855) and Rinehart Hougle (died around 1851), who were of German, French and Swiss descent.
"The potters (at the Ebenezer Society in upstate New York near Buffalo) made dinnerware and cookware for the community kitchens as well as containers for daily tasks. Pottery was produced in the shop until 1855 when the society moved to its present location in Amana, Iowa. No pottery shop opened at the Amana location because all men were needed to help build the new community.
New dinner ware or containers that were needed in Amana would be purchased from the outside. Both bone china and stoneware pottery was available through the general stores in each village.
Elizabeth Reitman Zuber, granddaughter of John Fritz recalls: 'John Fritz was my grandfather who married a daughter of Martin Shoup. He was Swiss; he originally was a silk weaver and then learned pottery as an apprentice with a master. He came over to the United States on a ship that took 45 days to cross the water. He lived in New York, where he learned of the Ebenezer Society and decided to join it.
In Ebenezer, he had a pottery shop. Children would come into the shop and get scraps of clay and pottery. A young lady by the name of Dina Shoup was told by Opa (Grandpa), You like nice dishes, I'll make you a pitcher. He made pitchers, tea pots, crocks, milk pots and flower pots, as well as other items.
He came to Amana in 1855 and was a builder of houses for a number of years. He was also associated with clay in the making of clay bricks. At the age of 60, Chrisian Metz (the community leader) again asked Opa to be a pottery maker. He was living in Middle Amana.
He had a pottery wheel, I think in the washhouse, where he made pottery. The local clay was not too good for pottery as it seemed to warp a great deal. However it worked well for the making of flower pots. He made many of them. The clay came out of the backyard where he lived. I think he had an oven at this home that was heated by wood. He may have fired some of the pottery in the clay brick kilns.'"
Red Earthenware Manufactured at the Ebenezer Settlement in Western New York
19th Century Red Earthenware Manufactured at the Ebenezer Settlement in Western New York
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Photo Courtesy: The Amana Society, Inc.
19th Century Red Earthenware Manufactured at the Ebenezer Settlement in Western New York
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: The Amana Society, Inc.
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