Another subject that will be discussed in my forthcoming more than 600-page New Hampshire book, titled, An Influential Family of Early Potters: The Clarks of New Hampshire and Related Businesses is how the potters in the Concord, New Hampshire area influenced production in northern New Hampshire, in places like the Lake Winnipesaukee area, Plymouth and North Conway. Although, the businesses in Plymouth was the largest production center to the north of Concord, operating during the circa 1816-1894 period.
Interestingly, very little information is documented in publication about Plymouth's production today, even though there were three significant businesses. The first business was established by Peter Flanders (1784-1856), who first appears as a documented resident of Plymouth in the 1810 Federal Census. He trained under Daniel Clark (1768-1828) in Concord, son of Captain Peter Clark (1743-1826).
Some previous published accounts state that Flanders established the company in Plymouth in 1807, although the Plymouth, New Hampshire Historical Society says, "he set up the area's first pottery business in 1816 in West Plymouth near the Mayhew Turnpike, and at a later date, his son George Flanders (1808-1869) joined him and their production continued until 1867."
The idea that this business was established in 1807 may be a result of an object owned by the New Hampshire Historical Society that Peter Flanders made in Concord while in his early-twenties, which is inscribed on the back, "Concord / September / th 12 1807:" https://www.nhhistory.org/object/137258/plate. He did marry Hannah Heath Flanders (1786-1879) in 1807, who was from West Plymouth, but there are no accounts that this is when he established his pottery business.
I also want to note that Peter Flanders had to have been influenced by Daniel Clark, and it seems that the way the first business was established in Plymouth was comparable to how red earthenware production began in Concord. In one way or another, Flanders may have also been influenced by Peter Clark's production.
The Flanders Family Production in Plymouth, N.H., Circa 1816-1867
* Peter Flanders (1784-1856)
* George Flanders (1808-1869)
There was also a shop owned by William (1800-1852) and John Gill (1809-1888), two brothers who were both born in Boscawen, New Hampshire. The brothers were also related to the Burpee family of potters in Boscawen, which was located just to the north of Concord. Their father, William Gill (1766-1835) was born near Concord in Hopkinton, New Hampshire in 1766, although it is not known if he had any involvement with pottery production in the Concord and Bosawen area, but he died in Plymouth in 1835.
A third business was owned by the Webster family, who may have also had some involvement with the Gill family. Massachusetts author, Lura Woodside Watkins (1897-1982) notes in Early New England Potters and Their Wares, that, "Local residents tell me that the later Websters worked in the Gill pottery near the schoolhouse, the only shop in town within their memory."
She also noted that Daniel Dolbear Webster (d. 1832), probably began his potting career in Plymouth about the time of his marriage in 1817. He lived only until 1832. His business was inherited by William Webster, perhaps a brother. In 1886, John H. Webster was both farmer and proprietor of the potworks."
Nevertheless, Daniel and William Webster (1807-1894) were most likely brothers, as Watkins indicated; however, William did operate a red earthenware business. He is listed as a potter in the 1850 Federal Census in Plymouth and a potter & farmer in the 1860 Federal Census. In the 1870 and 1880 Federal Censuses, he is listed as a just a farmer, but his son, John Webster (1847-1912) is now listed as a potter in the 1880 Federal Census in Plymouth.
Further investigation into the the history of the Webster Pottery in Plymouth determines that the Webster business most likely pre-dated production of the Gill family in this town, as long as Watkins is accurate with the idea that the company was established around 1817, seeing that William Gill would have only been about seventeen-years-old and his brother about nine-years-old. The Gill Pottery is thought to have been established about 1823.
Additionally, John Gill is listed as a potter in the 1850 Federal Census, a potter & farmer in the 1860 Federal Census and just a farmer in the 1870 and 1880 Federal Censuses. It would seem that the Gill Pottery possibly ceased red earthenware production in the 1860s, while the Webster family continued production into the late-1800s.
There are also accounts that the Gill Pottery ceased production in 1847 and then the Websters took over this business, but the census records seem to indicate otherwise with John Gill still listed as a potter in the 1860s, unless he was now working for the Websters. It also thought that the Websters produced red earthenware until William's death in 1894.
Among the objects that I am surprised to learn about that were reportedly made in Plymouth is a mottled green glazed red earthenware handled pot that is owned by the Plymouth Historical Society (see below). This type of pot is often attributed to eighteenth century production in Essex County, Massachusetts with no further information as to why it was reportedly made in this area. The source of the attribution may be Figure 12 in Watkins' book, Early New England Potters and Their Wares, where the attribution is not explained other than calling it an early form (see pictures below), but the form is most likely from the late 1700s or the 1800s. She said it could be from "perhaps 1700," however I do not agree with this interpretation. I have always wondered where these objects originated, seeing that they are distinctly related by form, and I think the fact that the published object was stated to have been made during such an early period is misleading. I have posted pictures of this pot below, which is owned today by the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Learning all of this information, now makes me question whether all of these types of pots were made in Plymouth, New Hampshire, and perhaps at the Flanders Pottery, which would have been influenced by the Clark family.
Note: It should also be taken into consideration that it may be difficult to determine the difference in some production between Concord, Boscawen and Plymouth.
The Gill Family Production of Plymouth, N.H., Circa 1823-1860s
* William Gill (1800-1852)
* John Gill (1809-1888)
The Webster Family Production of Plymouth, N.H., Circa 1817-1894
* Daniel Webster (d. 1832)
* William Webster (1807-1894)
* John Webster (1847-1912)
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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