One of the chapter subjects in my forthcoming two-volume western New York books, titled, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York is the production of the Gleason family in the historic Morganville section of Stafford, Genesee County, New York. Archaeology was collected at the site of this pottery business in the twentieth century by archaeologist and museum specialist George R. Hamell, whereas I studied and photographed this material for the two books while visiting the Rochester Museum & Science Center's storage department for a few days in Rochester, New York in June of 2023.
According to an archaeology report written by Hamell that was 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 wife, 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."
Some Information About the Gleason Family Pottery in Genesee County, N.Y.
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