Nathaniel Rochester's Merchant Business with James Monroe During the Circa 1768-1770s Period

A good example of Nathaniel Rochester's (1752-1831) circa 1818-1831 slip decorated red earthenware from West Bloomfield, New York was included in a group lot as part of Sotheby's online Americana sale today in Manhattan. The red earthenware jar was consigned from the collection of Leslie and Peter Warwick of Middletown, New Jersey; the Warwicks assembled an outstanding selection of red earthenware and stoneware through the years, some of which was included in today's sale. The Rochester jar combined with a nineteenth century red earthenware jar from Pennsylvania and a late eighteenth or early nineteenth century red earthenware pitcher from Massachusetts sold for $22,800 including the buyer's premium.

Although, the most notable piece of pottery that sold today from the Warwick Collection was a well-published nineteenth century incised and cobalt decorated stoneware 'Jersey Devil' jug that is attributed to Old Bridge, New Jersey, circa 1818: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/important-americana/an-incised-and-cobalt-blue-decorated-jersey-devil. The jug sold for $50,400 including the buyer's premium.

19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jar

Made at the Nathaniel Rochester Pottery in West Bloomfield, New York

Circa 1818-1831

Stands 10" Tall

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Photo Courtesy: Sotheby's

Nonetheless, while working on my forthcoming two-volume Western New York book, titled, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York, I have found a number of documents for Nathaniel Rochester working as a merchant in North Carolina in the 1770s, although he does not appear to have been involved with any type of ceramic or earthenware until he arrived in Western New York after 1810; at least there is no documented evidence of it. 

Interestingly, in 1768, Rochester began working for merchants James Monroe and John Hamilton in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Within five years, Monroe made Rochester a partner in the enterprise, but the business largely collapsed in the wake of the American Revolution. 

For example, this is a receipt for purchases of sugar, coffee, molasses, pepper, salt, linen, etc. between James Monroe and Rochester, dated May 5, 1779; Rochester was also involved with tobacco in the 1770s, whereas he also had family ties in South Carolina from the late 1700s through 1835.

For more information about Rochester - see a feature story I wrote that was published last year in the June 7, 2024 issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly, titled, Nathaniel Rochester's Red Earthenware Pottery: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2024/05/new-published-feature-story-in-antiques.html

Merchant Receipt Between James Monroe and Nathaniel Rochester

Goods Include Sugar, Coffee, Molasses, Pepper, Salt, Linen, Etc.

Dated May 5, 1779

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Photo Courtesy: University of Rochester Library

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