Some 18th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Recovered from the Homestead Site of Colonel John Butler in Ontario, Canada

As part of my third and seventh books, titled, The Dawn of Independence, the Death of Industry: The Pottery of Charlestown, Massachusetts and From One Town Came Many: The Red Earthenware Industry of Ancient North Yarmouth, Maine, I demonstrated with archaeological evidence that potters in Charlestown, Massachusetts and Newburyport, Massachusetts were intermittingly shipping some red earthenware to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick before the American Revolution. Nonetheless, this is also a subject that will be discussed in Volume II of my forthcoming ninth book, titled, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York, whereas archaeological evidence recovered just over the New York border in Ontario has revealed how some of the red earthenware may have appeared in part of Western New York before 1800.

For example, eighteenth century slip decorated red earthenware sherds recovered at the archaeology site that encompassed the homestead of Colonel John Butler (1728-1796), who was charged with settling Loyalist families in Niagara-on-the-Lake after the American Revolution, precipitating the creation of the Province of Ontario.

Butler arrived at Niagara on November 17th, 1775, and immediately set to work gathering information from his Indian allies and a few Loyalist settlers. The sherds shown below on the bottom row were likely made in America; it is unclear to me where they were made, seeing that there was some eighteenth century red earthenware production in Western New York, although they may also represent a type of production that was shipped to this part of New York and Ontario after 1775, from a manufacturer located elsewhere in America.

Additionally, Butler was a British Indian Department officer, landowner and merchant. During the American Revolutionary War, he was a prominent Loyalist who commanded Butler's Rangers. Born in New London, Connecticut, he moved to New York with his family, where he learned several Iroquoian languages and worked as an interpreter in the fur trade. He was well-prepared to work with the Mohawk and other Iroquois nations who became allies of the British during the rebellion.

During the Revolutionary War, Butler persuaded the Seneca and Cayuga to participate in the St. Leger's Expedition in New York. Afterwards he was given permission to raise a "corps of rangers" to work closely with Britain's Indigenous allies. Butler's Rangers participated in raids in New York and Pennsylvania, including the Battle of Wyoming and the Cherry Valley massacre. After the war Butler resettled in Upper Canada, where he was given a grant of land by the Crown for his services. Butler continued his leadership in the developing colony, serving in public office, and helping to establish the Anglican Church and the Masonic Order in what is now Ontario.

Note: Volume II of my forthcoming Western New York book will also demonstrate some examples of nineteenth century red earthenware likely made in Western New York, perhaps in Erie County, which was recovered from other archaeological contexts in Ontario.

Red Earthenware Recovered from the Homestead Site of Colonel John Butler

(Bottom Row) Eighteenth Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Sherds

Recovered from the Colonel John Butler (1728-1796) Homestead in Ontario

Likely Made in America

Sherds Shown on the Top Row Are English

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Photo Courtesy: Archaeological Services Inc.

Portrait of Colonel John Butler (1728-1796)

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Photo Courtesy: National Park Service

Location of Niagara-On-The-Lake in Ontario, Canada

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