Three Related Stoneware Jars Probably Made Near or Along the Hudson River in New York State in the 1700s (or Early 1800s)

While handling a really good collection of stoneware a number of times that has been consigned to Antiques Associates At West Townsend in Massachusetts, I really took notice of three related jars featured in this collection, which seem to have been made in the Hudson River Region. Each jar is inscribed with a number, and appears to be related to traditions found on German stoneware, although these jars are perhaps influenced by a German potter or potters likely working somewhere in the Hudson River Region in New York State. One of the jars is also inscribed with a name, most likely indicating this is an important historical object dating from the 1700s (or early 1800s); these jars may have been made in the Albany or Troy, New York area, otherwise likely another potter working somewhere in the Hudson River Region.

Nonetheless, each of these jars shares a related form, but they are decorated in different ways, whereas one jar is inscribed on both sides with incised flowers, and the initials “HS," while another jar is decorated on both sides with incised flowers, as well as the name “Jacob Cuyler, Junr,” above an inscribed heart. 

According to past published information about this jar, "Jacob Cuyler (1746-1823), a resident of Albany, New York added the suffix "Junior" to distinguish himself from a prominent relative, Jacob J. Cuyler. Little is known about Cuyler Jr.'s life, although his Albany tax assessment record from 1788 exists, as does his census records from 1790 and 1800. In 1790, Cuyler Jr.'s household on the corner of Market and Steuben Streets included four family members and two slaves. The intriguing, incised heart-with-arrow motif below the owner's name indicates the jar may have been made for a wedding, although there is no evidence of Cuyler Jr. ever marrying."

According to the New York State Museum, "Cuyler Jr. was born in Albany in January of 1746. He was the son of Johannes A. (1698-1746) and Catherine Wendell Cuyler (1699-1746). He was the last child of a large Market Street family. However, he lost both of his parents at a young age, although young Jacob, along with the other children of Johannes and Catherine were likely absorbed within the greater Cuyler family and their in-laws in the Albany area. This individual became an Albany resident and was known as "Jacob Cuyler, Jr." to avoid confusion with a slightly older relative and very prominent kinsman who was called Jacob J. Cuyler (1741-1804)."

Jacob J. Cuyler was a silversmith by trade in Albany and was known for his high quality work during the 1765-1790 period. He also served as firemaster and was manager of the lottery in Albany during the early 1770s. In 1766, he signed the constitution of Albany. Cuyler was also a member of the Sons of Liberty, and in 1767 served as the first lieutenant in the Albany militia company. During the Revolutionary War period, he was a member of the Albany Committee of Correspondence, and served as a delegate from Albany to the New York Provincial Congress in 1776, and later in the Continental Commissary General's office.

Also according to the New York State Museum, "In Cuyler Jr.'s mid-twenties at the outbreak of hostilities (and the years that followed), we expect there must be some record of wartime service for Cuyler Jr. during the American Revolution. Afterwards, he was accorded a land bounty right under the city military regiment in Albany. Perhaps Cuyler remained single as no marriage or childbearing information has appeared in the records thus far encountered.

In 1790, his household on the corner of Market and Steuben Streets included four members and two slaves. Two years earlier, the property was assessed moderately. In 1800, the slaves had been replaced by free people of color along with two older men and an older woman.

In June 1793, he witnessed a Rensselaer County will. The third ward assessment roll in 1799 also valued Cuyler Jr.'s lot of land separately and his personal property under the third ward house and lot of John Cuyler (1766-1811), who was the son of Jacob J. Cuyler.

In October 1823, an Albany newspaper reported that Jacob Cuyler died at Coxsackie on October 2nd, at the age of seventy-seven years, and was buried in the Coxsackie cemetery."

Coxsackie, New York is located along the Hudson River about twenty-five miles south of Albany and about twenty miles north of Germantown, New York. It seems that Cuyler Jr. may have been living in Coxsackie by 1801, seeing that he was included as part of a group of men who requested on May 26, 1801, for the Reverend Henry Ostrander (1781-1872) to preach at the church in Coxsackie (see below). Reverend Ostrander was ordained and installed as the pastor in Coxsackie on October 21, 1801 (The Life of Henry Ostrander: with Selected Sermons, p. 33, 1875).

For a brief history of Germantown: In the late 1600s, Scottish immigrant, Robert Livingston the Elder (1654-1728), with permission from the English Crown, purchased a total of 160,240 acres from the Native Americans comprising of the southern third of Columbia County, New York. In 1710, he sold 6,000 acres to the Queen of Britain for use as “work camps” and the resettlement of 1,200 Palatine German refugees displaced by French invasions and famine.

Known as "East Camp," the colony had four villages: Hunterstown, Queensbury, Annsbury, and Haysbury. The area was later renamed "Germantown" and formed as a "district" in 1775. There does not appear to be any documented stoneware production in this location, although the Hudson River Region did see a large migration of Germans in the eighteenth century, whereas there certainly could be undocumented stoneware production with a German influence in this area in the 1700s, which could also explain the shape of these three related jars.

Interestingly, the Cuyler family also seems to have had a colonial Manhattan connection, seeing that Johannes A. Cuyler's brother, Abraham (unknown-1749) was buried at the Middle Dutch Church in New York City in 1749. The Middle Dutch Church was built between 1726 and 1731, a vestige of Manhattan's Dutch Reformed community that traced itself back to New Amsterdam's very first house of worship.

Additionally, these are the only three jars that I am aware of in this form; in fact, after originally seeing and handling them last fall, I felt it would be great for them to remain together, seeing that they could represent an eighteenth century stoneware potter (or potters) working near or along the Hudson River in New York State.

Furthermore, these jars may also be somehow related to a colonial stoneware jar made about 1750 in either New Jersey or New York that is owned by the Huntington Museum in California, which previously sold at Crocker Farm in Sparks, Maryland: https://huntington.org/educators/learning-resources/spotlight/object-story-jar.

Nevertheless, for more information about these related jars, I would suggest contacting A.A.A.W.T.: https://www.aaawt.com/about/; I think these are three great surviving objects that could be displayed together in a museum or a prominent private collection! There are also other types of vertical double-handled stoneware jars made by potters in the New York City and New Jersey area, as well as in Connecticut in the 1700s. There is also a vertical double-handled stoneware jar in the collection of Historic New England thought to have been made by the Parker family in Charlestown, Masssachusetts in the 1740s, which was influenced by production in England and Germany, as well as by the Duche family in Philadelphia. 

Link to Jar No. 1: https://www.aaawt.com/antique/double-handled-stoneware-presentation-jar-probably-hudson-river-valley/

Link to Jar No. 2: https://www.aaawt.com/antique/double-handled-stoneware-presentation-jar-probably-hudson-river-region/

Link to Jar No. 3: https://www.aaawt.com/antique/double-handled-stoneware-jar-probably-made-in-the-hudson-river-region/

Three Related Stoneware Jars Probably Made in N.Y.S. in the 1700s

Rare Group of 18th or Early 19th Century Stoneware Jars

Probably Made Near or Along the Hudson River in New York State

Middle Jar is Inscribed "Jacob Cuyler, Junr"

Jar to the Far Right is Inscribed with the Initials "H.S."

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Antiques Associates At West Townsend

Jacob Cuyler Jr.'s (1746-1823) Tombstone

Located in Coxsackie Village Cemetery in Coxsackie, New York

Most of Cuyler Jr.'s Family is Buried in Albany, New York

Although Some Family Members are also Buried in Manhattan

See Article for More Information

Reverend Henry Ostrander was Asked to Preach at the Church in Coxsackie, New York

This Happened on May 26, 1801

Jacob Cuyler Jr. was one of the Men who Made the Request

Cuyler Jr. May Have Been Living in Coxsackie by 1801

Found on Page 33 in the Book - The Life of Henry Ostrander: with Selected Sermons

The Book was Published in 1875

See Article for More Information

This is Reverend Henry Ostrander (1781-1872)

He was a Pastor in Coxsackie, New York, 1801-1810

See Article for More Information

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...