An Introduction to the Archaeology of the Circa 1681-1780s Salem Village Parsonage in Danvers, Massachusetts

For those interested in learning more about the archaeology collected at the site of the circa 1681-1780s Salem Village Parsonage in Danvers, Massachusetts, this is an excerpt from my forthcoming tenth book, titled,  An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, South Danvers and Peabody, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/04/two-very-interesting-objects-recovered.html.

"...It was not until the early 1970s that then-curator of the Danvers Historical Society Richard B. Trask, along with members of the Society, the town Historical Commission, and other interested locals began a search for the parsonage site. After using the seventeenth century Salem Village Record Book, along with eighteenth century maps, the probable site was located in the yard of Alfred Hutchinson, a local teacher. Partnering with archaeologist Roland Wells Robbins, whose prior work included Thomas Jefferson’s birthplace, Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond, and the Saugus Iron Works, the site was investigated and stone foundations were found dating from the 1681-1780s period.

Hutchinson permitted the excavation of this section of his yard, and about a dozen volunteers worked tirelessly on the site. As the stone foundation was uncovered, more than 30,000 artifacts were discovered, including seventeenth and eighteenth century coins, cutlery, pipe bowls from the 1660s, a metal plate bearing the initials of Samuel and Elizabeth Parris, and many wine bottle fragments, some of which had Parris’ initials on them.

After the archaeology of the Salem Village Parsonage was complete, archaeologist, Sarah Peabody Turnbaugh wrote a thesis about the site in 1976 for her degree at Harvard University, titled, An Anthropological Historical Archaeology Inquiry Into Cultural Variation And Change Based On Ceramics Assemblages From The Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The report analyzed the ceramics recovered from the Parsonage site to that of other known Colonial potters' sites along coastal, Massachusetts, although archaeologists also added more information to this study when the Colonial industry in Charlestown, Massachusetts was rediscovered, as part of the archaeology of Boston’s Big Dig Project in the 1980s: https://historicbeverly.net/product/the-dawn-of-independence-the-death-of-an-industry/.

According to Turnbaugh’s thesis, “The significance of the local Essex County red earthenware industry generally has gone unrecognized. Yet, the large number of sherds represented in the assemblage from the Parsonage site which were made in the manner of domestic potters indicates the probable great importance of this industry to the inhabitants of Salem Village. The specific nature of this local tradition and its socio-economic, cultural significance will be given detailed consideration for this reason.

Among the studies conducted in Turnbaugh’s report was the financial status of James Kettle  (1664/65-1712), who operated a pottery in Salem Village, circa 1687-1709, in comparison to some of the other inhabitants of Salem Village. She also analyzed the financial success of some Colonial potters in coastal Massachusetts, using the Bayley family in Newburyport as an example of a coastal pottery in comparison to those potters who worked in South Danvers (Peabody) in the 1700s, who did not have easy access to a port. However, more information can be added to this study today since a lot more is known about the Colonial industry in Charlestown.

Also, according to Turnbaugh, “Figure 17 (see information below) has been compiled from documents at the Essex County Registry of Deeds and Probate, Salem, Massachusetts. As illustrated, both Kettle, the potter, and all of the Salem Village ministers could have been considered members of the “well-off” economic bracket for their respective time periods. However, unlike the Salem Village ministers who rapidly continued to grow increasingly wealthy throughout the eighteenth century, the successful potters’ estates remained stable and, if anything, decreased in value through time. Although each potter probably lived comfortably, only the earliest potter James Kettle would have been rated among the most wealthy.

Turnbaugh also added, “Historically, both the Southwick (family in South Danvers) and Bayley (family in Newburyport, Massachusetts) potteries were well-established in Essex County. Yet, Southwick’s total estate value was smaller than either of the Bayley family potteries. This difference cannot be explained temporarily since Joseph Baley’s (1691-1755) inventory is earlier than Southwick’s and Daniel Bayley’s (1722-1792) is later. Consequently, this discrepancy is perhaps best explained by differential access to the economically successful coastal ports and communities. The Southwicks of South Danvers, present-day Peabody, Massachusetts, were land-locked whereas the Bayleys were located on the coast and had more ready access to lucrative coastal ports and coastal sea commerce.”

Proof of the Bayleys export business is found in archaeology today, where examples of production from Daniel Bayley’s 1760s-1790s business have been recovered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, along coastal Maine and even as far north as New Brunswick in Canada. There is also some evidence that chamber pots made at the Bayley Pottery were shipped to Salem in the 1700s, based on artifacts recovered on the property of the Narbonne House (see Chapter 9).

Turnbaugh’s report also indicates that even the more successful Essex County potters, such as Daniel Bayley could not compete economically with the ministers of Salem Village. This was also true with the industry in Charlestown, where there were some potters who were quite successful, while others sought out work as it became available.

The ceramic assemblage of the circa 1681-1780s Salem Village Parsonage revealed a wide variety of domestic and imported pottery, where the locally produced red earthenware is found with various wares from Britain, such as North Devon pottery and Staffordshire slip decorated earthenware, as well as German stoneware, Chinese porcelain and Iberian storage jars.

The domestic red earthenware forms include pots, pans, strainers, jugs, pitchers, bowls, chamber pots, plates, mugs, ointment jars, as well as possibly teapots, teacups and saucers. The glazes include different shades of red, olive brown, olive yellow, black and brown. Some of the artifacts are also decorated with slip, along with others adorned with tooling or incised decoration.

Interestingly, though, the big difference between the industries in Charlestown and South Danvers was that Charlestown’s businesses burned at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, while the industry in South Danvers continued to flourish into the 1800s.

An interesting connection found in the Salem Village Parsonage was that Reverend Peter Clark (1693-1768), who served as the minister from 1717-1768 was the grandfather of Captain Peter Clark (1743-1826) of Braintree, Massachusetts and Lyndeborough, New Hampshire. Captain Clark was an influential potter in both locations, although he was likely previously a trained potter in the South Danvers area."

Captain Peter Clark and his family's production in New England is also the subject of my most recent published book, titled, An Influential Family of Early Potters: The Clarks of New Hampshire and Related Businesses: https://historicbeverly.net/product/an-influential-family-of-early-potters-the-clarks-of-new-hampshire-and-related-businesses/.

Reverend Peter Clark's (1693-1768) Tombstone

He Served as Minister of the Salem Village Parsonage, 1717-1768

He is Buried in Wadsworth Cemetery in Danvers, Mass.

He was the Grandfather of Captain Peter Clark (1743-1826)

See Article for More Information

Nevertheless, the idea of slip decorated red earthenware strainers (or colanders) recovered at the site of the Salem Village Parsonage reminded me of this slip decorated example displayed in the Americana Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The museum identifies this object as being made in Massachusetts in the 1700s, although no further information is given about the object. This is also the first time that I have come across any eighteenth century archaeology in Massachusetts, where a domestic strainer has been found.

 18th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Colander

Reportedly Made in Massachusetts

The Colander was Gifted to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in 1956

Measures 14" in Diameter

Photo Courtesy: Museum of Fine Arts - Boston, Mass.

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