This is a remarkable nineteenth century red earthenware pitcher likely from Bristol County, Massachusetts with a mottled green glaze, which I learned about this morning from Boston City Archaeologist, Joe Bagley. This pitcher was recently returned from a long-term National Park Service loan, as part of a museum display, although it was unknown to Joe and others working at the City of Boston Archaeology Department.
I suspect there is a lot more to the history of this object, seeing that it was recovered by archaeologists in the 1970s in different parts of the yard (and assemblage of the archaeology collection) at the African American Meeting House in Boston, built in 1806. This is likely the second artifact from Bristol County recovered from this site, where the other is the remains of an early nineteenth century green glazed red earthenware lid that went to a green glazed jar. Interestingly, the base (or bottom-half) of this pitcher is the shape of the well-known jars from Bristol County, perhaps influenced by objects brought to Massachusetts, as part of the China Trade.
Nonetheless, the reason I suggest there is more to this story is due to the fact that many of the potters working in Bristol County (and the Danvers/Salem area) during this period were Quakers; the Religious Society of Friends (or Quakers) played a central and pioneering role in the movement to abolish slavery in both the United Kingdom and the United States, driven by their core belief in the spiritual equality of all people. They were among the first white people to denounce slavery publicly and the first organization to take a collective stand against the practice. The first evidence of this belief in America happened in 1688 when four German Quakers in Germantown, Pennsylvania, organized a protest against slavery in the American colonies, known as the "Germantown Petition."
There is also a direct connection with the Quaker potters in Bristol County and the African American Meeting House in Boston. The information in this post will all be included in my forthcoming two-volume, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, South Danvers, Peabody and Salem, Massachusetts.
This is an excerpt from the upcoming book: "...After the Revolutionary War, America’s newfound independence brought change to the Quaker Movement. New Meeting Houses were erected in Western Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and Upstate New York. Quakers also became heavily involved with the whaling industry in New Bedford, Massachusetts, an industry that was previously largely dominated on the island of Nantucket. A number of New England Quakers also helped formerly enslaved people find new free lives in New England and Canada. Although, the foundation of much of this Quaker Movement in New England can be traced back to Salem, Massachusetts in the seventeenth century when Lawrence (1600-1660) and Cassandra Southwick (1598-1660) were persecuted for their Quaker faith, among others.
In fact, in his 1845 autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) mentions two men who were members of New Bedford Monthly Meeting—William C. Taber (1797-1886) and Joseph Ricketson (1815-1876) — because of their assistance in helping Douglass and his wife get to New Bedford from Newport, Rhode Island when he was escaping enslavement.
According to Douglas, "They seemed at once to understand our circumstances, and gave us such assurance of their friendliness as put us fully at ease in their presence. It was good indeed to meet with such friends, at such a time.”
Douglas lived in New Bedford for three years, circa 1838-1841; he and his wife, Anna Murray Douglas (1813-1882), were sheltered by the Johnson family, active abolitionists and Underground Railroad hosts.
Taber and Ricketson helped Douglas and his wife escape slavery in Maryland in 1838, where they reached New Bedford, and were then connected with African Americans Nathan (1797-1880) and Mary Durfee (nicknamed Polly) Johnson (1784-1871), who were local abolitionists. Nathan was born in either Philadelphia or Virginia about 1797.
Additionally, Frederick Douglass had a significant and active relationship with the African Meeting House in Boston, where he delivered several speeches and participated in major abolitionist efforts, including the recruitment of Black soldiers for the Civil War. The building was a central hub for the nineteenth century Black community and the abolitionist movement. Among the building's involvement with the Civil War was serving as a major recruitment post for the 54th Regiment.
One of events involving Douglass was when he spoke at the African American Meeting House on May 3, 1849, which was part of a reception held for him after his return from his European speaking tour. He also gave speeches at other venues in Boston around this time, including a speech against the Mexican-American War at Faneuil Hall on May 3, 1849, among other venues in the area during the 1840s-1860s..."
Note: The remains of a nineteenth century red earthenware chamber pot and a jug, likely both from the Quaker potters in the Danvers, Massachusetts area were also recovered in the 1970s from a similar archaeological context at Boston's African American Meeting House - http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2017/08/a-sherd-recovered-at-african-american.html. Interestingly, the jug is similar to an intact jug owned by the Paul Revere House in Boston, which is located about one mile from the African American Meeting House - http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2017/07/a-beautiful-green-glazed-19th-century.html.
For more information about the African American Meeting House and the green glazed lid sherd - see this post from earlier this year, titled, Some Info About Forthcoming Two-Volume Book, Frederick Douglas, Bristol County, Mass. Potters, Archaeology, Etc. - http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/09/some-info-about-forthcoming-book.html.
Also, see a post from a few days ago, titled, Quakers and Marriage Records from the Seventeenth, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century - http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/11/quakers-and-marriages-records-from-17th.html.
Red Earthenware Pitcher Recovered at the African American Meeting House in Boston
Photo Courtesy: City of Boston Archaeology Program
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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