The Fenton Pottery in East Dorset, Vermont, was the site of the state's very first salt-glazed stoneware factory. Established by Jonathan Fenton (1766-1851) in 1816 after a move from Dorset Hollow, though he may have continued to rent the Dorset Hollow site well after the sold it in 1810.
The East Dorset kiln produced a variety of utilitarian crocks and jugs. The family business was then passed to Fenton's sons in 1827 and operated until 1832, when the family relocated to Bennington, Vermont.
Interestingly, there appears to be more to this story, which will be told by Warren Broderick in my forthcoming 700-800 page, eleventh book, titled, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires and Vermont.
A few days ago at the Walker Homestead Show in Central Massachusetts, Warren showed me some kiln artifacts recovered from the former Fenton Pottery site in East Dorset. Remarkably, these pieces were made from earthenware rather than the typical red earthenware found throughout northern New England. Even more fascinating was a handle and rim sherd that clearly seemed to imitate period stoneware production. This style of mimicking stoneware forms is rare in New England, appearing more frequently in regions like Western New York and Ontario, Canada.
Furthermore, the rim and handle sherds reminded me of a jug my niece and nephew gave me for Christmas in 2020. Although it was found in Maine, I have always suspected its origin was Vermont. The jug is also made from a light colored earthenware and closely matches the distinct clay color of the artifacts recovered in East Dorset. The jug's rim and handle are also similar to the some of the East Dorset sherds.
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come....
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