I was thrilled to learn that archaeological artifacts from the Safford family pottery in Monmouth, Maine, still exist. While these pieces were originally recovered in the twentieth century, they were recently acquired by Portland, Maine resident Chris Havey.
For a brief history: The Safford family pottery legacy in Monmouth, Maine, represents a multi-generational tradition of American red earthenware production spanning from the late eighteenth into the early twentieth century. The trade roots trace back to an uncle, John Safford (1742-1823), who was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and passed the craft down to his nephew, John Safford II (1769-1850). In 1830, a nineteen-year-old cousin named John M. Safford (1811–1880), who had completed his formal training as a potter in Exeter, New Hampshire, moved to Monmouth to work alongside John II. The two cousins solidified their collaboration by forming an official business partnership that operated successfully from 1832 until 1838.
Following the dissolution of the partnership and his subsequent marriage in 1840, John M. Safford constructed his own homestead and independent pottery shop in Monmouth. His workshop became well-known for producing highly functional, lead-glazed utilitarian red earthenware—such as pitchers, jars, and lidded stew pots—designed to meet the daily needs of nineteenth century households in Maine. The family trade continued well into the next generation when John M. passed the thriving business down to his son, George Llewellyn Safford (1847–1921), who continued production into the twentieth century.
For more information - see my seventh book, From One Town Came Many: The Red Earthenware Industry of Ancient North Yarmouth, Maine: https://historicbeverly.net/product/from-one-town-came-many-the-red-earthenware-industry-of-ancient-north-yarmouth-maine/.
Note: The Maine State Museum in Augusta also owns a collection of archaeology from Monmouth, Maine.
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
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