EarlyAmericanCeramics.com

Friday, September 4, 2026

New Published Feature Story in Antiques & Auction News: Art Pottery Stoneware Produced At The Pennsylvania Museum And School Of Industrial Art

My latest feature story is published on pages 4-5 in the current September 11, 2026 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, Art Pottery Stoneware Produced At The Pennsylvania Museum And School Of Industrial Art.

Here is a link to a PDF of page 4: https://www.academia.edu/173241072/Art_Pottery_Stoneware_Produced_At_The_Pennsylvania_Museum_And_School_Of_Industrial_Art

Here is a link to a PDF of page 5: https://www.academia.edu/173241079/Art_Pottery_Stoneware_Produced_At_The_Pennsylvania_Museum_And_School_Of_Industrial_Art

New Published Feature Story in Sept. 11, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

Art Pottery Stoneware Produced At The Pennsylvania Museum And School Of Industrial Art

This is Page 4

See Article for More Information

New Published Feature Story in Sept. 11, 2026 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

Art Pottery Stoneware Produced At The Pennsylvania Museum And School Of Industrial Art

This is Page 4

See Article for More Information

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

How New England Red Earthenware Connected a Son of a Dalton, N.H. Potter to the Mormon Pioneers

A fascinating connection emerged while researching my forthcoming eleventh book—a 700-to-800-page work titled A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Vermont. It links one of Jacob Barrows' sons of Dalton, New Hampshire to the prominent Mormon leader Heber Kimball. Here is a part of that story.

"...Jacob Barrows (1757-1843) and Lydia Fenton (1757-1813) had at least eight children together before her death and eventual burial in Dalton’s Johns River Cemetery. Jacob later remarried Amelia "Emily" Waterman (1782–1857) of Norwich, Vermont—a town bordering Thetford directly to the south. This second marriage produced at least four more children. As was typical for rural, family-oriented workshops in New England, a son or sons from both marriages may have helped run the family pottery business. However, family dynamics shifted dramatically in the 1830s when Ethan Allen Barrows (1817-1904), a son from Jacob's second marriage, converted to the Latter-day Saint faith as a teenager. He ultimately chose to leave the family home and New England behind, migrating west with the early pioneers to settle in Nauvoo, Illinois, and eventually Utah. In doing so, Ethan's path intersected with prominent church leader Heber C. Kimball (1801-1868), a Vermont-born artisan who had established himself as a master potter in Mendon, Western New York. Under Kimball's direct civic and ecclesiastical leadership, Ethan would later serve both during an 1844 political mission and after settling in the Salt Lake Valley..."

In early 1844, Mormon founder Joseph Smith (1805-1844) launched a campaign for President of the United States, prompting church leaders like Heber C. Kimball to organize a massive network of "electioneer missionaries" to spread both the gospel and Smith's political platform. Ethan Barrows, a dedicated member who had been ordained a seventy in 1840, was called on one of these political missions to campaign in Ohio.

This political effort came to an abrupt and tragic halt in June 1844 when Joseph Smith was assassinated, forcing the Saints to look toward the West for safety. Heber C. Kimball became a primary architect of this mass exodus alongside Brigham Young (1801-1877), ultimately leading a massive pioneer company to the Salt Lake Valley in 1848 and serving as a top civic and religious leader in the new territory. Ethan Barrows also made the trek to the West and settled in the region for a time, serving as a church recorder and scribe in Ogden, Utah, through 1860. However, their paths eventually diverged; while Kimball remained a pillar of the Utah-based church, Barrows eventually returned to the Midwest and joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) in 1863, where he remained until his passing in Missouri in 1904.

Note: For more information about Heber Kimball - see my latest two-volume ninth book, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York: https://historicbeverly.net/product/americas-great-awakening-and-migration-the-red-earthenware-of-western-new-york/

See Article for More Information

1844 Presidential Campaign Flyer for Joseph Smith

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Courtesy: Museum of Church History

Three Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jars

Attributed to Heber Kimball in Mendon, New York

Circa 1820s to Early 1830s

(Middle) Retains a History of Mormon Family Ownership in Ohio

(Right) was Owned by One of Kimball's sons in the 1800s

See Above for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Sam Herrup, Crocker Farm and Church History Museum

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

Thursday, September 3, 2026

The Wares of Jesse Hazen: Mapping Perhaps Another Forgotten Potter

As noted, I am currently working on my eleventh book, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Vermont. While this 700-to-800-page volume is nearing completion, it briefly discusses the work of Jesse Hazen—another potter about whom very little is currently known. Here is a part of that story.

"...The industrial and artistic landscapes of early New England was often shaped by individuals whose primary occupations, according to official records, lay outside the artisan trades. A compelling case study is Jesse Hazen (1820–1896) of Orange, New Hampshire, whose career highlights the fluid boundaries between agriculture and local red earthenware manufacturing in the nineteenth century. Hazen came to light in twentieth century ceramic scholarship through a small, distinctive group of red earthenware objects preserved in the Nina Fletcher Little Collection at Cogswell’s Grant. The most notable survivor is a punch bowl inscribed in black slip-script with his surname. While museum records conventionally describe these objects as having been manufactured circa 1820–1830, this early timeline is highly unlikely given that Hazen himself was born in 1820. Although, Orange is located less-than twenty miles from the Vermont border.

Stylistically, Hazen’s production utilizes a decorative group of incised wavy and straight lines applied just below the rim that closely mirrors the trio of jars manufactured by Jacob Barrows (1757-1843) in Dalton after 1806. A similar use of incised lines is also attributed to the Osborn family of New Hampshire by the New Hampshire Historical Society.

However, studying Hazen’s life through official government documents reveals a timeline heavily dominated by agrarian pursuits rather than pottery production. In the 1850, 1860, and 1880 Federal Censuses, Hazen is consistently listed under the occupation of "Farmer." It is only the 1870 Federal Census that explicitly categorizes him as a "Manufacturer." This single designation strongly suggests that Hazen operated a seasonal or part-time workshop, utilizing the kiln to supplement his yearly agricultural income.

Biographical records further reveal that Hazen spent the majority of his life living outside the town of Orange. The family’s geographic roots appear centered in New London, New Hampshire, where Jesse’s father, Jeremiah Hazen (1778–1833), passed away on August 8, 1833. Jesse remained tied to the area into early adulthood, marrying Lydia Cook Sargent (1824–1906) in New London on June 7, 1842. While it remains unclear precisely when or where Hazen received his initial training in output stands as an invaluable material study. Hazen’s career exemplifies the versatile, multi-occupational nature of rural New Englanders who successfully balanced the demands of farm life with the technical mastery of red earthenware production..."

Note: For more information about production in New Hampshire - see my eighth book, 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/.

19th Century Red Earthenware Punch Bowl and Mug

Reportedly Made by Jesse Hazen Somewhere in New Hampshire

Both Adorned with Matching Incised Lines Below the Rim

The Bowl is Inscribed in Black Slip "Hazen"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Historic New England

From the Forthcoming Book

See Article for More Information

Photos Courtesy: Historic New England

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

Research Update: Studying Jacob Burrows at the Lancaster Historical Society

The Lancaster, New Hampshire Historical Society posted today about my recent visit to study a Jacob Burrows (1757-1843) red earthenware jar in their collection. They also highlighted my upcoming project: a 700-to-800-page volume titled, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Vermont—which will be my eleventh book.

Here is a link to read the full post: https://www.facebook.com/thelancasterhistoricalsociety/.

See Above for More Information

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

A Crazy Week for American Red Earthenware Discoveries!

It has been a wild week for unexpected discoveries of American red earthenware. First, a lamp made from a fantastic mid-nineteenth century marked Christopher Alexander Haun (1821-1861) jar from Greene County, Tennessee popped up in a random North Carolina antiques shop. The lamp parts have since been removed and the jar survives in very good condition. Then, a late eighteenth or early nineteenth century slip-decorated red earthenware flask made by Nathaniel Seymour (1763-1849) of West Hartford, Connecticut, surfaced in a local Connecticut auction group lot. It just goes to show—the great stuff is still out there!

For more information about Seymour - see my sixth book, A City on the River: The Early Red Earthenware of the Hartford, Connecticut Area: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-city-on-the-river-the-early-red-earthenware-of-the-hartford-connecticut-area/.

Mid-19th Century Christopher Alexander Haun Red Earthenware Jar

The Jar is Impressed "C.A. Haun"

Made in Greene County, Tennessee

Discovered this Week in a Shop in North Carolina

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collector

Late 18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Flask

Made by Nathaniel Seymour of West Hartford, CT

Discovered this Week in a Group Lot at a Connecticut Auction

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collector

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

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Before Winslow Warren: Unearthing Jacob Barrows' Forgotten Hanover Pottery

As I have noted, I am currently working on my eleventh book, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Vermont. This 700-to-800-page volume is nearing completion, and the recent discovery of Jacob Barrows’ (1757-1843) career as a potter in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont stands as one of the most important findings for northern New England red earthenware production in years.

Not only was Barrows a significant craftsman, but he was also a Revolutionary War soldier with deep ties to both the Fenton family of potters and the fascinating history of red earthenware production in Hanover, New Hampshire. Here is a part of that story.

"...According to John King Lord’s 1928 book, A History of the Town of Hanover, published by Dartmouth Press, local pottery production began near the Dartmouth College campus on the north side of South Street. Lord notes that "pottery was made on a somewhat extensive scale by Winslow Warren (1768-1837) in 1795, and before him by Jacob Barrows, in a shop that stood... in the garden of the Givens place," before the industry ultimately ceased around 1800.

Property records show that Barrows had established deep roots and extensive landholdings in Hanover long before Warren took over the business. An entry from the Index to Grafton County Records reveals that Barrows sold a piece of Hanover property to merchant John Wheeler (1743–1811), a transaction officially recorded in Volume 24, Page 201, on April 17, 1789. Barrows maintained a presence in the town for decades, as a later index entry names him as the seller (Grantor) of another piece of Hanover land to buyer Daniel Avery (Grantee), finalized in Volume 100, Page 141, on April 21, 1818.

The exact layout of their neighborhood is further illuminated by a June 1795 document that notes that Jacob Barrows owned a house nearby, using the 'lane leading to said Barrows' House' to establish the property boundaries of the land being sold. When combined with the left-hand page (see below), this document proves that Barrows and Winslow Warren were direct neighbors in Hanover, during the exact year Warren took over the local pottery operations..."

Note: For more information about Jacob Barrows - see a story I posted a few days ago, titled, The Fenton Connection: The Rediscovered Pottery of Jacob Barrows and Early Red Earthenware Production in Northern New England: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/08/the-fenton-connection-rediscovered.html.

This is the Revolutionary War Call for of Captain William Manning's Company

The Document Shows Solomon Fenton (Arrow)

The Document Also Shows Jacob Barrows (Circle)

Barrows Likely Trained with Fenton in New Haven, CT

See Article for More Information

Barrows and Warren are Both Mentioned in this Document from June 1795

This Document Proves They Were Neighbors in Hanover, N.H.

See Article for More Information

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

Monday, August 31, 2026

The Fenton Connection: The Rediscovered Pottery of Jacob Barrows and Early Red Earthenware Production in Northern New England

A research trip to northern New Hampshire yesterday was a massive success, uncovering new information about a previously undocumented potter who worked at the base of the White Mountains from roughly 1806 to 1843. Remarkably, this production has never been cited or written about in any twentieth century pottery-related literature.

His name was Jacob Barrows (1757–1843), a Revolutionary War soldier originally from Connecticut, Barrows lived in Hanover, New Hampshire as early as 1790, before permanently relocating his homestead to Dalton by 1806. A portion of Dalton's first inventory of taxable property in 1809 owned by the Dalton Historical Society explicitly lists Barrows as a potter, providing an invaluable contemporary record of his operation.

Barrows' craftsmanship likely roots back to his first marriage to Lydia Fenton (1757–1813) in Mansfield, Connecticut. Lydia belonged to the prominent Fenton family—a lineage renowned for driving early American stoneware and red earthenware production—and she was a near relative of both the famed master potter Jonathan Fenton (1766-1851), and Jacob Fenton (1765-1822) who later brought the family trade westward to Gerry, New York. Given these deep ties, it is highly probable Barrows received his training from his Fenton in-laws, though some of his work also closely resembles that of the earliest members of the Clark family: https://historicbeverly.net/product/an-influential-family-of-early-potters-the-clarks-of-new-hampshire-and-related-businesses/.

Together, Jacob and Lydia had at least eight children before her death and eventual burial in Dalton's Johns River Cemetery. Jacob later remarried Amelia "Emily" Waterman (1782-1857), with whom he had at least four more children; a son or sons from both marriages may have assisted in running the family's pottery production. Amelia is buried in Dalton's Cushman Cemetery, though it is still pending research where Jacob was buried whether his grave is in the Dalton area or in Vermont.

Evidence also shows Barrows operated an early pottery in Hanover as early as the mid-1790s, and hints that he may have worked as a potter in the Thetford, Vermont area during the 1780s. If verified, Barrows would be the second potter introduced in my forthcoming 700-800 page, eleventh book, titled, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires and Vermont, whose work may predate John Norton’s (1758-1828) Bennington red earthenware production—previously thought to be Vermont's earliest. Vermont was also the birthplace of several of Jacob and Lydia's children, including their son Urial (1791–1851). Urial and his wife, Mary (1784–1873), spent their lives in the region and now rest next to one another in Johns River Cemetery.

There are at least three existing matching red earthenware jars known from Barrows' production, all outstanding in ovoid form, separate vibrant multi-colored glazes and incised decoration, though they will be saved for publication. One retains a history of ownership with the Barrows family, while another was originally owned by Mary Fiske Houlton (1782-1865) of neighboring Lancaster, New Hampshire. After marrying Joseph Holton (1779-1855), Fiske moved to Lancaster from Connecticut in 1810 to live on a large farm. Following years of terrible crop failures, her husband grew discouraged and decided to move back south in 1822. Mary flatly refused to leave the home she had built. Recognizing her grit, her father-in-law bypassed his own son and deeded the entire property directly to Mary so she could run the farm and raise her children independently.

Under Mary's management, the estate thrived and became known to locals as the "Wilder-Holton House." She ran it as a busy boarding house for visiting court officials and raised her children there, including future Wisconsin politician Edward Dwight Holton (1815-1892). Mary and her family were also passionate abolitionists, and her home became a celebrated station on the Underground Railroad, helping escaped slaves find freedom.

Today, the Fiske family home stands as the oldest surviving two-story house in Coos County and is preserved as a museum by the Lancaster Historical Society and listed in 1975 on the National Register of Historic Places. Nonetheless, there is also existing archaeology that was examined; stay tuned for more information on this exciting discovery!