Where Witchcraft and Red Earthenware Intersect: A Research Journey to Danvers, Massachusetts

My forthcoming tenth book—a two-volume work spanning more than 1,900 pages—is titled An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts. This new publication will expand significantly on the life and career of Peter Clark (1743–1826), who is unquestionably one of the most vital figures in the eighteenth and nineteenth century New England pottery trade. 

While my eighth book, An Influential Family of Early Potters: The Clarks of New Hampshire and Related Businesses, largely analyzed his family’s production in New Hampshire, Clark’s vast influence actually began in Danvers, Massachusetts. From there, he established a business in Braintree in the 1760s before going on to shape early pottery production in Hartford, Connecticut, and across New Hampshire and Vermont. 

With the book’s release quickly approaching, I made one final trip recently to the Salem Village Parsonage Site in Danvers to ensure no detail was missed. There, one historical marker clearly details the architectural history of the property under the potter's grandfather, Reverend Peter Clark (1693-1768), who became the village minister in 1717. The marker notes that by the early 1730s, the 1681 parsonage had fallen into such poor condition that Reverend Clark urged the community to either renovate or rebuild. This culminated in a January 1734 town vote to demolish the old lean-to and erect a two-and-a-half-story addition on the back west side of the house. Crucially, this very property serves as a dark focal point in American history; it was in this original 1681 parsonage structure that the Salem Witch Trials originally ignited in 1692, under the tenure of Reverend Samuel Parris (1653-1720). This profound layer of historical evolution adds immense depth to the physical landscape the Clark family would later inhabit.

For more information about the Clark family - see my eighth book, though this family will also be highlighted in my eleventh book that is currently an ongoing project, titled,  A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires and Vermont: https://historicbeverly.net/product/an-influential-family-of-early-potters-the-clarks-of-new-hampshire-and-related-businesses/.

Information on Display at the Salem Village Parsonage in Danvers, Mass

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Information on Display at the Salem Village Parsonage in Danvers, Mass

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This is the Site of the Salem Village Parsonage in Danvers, Mass.

Operated 1681-1784

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This Jar was Made by the Clark Family in Northern New England

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Photo Courtesy: Dr. Ed Robertson

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

The Presentation Piece: Uncovering the Identity Behind the 'MB' Monogram

A few of the red earthenware pieces from Phase II of the Matt King Estate (Massachusetts) that just sold in New Hampshire are documented in my upcoming tenth book, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts.

The first object is an early nineteenth century red earthenware jar, likely made by the Clark family of New Hampshire. The family's roots trace to Reverend Peter Clark (1693-1768) of Salem Village (now Danvers), where his grandson Peter Clark (1743-1826) trained before moving to New Hampshire in 1775: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/232885240_antique-redware-jar-w-cover-8-12-tall-westmoreland-nh. 

Another standout item was a n eighteenth century slip decorated red earthenware mug. Likely a presentation piece, it is completely unlike any other example of Massachusetts red earthenware I have encountered. Here is that story.

"...This eighteenth or early nineteenth century, barrel-shaped red earthenware mug reflects a shape commonly associated with the Bayley family (active ca. 1764-1799) of Newburyport, Massachusetts, though similar forms may have been also produced in the Danvers and Salem area. What distinguishes this piece is its profuse slip decoration and the prominent monogram on the front, which mirrors eighteenth century silver engravings. This style of monogramming is seen in the work of various red earthenware potters, as well as the 1793–1797 Boston stoneware of Jonathan Fenton (1766-1851). 

Likely a presentation piece—akin to the Quaker-related objects discussed in Chapter 2—the mug features initials that appear to read "MB." While the specific recipient remains unidentified, several prominent families with these initials resided in Newburyport and the Danvers/Salem area between 1760 and 1790. These families include the Bartletts, Boardmans and Browns, among others, who were deeply entrenched in the civic and maritime life of Newburyport and Salem during the Revolutionary War era. Furthermore, given that Daniel Bayley’s pottery was renowned for such refined work, it remains possible that the piece was created for a member of the potter's own family, such as his daughter, Mary Bayley (1768-1846). Regardless of the specific identity of "MB," the mug stands as a significant historical artifact, representing the vital intersection of domestic life and the craftsmanship of red earthenware in early Massachusetts."

Also featured in the new book is a small eighteenth century slip decorated red earthenware pitcher from Phase 1 of the Matt King Estate. It was likely made in the Danvers and Salem area, otherwise a Charlestown or another Essex County potter. To find out the full history of this object, you will have to wait for the book's publication.

Note: In the meantime - 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/

18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Presentation Mug

This Shape of Mug is a Type Associated with Production in Newburyport, Mass.

But the Shape May Have Also Been Made Elsewhere in Essex County

The Front Appears to be Adorned with a Monogram with Initials "MB"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Matt King Collection

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

The Clark Family Pottery Dynasty: Shaping New England Red Earthenware

Another subject that will be included in my forthcoming 650-750 page, eleventh book, titled, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires and Vermont, is how the Clark family was influential with red earthenware production in Vermont. This included a businesses in Brownington, which lasted for decades under different ownerships, as well as a previously forgotten operation in Barre/Plainfield. Here is some information that will be included in the book.

As I have also previously stated, thanks in large part to the tireless research of Warren Broderick, this next book will present a wealth of incredible new information on Vermont's red earthenware industry. It will reintroduce some long-lost potting operations while significantly expanding upon past scholarship.

"...The story of the Clark family is a foundational chapter in early American red earthenware history, bridging the spiritual leadership of early Massachusetts in Salem Village with the grit of pioneering artisans who literally shaped the domestic life of northern New England. The family’s New England journey began when Reverend Peter Clark (1693-1768) served as a highly respected, long-tenured minister in Salem Village, which later became Danvers, Massachusetts. While the Reverend tended to his congregation, the surrounding Beverly, Danvers and Salem, Massachusetts area rapidly developed into a premier hub for early American red earthenware production. It was in this environment that his grandson, Peter Clark (1743-1826), spent his formative years, likely training under a local potter and mastering the distinct techniques, shapes, and glazes that characterized coastal Massachusetts pottery. By the early 1760s, Peter Clark relocated southward to Braintree, Massachusetts, where he married and successfully established his own independent red earthenware business, manufacturing household forms for about a decade.

As political tensions with Britain mounted and the local market grew crowded, Clark looked northward for fresh economic opportunities. On January 25, 1775, right on the cusp of the American Revolution, Clark packed up his family and tools and moved to Lyndeborough, New Hampshire. Though his industrial plans were briefly paused while he served with distinction as a Captain and Major under General John Stark (1728-1822) at the historic battles of Bennington and Saratoga, "Major" Peter Clark returned to build a highly successful pottery enterprise near the Second New Hampshire Turnpike using rich clay hauled from nearby Amherst. The Lyndeborough pottery quickly became a true multigenerational family affair as Major Clark trained his sons—Peter III (1770-1853), William (1772-1855), Daniel (1768-1828), and Benjamin (1776-1858)—ensuring that his refined Massachusetts style trickled down to the next generation.

Following the patriarch’s death in 1826, this sprawling network of descendants carried the family trade across northern New England. His sons successfully operated kilns across both Lyndeborough and neighboring Francestown, while subsequent generations branched outward in order to establish new manufacturing footprints in Concord, New Hampshire, and along the Connecticut River in Orford, New Hampshire. The Clark family's industrial ambition eventually pushed directly past the New Hampshire border into Vermont, where descendants carried the family trade to the northern settlement of Brownington and may have established a regional production facility in the Barre and Plainfield area. While many early American artisans were driven out of business by the Industrial Revolution, the Clark family successfully persevered deep into the nineteenth century, leaving a multi-generational family legacy that establishes them as one of the most influential families in the history of New England red earthenware production..."

Note: For additional information – see my eighth 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/.

Various 19th Century Red Earthenware Objects Made by the Clark Family

All Likely from New Hampshire

Although Most of the Family's Production in Vermont is Not Documented

See Article for More Information

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

“An two Earthen platers and a Culender" in the Probate Inventory of Edward Allen (Ca. 1633-1696) of Suffield, Connecticut

This post is another preview of my forthcoming two-volume, 1,800+ page, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/01/update-on-new-book-book-sent-to.html. 

While researching the new book, I learned of a 1696 probate record owned by a museum in Deerfield listing an earthen colander, which reminded me of an actual surviving example owned by a museum in Boston. Here is that story.

"...Displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is a slip decorated red earthenware colander, which was possibly made in Massachusetts. However, there is not much to go by in terms of archaeological evidence of this domestic form. 

Interestingly, the Memorial Hall Museum in Deerfield, Massachusetts owns a probate inventory record from Edward Allen (circa 1633-1696) of Suffield (now Hartford County), Connecticut. It is dated “December 17, 1696” and includes “A two Earthen platers and a Culender.” The group is valued at 0 pounds, 5 shillings, and 0 pence (written as 0 - 5 - 0 in the right-hand columns).

Allen arrived in the Salem, Massachusetts area, where he married Sarah Kimball (1635-1696) in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts on November 24, 1658. According to historical records, "On October 30, 1678, Edward was granted 60 acres in Suffield. His three older sons were granted forty acres each by the committee charged with the settling of Suffield. In spite of this grant, Edward and his son, John (1659-1704), took an oath of allegience to the town of Ipswich on December 11, 1678. The family remained in Ipswich until the spring of 1680, but they moved to Suffield shortly thereafter. Edward was referred to as Corporal when he was chosen a selectman in Suffield on March 7, 1693."

It is unclear where the "two Earthen platers and a Culender" were made that were noted in his inventory, although there was red earthenware production in places like Salem, Gloucester and Charlestown (among other locations) before Edward arrived in Connecticut in 1680. A seventeenth century colander would have been used for draining foods like fish, rinsing grains and straining liquids, similar to its function today. They were also used for straining beverages. Colanders were also made from copper and tinned sheet iron during this period. It should be noted that Edward’s brother, James Allen (1632-1709) was the Reverend at the First Church of  Boston. He studied at Oxford, and arrived at Boston on June 10, 1662."

(Left) 1696 Probate Record from Edward Allen of Connecticut

The Record Lists "two Earthen platers and a Culender"

(Right) Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Colander Possibly from Massachusetts

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Photos Courtesy: Memorial Hall Museum and M.F.A., Boston

Another View of the 1696 Probate Record

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Photos Courtesy: Memorial Hall Museum

The Record Lists "two Earthen platers and a Culender"

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Photos Courtesy: Memorial Hall Museum

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

Potters and Joiners of the North Shore: Comparing the Workshops of Greater Newbury and the Danvers-Salem Area

This post is another preview of my forthcoming two-volume, 1,800+ page, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/01/update-on-new-book-book-sent-to.html. 

While researching the new book, I felt it was essential to compare the Danvers/Salem area with other production centers in eastern Massachusetts to highlight their operational similarities and differences. Here is some of that story.

"...Building on the discussion of the Daniel Bayley Pottery Company (c. 1764–1799) in Newburyport, it is clear that the company maintained a distribution network far more extensive than some of its seventeenth- and eighteenth-century counterparts in Salem Village (Danvers) and South Danvers (Peabody). Strategically located near the Merrimack River, the Bayley Pottery leveraged the waterway to export goods along the New England coast and upriver to communities like East Haverhill. Evidence of this reach is seen in the red earthenware pitcher and slip decorated porringer recovered from a First-Period house in that area (further discussed in the previous section).

Much like the Kettles, Osborns, and Southwicks (among others) dominated the Beverly and Salem markets, the Bayley Pottery controlled the local trade in greater Newburyport. This dominance is reflected in the archaeological records of prominent local sites, specifically the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm and the Plumer (or Plummer)-Humphreys-Barton Family Homestead.

The Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm serves as a prime example of the region's shifting economic landscape. Originally a 1635 land grant to John Spencer (1604-1648), the property was sold to Daniel Peirce (1611-1677) in 1651. The Peirce family held the land for over a century, constructing the unique stone manor house in 1690. By the late eighteenth century, the site transitioned into a "gentleman’s farm" for wealthy merchants such as Nathaniel Tracy (1751-1796) and Offin Boardman (1747-1811), who added grand architectural upgrades. The Little family later purchased the estate in 1861, operating it as a multi-generational farm for 125 years until Amelia Little (1892-1986) donated it to Historic New England in 1986.

Excavations at the farm by archaeologist Mary Beaudry uncovered red earthenware pans and pots closely matching forms found by Lura Woodside Watkins at the Bayley Pottery site (now held at the Smithsonian). However, the farm's record also reveals a two-way trade system: while Bayley was exporting, stoneware was being imported into Newburyport from Boston and Charlestown. Notable finds include the remains of a salt-glazed stoneware jug featuring a cobalt-highlighted fish. Attributed to Jonathan Fenton (1766-1851) of Boston (late 1700s), the piece offers a rare glimpse into the coastal distribution of his 1793–1797 production. Another cobalt-decorated jug was recovered, likely produced by Fenton, Frederick Carpenter (1771-1827) of Charlestown, or William Pecker (1757-1820) of South Amesbury (Merrimacport).

This pattern of importing stoneware mirrors the archaeological findings at the Narbonne House in Salem (see Chapter 9, Volume II); late eighteenth and early nineteenth century stoneware from Westerwald Germany was also found in both contexts, as further discussed in Chapter 20 in Volume II. All of these objects were recovered from contexts when the property was owned by the Peirce family in Newbury.

A similar reliance on locally produced red earthenware is found at the Plumer estate, a few miles down the road. The family’s history in the region began in 1634 when Francis Plumer (1594-1673), a linen weaver from Woolwich, England, arrived in Ipswich. By early autumn, Plumer—having been made a freeman on May 14, 1634—joined Reverend Thomas Parker’s (1595-1677) company to settle a fertile spot on the north bank of the Parker River. This settlement marked the founding of Newbury, where Plumer’s descendants remained active for eleven generations. While the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm provides fragmented archaeological evidence, the Plumer estate offers extant examples of the ceramics used by these early families, further cementing the Bayley Pottery’s role in the material life of the historic Newbury area.

Interestingly, while the Symonds family of Salem—discussed in Chapter 8 of Volume I—were known for producing both red earthenware and furniture, the Bayley Pottery focused solely on ceramics. Nevertheless, a similar cultural pattern emerges within the Plumer family; their ownership of a locally made seventeenth- or early eighteenth-century chest and a seventeenth century cradle mirrors the way Puritan and Quaker families in the Salem area simultaneously possessed regional furniture and red earthenware.

It was essential to highlight this comparison to demonstrate how the Danvers and Salem area served as a primary hub for red earthenware production in coastal New England. Most of these potteries operated similarly, primarily serving local marketplaces, while others successfully exported their wares. From north to south, the major production centers in eastern Massachusetts during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries spanned from Newburyport and South Amesbury down through Gloucester, Beverly, the Danvers/Salem area, and Charlestown and Boston, reaching as far as Abington, Braintree, Kingston, and Bristol County. Many of these regions were deeply intertwined, sharing both family lineages and production techniques with the Danvers and Salem workshops..."

Note: For more information about the Bayley Pottery - see my seventh published book, titled, 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/.

Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm

This is the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm in Newbury, Mass.

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Late 18th Century Stoneware Sherds from a Jug Decorated with an Incised Fish

Attributed to Jonathan Fenton in Boston

Recovered from Circa 1770-1820 Privy at Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm

Photo Courtesy: Boston University and Historic New England

Late 18th or Early 19th Century Century Stoneware Jug

Possibly Made in Charlestown, Mass.

William Pecker Also Produced Stoneware in Merrimacport, Mass.

Recovered from Circa 1770-1820 Privy at Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm

Photo Courtesy: Boston University and Historic New England

Plumer (or Plummer)-Humphreys-Barton Family Homestead

This is the Plumer-Humphreys-Barton Family Homestead in Newbury, Mass.

See Article for More Information

Red Earthenware from the Plumer-Humphreys-Barton Family Homestead

All Probably Made at the Daniel Bayley Potter Co. in Newburyport

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Chest Attributed to the Emery Shop of Newbury, Mass.

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Cradle Possibly Made by Stephen Jaques for Francis Plumer's Granddaugher Mary in 1681

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

A Union of Two Faiths: The Goldthwait-King Family of Danvers

This post is another preview of my forthcoming two-volume, 1,800+ page, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/01/update-on-new-book-book-sent-to.html. 

While researching the new book, I learned about the 1765 marriage and family record of William Goldthwait and Abigail King in Salem. This union highlights the growing acceptance and integration of Puritan and Quaker families living in the area leading up to the American Revolution. Here is that story.

"...William Goldthwait or Goldthwaite (c. 1743–1808) was a prominent eighteenth and nineteenth century red earthenware potter in South Danvers (now modern-day Peabody), Massachusetts, where he operated a successful business on the corner of Main and Holton Streets. Born around 1743, he was a direct descendant of Thomas Goldthwait (1610-1683), an early Puritan settler of Salem. He married Abigail King (1744-1820) in Salem on July 20, 1765, in a ceremony presided over by Reverend Nathan Holt (1725-1792).  

William was one of the four Goldthwaites from Danvers who served during the American Revolution, most notably participating in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775. Throughout his life, he was a central figure in the local pottery industry, which at its peak saw dozens of potteries operating in the Beverly, South Danvers and Salem areas. William passed away suddenly at the age of 71 on March 26, 1808, a death noted in the Salem Gazette. 

William and Abigail Goldthwait raised ten children, though like other families during this time, faced the frequent heartbreak of early childhood death. Their first child, Esther (1766–1810), was followed by the first Elisabeth (1768–1780) and a daughter named Abigail (1769).  

The family then suffered three consecutive losses with the first William (1771–1771), Mehittable (1772–1772), and Elijah (1774–1775). Their daughter Anna (1776–1796) lived to young adulthood, while their final three children were a second William (1778), a second Elisabeth (1781), and Polly (1783).  

Some of their children also followed in their father’s footsteps working as red earthenware potters in South Danvers, though very little is documented about this family’s production, when compared to the Osborn family pottery dynasty of Danvers.  

Interestingly, William and Abigail’s marriage further illustrates the increasing acceptance of Quakers in the Danvers and Salem areas during the eighteenth century. While William descended from one of the original Puritan settlers, Abigail was the daughter of Zachariah King (1722–1771) and Hannah Southwick (1719–1796), members of prominent Quaker families. Hannah was a direct descendant of Lawrence and Cassandra Southwick, who were persecuted for their Quaker faith in Salem during the 1650s and 1660s (see Chapter 6 in Volume I)."

Note: For more information about the persecution of the Southwicks - see a feature story I wrote that was published on page 10 in the December 12, 2025 issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly, titled, The Southwick Family Of Potters Of Salem & South Danvers, Mass.: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/12/new-published-feature-story-in-antiques.html.

This is the 1765 Marriage and Family Record of William and Abigail Goldthwaite

William Operated a Red Earthenware Business in South Danvers, Mass.

See Article for More Information

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

The Union That Built an Industry: Joseph Osborne Junior and Mary Proctor's Wedding in 1756

This post is another preview of my forthcoming two-volume, 1,800+ page, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/01/update-on-new-book-book-sent-to.html. 

While researching the new book, I learned of the 1756 marriage record of Joseph Osborne Junior and Mary Proctor, a union that proved essential to the long-term success of the Osborne pottery dynasty in Danvers/Peabody. Here is that story.

"...This page from the Danvers Town Records captures marriages from the 1750s, documenting the families who lived and worked in Danvers and Salem Village. The ledger includes the surnames: Andrew, Bancroft, Burton, Butler, Chapman, Collins, Cook, Dunil, Felton, Foster, Gardner, Giles, Herrick, Jefrey, Kemp, Knight, Leach, Lowell, Mack, Mansfield, Marsh, Oakes, Osborne, Prince, Proctor, Putnam, Read, Session, Shaw, Shilaber, Smith, Tarrington, Twist, Twiss, Upton, Waters, and Whitridge.

Among the names is the January 6, 1756, marriage between Joseph Osborne Junior (1726–1791) and Mary Proctor (1733–1791), perhaps the most significant union in the history of the Osborne pottery dynasty. This alliance provided the social and financial stability that allowed the family's red earthenware business to thrive for generations. Though the Osbornes were a prominent Quaker family, the ceremony was recorded in Salem Village by Reverend Peter Clark (1693–1768). Notably, Clark was the grandfather of Captain Peter Clark (1743-1826), the celebrated red earthenware potter who worked throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire: https://historicbeverly.net/product/an-influential-family-of-early-potters-the-clarks-of-new-hampshire-and-related-businesses/.

Joseph Junior was the eldest son of Joseph Osborne Senior (1702-1780), who established the family’s first pottery shop in South Danvers in 1736. By marrying into the Proctor family, Joseph Junior was now related to one of the most prominent land-owning families in Salem Village, and one of the richest families in the area.

The Proctors were a wealthy farming family who became famous for standing up against the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. The family patriarch, John Proctor (1631-1692), was a successful tavern owner who was executed after he openly called the accusers frauds. His wife and children were also arrested, but they survived and eventually cleared the family name once the hysteria ended. Over the next few decades, the Proctors moved past this tragedy and became leaders in the local community.

The concentration of kilns in South Danvers during the late 1700s and early 1800s was partly a result of the Osborne-Proctor marriage, which merged technical trade skills with significant land wealth. Access to the Proctors' extensive landholdings allowed Osborne descendants to build numerous kilns and buildings related to pottery production, creating a dedicated "pottery neighborhood" on Central Street.

This marriage effectively transitioned the pottery trade from a first-generation startup under Joseph Senior into a multi-generational business. Under Joseph Junior’s leadership, and supported by the Proctor family, the Osborne’s red earthenware production became a major part of the Danvers and Salem area economy. This specific record marks the moment the trade was secured for the next generation, as Joseph and Mary’s children would go on to operate multiple kilns throughout Danvers and Peabody. Ultimately, this document captures the exact point where the Osborne family turned into leaders as part of the New England red earthenware industry, where some of their production would eventually be called “Danvers China.”

Note: For information about some of the later production on Central Street in Peabody - see my second published book, titled, The Moses B. Paige Company: The Last of the Peabody Potteries: https://historicbeverly.net/product/the-moses-b-paige-company-the-last-of-the-peabody-potteries/.

1750s Marriages Found in the Danvers, Mass. Town Records

Puritan and Quaker Families Are Represented

See Article for More Information

January 6, 1756: The Marriage of Joseph Osborne Jr. and Mary Proctor

See Article for More Information

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

The 1726 Union: Joseph Osborne, Rachel Foster, and the Roots of a Danvers Red Earthenware Dynasty

This post is another preview of my forthcoming two-volume, 1,800+ page, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/01/update-on-new-book-book-sent-to.html. 

While researching the new book, I learned of this specific 1726 marriage entry for Joseph Osborne, whose establishment of a pottery in 1736 marked the official beginning of a century-long manufacturing dynasty in Danvers. Here is that story.

"...This document from the Salem Town Records formalizes marriages from 1725–1726 and contains a census of prominent local surnames, including: Bickford, Blash, Bloden, Bound, Brown, Browne, Butler, Carrel, Cheever, Coffeen, Cole, Cook, Curtis, Daniel, Day, Dodge, Dowing, Felch, Felton, Flint, Foster, Francis, Frost, Fuller, Ganson, Giles, Glover, Goldthwaite, Goodale, Gould, Griffin, Groce, Hagerman, Heal, Henfield, Henley, Herrick, Hickey, Hutchinson, Kellum, Kennel, Kenney, Knight, Lake, Lakey, Lambert, Leach, Lee, Lindall, Marsh, Marston, Moore, Moulton, Osborne, Phippen, Pickering, Pinion, Porter, Preston, Proctor, Putnam, Reed, Robbins, Rogers, Sawier, Searle, Shakerly, Skipper, Smethurst, Smith, Stiles, Tapley, Tarbox, Towles, Upton, Weaver, Whipple, White, and Williams.

These names not only represent many prominent families associated with the established Puritan church, such as the Putnams and Proctors, they also highlight the growing presence of the Quaker faith in Salem. 

Among these entries is the July 12, 1726, marriage of Joseph Osborne (1702–1780) and Rachel Foster (1703–1733). Rachel was the daughter of David Foster (1665-1748) and Hannah Buxton (1665-1732), while Joseph was the grandson of John Southwick (1625-1772), a member of the persecuted Quaker family in Salem (detailed in Volume I, Chapter 6).

The union of the Buxton and Foster families documents a significant religious shift in Salem’s history. During the 1600s, these families were often torn between the ruling Puritans and the persecuted Quakers. Although early family members frequently adhered to Puritan laws to avoid legal trouble, descendants of the Buxton and Fosters families typically embraced the Quaker faith. By the time of this 1726 record, both families were officially identified as Quakers.

Interestingly, the Osborne-Foster marriage was performed in Salem Village by Reverend Peter Clark (1693–1768). Clark was the grandfather of Captain Peter Clark (1743-1826), the noted red earthenware potter who worked throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Following Rachel’s death, Joseph married Sarah Gardner (b. 1710) in 1734—a ceremony also performed by Reverend Clark. Joseph’s children from both marriages eventually established the Osborne pottery dynasty, a lineage rooted in the first business Joseph founded in Danvers in 1736."

Note: For more information about the persecution of Quakers in the 1600s - see a feature story I wrote that was published on page 10 in the December 12, 2025 issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly, titled, The Southwick Family Of Potters Of Salem & South Danvers, Mass.: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/12/new-published-feature-story-in-antiques.html.

1725-1726 Marriages Found in the Salem, Mass. Town Records

Puritan and Quaker Families Are Represented

See Article for More Information

July 12, 1726: The Marriage of Joseph Osborne and Rachel Foster

Joseph Established the First Osborne Pottery in Danvers in 1736

See Article for More Information

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

The Eighteenth Century Osborn-Shove Connection

This post is another preview of my forthcoming two-volume, 1,800+ page, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/01/update-on-new-book-book-sent-to.html. 

While conducting research for the new book, I learned about a 1773 Quaker meeting record that tracks the migration of the Osborne and Shove potting dynasties from Massachusetts to southeastern Pennsylvania. This is that story. 

"...Much like the previously discussed Quaker marriage certificate of Daniel Purinton (1710-1764) and Sarah Osborn (1707-1755), a record within the U.S. Quaker Meeting House Records, 1681–1935 highlights the interconnected nature of these families. It confirms a direct link between the Quaker potting dynasties of Danvers and Salem and their counterparts in Bristol County, while further extending these ancestral ties into southeastern Pennsylvania. 

The documentation of Phebe Osborn (1720-1775) in Chester, Pennsylvania, on May 7, 1773, places her at a foundational site of American religious history. Chester was the location of the first Quaker meeting held in Pennsylvania in 1675 and served as the initial landing point for William Penn (1644-1718) during his "Holy Experiment" in 1682. By the time Phebe was recorded there, the town had become a vital spiritual and administrative anchor for the Religious Society of Friends in America.

Phebe was born in Salem, Massachusetts, on January 3, 1720, to Samuel Osborn (1675-1744) and Sarah Clark. In 1739, she married Reverend Edward Shove Junior (1716-1806), who was the son of Edward (1680-1746) and Lydia Shove (1683-1739). This marriage united two potting families with deep Quaker ties in Salem. This is also another example of the direct connection between the Quaker potting dynasties of Danvers and Salem and those in Bristol County.

However, the U.S. Quaker Meeting House record tracks Phebe’s move from the Massachusetts Bay Colony to Pennsylvania in 1773, showing how Quaker families traveled between major settlements to help establish the social and religious foundations of the early American colonies.

The record reads, “The Friends appointed to assist the women Friends in preparing a certificate for Sarah Osborn and her five Children (viz) Hannah, Frances, Elizabeth, Phebe and Samuel to Warrington Monthly Meeting has done accordingly which was approved and signed directed as requested.”

The Warrington Monthly Meeting was a Quaker church in York County, Pennsylvania. In 1773, it was a community center where local Quakers met to pray and keep official records. When families like Sarah Osborn’s moved to the area, this group officially welcomed them and added them to their books.

The reason Phebe was likely in Chester in 1773 is that the Warrington Monthly Meeting was originally part of Chester Quarter before the Quaker boundaries changed, which at the time were divided into “Quarters.”

Additionally, Phebe was the older sister of Sarah, and the half-sister of Joseph Osborn (1702-1780), who established the first Osborn red earthenware business in South Danvers (Peabody) in 1736. Phebe died in Danvers, Massachusetts on January 12, 1775..."

Note: For more information about production in Bristol County - see my fifth published book, titled, A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-celebrated-industry-the-historic-wares-of-southeastern-massachusetts-bristol-county-and-cape-cod/.

This Document Places Phebe Osborn (1720-1775) in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1773

She Married Edward Shove Jr. (1716-1806) in 1739

This Marriage United the Osbornes with the Shove Family of Quaker Potters

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: U.S Quaker Meeting House Records, 1681-1935

This is Where Phebe Osborn and Her Family are Cited

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: U.S Quaker Meeting House Records, 1681-1935

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

A Second Rare Late 18th or 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jar Currently For Sale in Massachusetts

This late eighteenth or nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware jar is the only object known to me like it in either a museum or private collection. It has been owned privately in a major American antiques collection for decades, which was comprised of about ten top examples of New England red earthenware, spanning manufacturers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, etc. However, the jar was previously owned privately in Western Massachusetts. 

This jar was then published in 2023, as part of my fifth book, titled, A City on the River: The Early Red Earthenware of the Hartford, Connecticut Area, where I speculated that it may have been manufactured in this area: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-city-on-the-river-the-early-red-earthenware-of-the-hartford-connecticut-area/. 

There is a lot yet to be learned about early production in the Hartford area, which included the red earthenware potters Ebenezer Faxon (1749-1811), Seth Goodwin (1772-1828) and Nathaniel Seymour (1763-1849), among others. Nevertheless, this is an excerpt from my forthcoming two-volume, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/01/update-on-new-book-book-sent-to.html.

"..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 (and Deacon) Peter Clark (1743-1826) of Braintree, Massachusetts and Lyndeborough, New Hampshire. Reverend Clark was born in Watertown, Massachusetts in 1693, graduated from Harvard College in Cambridge in 1712 and was ordained as the minister of Salem Village on June 5, 1717. He then married Deborah Hobart Clark (1702-1765) in Salem on November 6, 1719, who was the daughter of Peter (1673-1751) and Deborah Hayward Hobart (1678-1759): http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/07/some-more-information-that-will-be.html.

The Clark family can be traced back to Hugh Clark (1612-1693) in Watertown, who migrated to America from London, England in 1638. He first appears in Ipswich, Massachusetts before he relocated to Watertown about 1640.

Captain Peter Clark’s parents were Peter Clark (1720-1747) and Anna Porter (Clark) (Faxon) (1722-1763); they were both born in Danvers, Massachusetts. The elder Clark was the son of Reverend Peter Clark of Salem Village. They were married in Salem, Massachusetts on October 3, 1741. They were then living in Braintree by 1743. The elder Peter Clark died in Braintree in 1747, and Anna Clark died in Braintree in 1763. Although, she remarried Thomas Faxon (1710-1801) in Braintree on September 14, 1752, where this second marriage likely influenced early red earthenware production in Hartford, Connecticut in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Ebenezer Faxon (1749-1811) was from the Faxon family of Braintree, relocating to Hartford in 1772 in order to establish a pottery business. His role in the red earthenware industry in Hartford is largely unknown today, but he is regarded as having moved to Hartford in order to establish a red earthenware business, utilizing the rich clay in the city’s Elmwood/West Hartford section. Opportunities presented by the city’s proximity to the Connecticut River also probably contributed to his decision to relocate.

Faxon’s Massachusetts background and a potential connection to the potter Peter Clark may explain why some of the early red earthenware produced by Seth Goodwin (1772-1828) and Nathaniel Seymour (1763-1849) in West Hartford appears like it has a coastal Massachusetts influence in some of the forms.

Interestingly, Faxon’s probate inventory from 1811 in Hartford is quite extensive, although there were also claims filed on the estate of Faxon in 1812, where “Seth Goodwin” is named, as well as a “Charles Seymour...”

Nonetheless, this jar may have been made by the Goodwin family in West Hartford. While Seth Goodwin founded the family's first pottery works around 1798, he also taught the trade to his son Thomas O'Hara Goodwin (1796-1880), who eventually operated his own pottery shop. Historical records indicate they also collaborated, running a pottery together in the "Hartford West Division" (the area that became West Hartford). Specific forms probably varied to some degree through the years under both of these potters. 

The jar of discussion also shares similarities to a group of existing jars, some of which are impressed "T.O. GOODWIN," among other handled jars known from Hartford.

The Goodwin family’s work established a "pottery dynasty" that lasted over a century in West Hartford. Their influence extended to other relatives; for example, their cousin/nephew Harvey Goodwin (1802-1895) learned the pottery trade from both Seth and Thomas before starting his own successful firm, Goodwin Brothers Pottery.

Additionally, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford owns a jar that was acquired over a century ago by Albert Hastings Pitkin (1852-1917), a curator at the museum and the first to accurately document some of the history of red earthenware production in the Hartford area. Pitkin's information on file with the museum states that he said the jar was made by Seth Goodwin, where there is actually a pencil inscription the base reading "Seth Goodwin." I believe this information. Pitkin also documented that both the Seymour and Goodwin families utilized slip decoration on red earthenware, a type of production more commonly associated with Nathaniel Seymour today.

According to the Wadsworth Atheneum, "A native and lifelong resident of Hartford, Albert Hastings Pitkin was among the first to systematically study and collect early American pottery. While visiting a local farmhouse in the spring of 1884, his discovery of two pieces of redware, or lead glazed earthenware pottery, spurred his passion for ceramics. Pitkin soon amassed a collection and became known as the leading authority on New England earthenware. In 1910 he joined the staff at the Wadsworth Antheneum as curator of the department of ceramics. During his tenure, he oversaw the installation of his own collections in the Morgan Memorial, and upon his death, his wife, Sarah Howard Loomis Pitkin, donated over three hundred objects to the museum."

It is also very likely that other potters worked for Seth Goodwin, though during his era (roughly 1798–1828), his operation is often described as a "one-man pottery" compared to the massive industrial factory it would later become. Although, the most documented "workers" were his relatives learning the trade; Thomas O'Hara Goodwin (his son) and Harvey Goodwin (his nephew) both worked under him to master the craft before starting their own ventures. It also needs to be taken into account that Harvey Goodwin was probably involved with the production of similar forms under both Seth and Thomas, as early as 1815-1820.

Furthermore, the first jar discussed in this post is currently available in Massachusetts: https://www.aaawt.com/antique/redware-jar-lug-handles-broadly-brushed-slip-decoration/.

For more information about this object - contact Antiques Associates At West Townsend: https://www.aaawt.com/about/.

Note: For more information about Albert Hastings Pitkin - see my fifth book, titled, A City on the River: The Early Red Earthenware of the Hartford, Connecticut Area; also see a feature story I wrote for the April 12, 2019 issue of Antiques & Auctions News, titled, The Albert Hastings Pitkin Collection: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2019/05/the-albert-hastings-pitkin-collection.html.

Late 18th or 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Made in New England

Possibly Related to the Goodwin Family in West Hartford, CT

Stands 10 1/2" Tall

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: A.A.A.W.T.

Late 18th or Early 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar from Hartford, CT

Reportedly Made by Seth Goodwin (1772-1828)

Albert Hastings Pitkin (1852-1917) Collection

Pitkin Possibly Wrote on the Base of the Jar "Seth Goodwin"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

The Name "Seth Goodwin" is Written on the Base in Pencil

Albert Hastings Pitkin (1852-1917) Collection

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar Made in Hartford, CT

Made by Thomas O'Hara Goodwin (1796-1880)

Impressed "T.O. GOODWIN"

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Connecticut Museum of Culture and History

A View of the "T.O GOODWIN" Mark

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Connecticut Museum of Culture and History

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

A Rare Late 18th or 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jar Currently For Sale in Massachusetts

Until recently, this late eighteenth or nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware jar was the only object known to me like it in either a museum or private collection. It has been owned privately in a major American antiques collection for decades, which was comprised of about ten top examples of New England red earthenware, spanning manufacturers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, etc. However, the jar was previously owned privately in Western Massachusetts. 

This jar was then published in 2023, as part of my fifth book, titled, A City on the River: The Early Red Earthenware of the Hartford, Connecticut Area, where I speculated that it may have been manufactured in this area: https://historicbeverly.net/product/a-city-on-the-river-the-early-red-earthenware-of-the-hartford-connecticut-area/. 

There is a lot yet to be learned about early production in the Hartford area, which included the red earthenware potters Ebenezer Faxon (1749-1811), Seth Goodwin (1772-1828) and Nathaniel Seymour (1763-1849), among others. Nevertheless, this is an excerpt from my forthcoming two-volume, tenth book, titled, An Early Industry of Household Wares: The Red Earthenware of Salem Village, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly and Salem, Massachusetts: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2026/01/update-on-new-book-book-sent-to.html.

"..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 (and Deacon) Peter Clark (1743-1826) of Braintree, Massachusetts and Lyndeborough, New Hampshire. Reverend Clark was born in Watertown, Massachusetts in 1693, graduated from Harvard College in Cambridge in 1712 and was ordained as the minister of Salem Village on June 5, 1717. He then married Deborah Hobart Clark (1702-1765) in Salem on November 6, 1719, who was the daughter of Peter (1673-1751) and Deborah Hayward Hobart (1678-1759): http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2025/07/some-more-information-that-will-be.html.

The Clark family can be traced back to Hugh Clark (1612-1693) in Watertown, who migrated to America from London, England in 1638. He first appears in Ipswich, Massachusetts before he relocated to Watertown about 1640.

Captain Peter Clark’s parents were Peter Clark (1720-1747) and Anna Porter (Clark) (Faxon) (1722-1763); they were both born in Danvers, Massachusetts. The elder Clark was the son of Reverend Peter Clark of Salem Village. They were married in Salem, Massachusetts on October 3, 1741. They were then living in Braintree by 1743. The elder Peter Clark died in Braintree in 1747, and Anna Clark died in Braintree in 1763. Although, she remarried Thomas Faxon (1710-1801) in Braintree on September 14, 1752, where this second marriage likely influenced early red earthenware production in Hartford, Connecticut in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Ebenezer Faxon (1749-1811) was from the Faxon family of Braintree, relocating to Hartford in 1772 in order to establish a pottery business. His role in the red earthenware industry in Hartford is largely unknown today, but he is regarded as having moved to Hartford in order to establish a red earthenware business, utilizing the rich clay in the city’s Elmwood/West Hartford section. Opportunities presented by the city’s proximity to the Connecticut River also probably contributed to his decision to relocate.

Faxon’s Massachusetts background and a potential connection to the potter Peter Clark may explain why some of the early red earthenware produced by Seth Goodwin (1772-1828) and Nathaniel Seymour (1763-1849) in West Hartford appears like it has a coastal Massachusetts influence in some of the forms.

Interestingly, Faxon’s probate inventory from 1811 in Hartford is quite extensive, although there were also claims filed on the estate of Faxon in 1812, where “Seth Goodwin” is named, as well as a “Charles Seymour...”

Nevertheless, a second jar recently emerged in an antique dealer's decades long private collection and longterm storage near the Connecticut River Valley Region in Western Massachusetts. It is unquestionably from the same manufacturer with a different type of slip decoration. This jar was then published in my two-volume, ninth book, titled, America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York, since it shares some similarities in a slip technique known on a privately owned signed nineteenth century red earthenware jar made at the Lorenzo Johnson (1821-1893) Pottery in Erie County, New York, though the two jars are unrelated: https://historicbeverly.net/product/americas-great-awakening-and-migration-the-red-earthenware-of-western-new-york/.

Furthermore, the first jar discussed in this post is currently available in Massachusetts; it is one of only two examples known: https://www.aaawt.com/antique/redware-jar-highly-stylized-decoration-incised-rings-to-neck-wavy-lines/

Note: For more information about this object - contact Antiques Associates At West Townsend: https://www.aaawt.com/about/

Two Related Late 18th or 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jars

These are the Only Two Objects Known Like this to Me

Both Stand About 10 3/4" Tall

Both Retain Some Histories of Ownership in Western Massachusetts

Bottom Jar Found Near the Connecticut River Valley Region

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: A.A.A.W.T. and Private Collection

19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Jar Made in Erie County, New York

Stamped "Lorenzo Johnson / Newstead"

Circa 1850-1870

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Private Collection

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

A Recap of Some of My Favorite Published Writing from 2025!

2025 was one of my most successful years to date in terms of writing with two-books published, one of which was two-volumes in length, a research story published in Americana Insights and numerous feature/cover stories that ran in different publications. In fact, I will likely be presenting the story behind the Americana Insights article at Historic Trappe in southeastern Pennsylvania in March! 

However, I'm hoping 2026 will also be successful with two more books in the works, one of which will be two-volumes and over 1,400-pages, and hopefully a lengthy eighteenth and nineteenth century Baltimore red earthenware story will finally be published that has been discussed with a publisher for a few years now. Nonetheless, though, these were some of the highlights for my writing in 2025.

One exclusive feature story that I really liked was discovered by Boston City archaeologist Joe Bagley in storage at the Boston Public Library, which was published on pages 24-25 in the March 14, 2025 issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly, titled, A Rediscovered Battle Of Bunker Hill Claims Book From Charlestown, Mass. 

Note: For a complete list of all of my published writing through the years - see this link: https://earlyamericanceramics.shop/.

A Recap of Some of My Favorite Published Writing from 2025!

An Influential Family of Early Potters: The Clarks of New Hampshire and Related Businesses

Published in February 2025

709-Pages

Link: https://historicbeverly.net/product/an-influential-family-of-early-potters-the-clarks-of-new-hampshire-and-related-businesses/

See Article for More Information

America's Great Awakening and Migration: The Red Earthenware of Western New York

Published in April 2025

Two-Volumes; 1,400-Pages

Link: https://historicbeverly.net/product/americas-great-awakening-and-migration-the-red-earthenware-of-western-new-york/

See Article for More Information

This is the 2025 Issue of Americana Insights

Link: https://americanainsights.org/

See Article for More Information

Nathaniel Sellers: A Postmaster and Potter of Upper Hanover, Pennsylvaia

Published in the 2025 Issue of Americana Insights

See Article for More Information

A Rediscovered Battle Of Bunker Hill Claims Book From Charlestown, Mass.

Published on Pages 24-25 in the June 20, 2025 Issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly

See Article for More Information

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Charles Graham's Brooklyn Stoneware Pottery Production

Published on Page 16 in the June 20, 2025 Issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly

See Article for More Information

A Red Earthenware Pitcher Discovered At The Reverend Jonathan Atkinson House

Published in the August 1, 2025 Issue of Antiques and The Arts Weekly

See Article for More Information

The Southwick Family Of Potters Of Salem & South Danvers, Mass.

Published in the December 12, 2025 Issue of Antiques And The Arts Weekly

See Article for More Information

Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth: The Father Of American Beekeeping

Published in the November 14, 2025 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

See Article for More Information

The Singer Family Pottery Of Haycock Township, Bucks County, Pa.: A Brief Examination

Published in the October 10, 2025 Issue of Antiques & Auction News

See Article for More Information

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