Shaw’s Creek – Just North of Southern

IDENTIFYING FORTUNE JUSTICE

In the late 1980s, a South Carolina archeologist found a pair of 19th century stoneware tombstones on the outskirts of the Springfield Missionary Baptist Church graveyard, which is located on the Edgefield and Aiken county line in southwestern portion of the state. Each tombstone was composed of alkaline glazed stoneware clay, and carefully inlaid kaolin clay letters, which recognized both the deceased as well as the objects’ maker (Figures 1 & 2). The craftsman and creator, F.E. Justice, has remained unidentified with any distinction.

Figure 1: Alkaline glazed stoneware tombstone reading SACRED / TO THE / MEMORY / OFF / HENRY / DANIELS / BORN SEPT / THE . 6 . 1868 / DIDE . JULY / THE . 24 . 1873 / F.E. JUSTICE /
MAKER. Collection of the South Carolina State Museum.

STONEWARE PRODUCTION & SPRINGFIELD MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

Throughout the 19th century alkaline glazed stoneware production was a leading industry in the Edgefield District of South Carolina, which encompassed portions of present day Aiken, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick, and Saluda counties. White planters, who initially utilized itinerant potters and enslaved labor to effectively run their businesses, predominantly owned the large production potteries, or factories. After the end of the Civil War, factory owners began employing freedmen. During the last three decades of the 19th century, the Landrum, Miles and Seigler families managed stoneware factories in present day Aiken County, South Carolina.

Figure 2: Alkaline glazed stoneware tombstone reading “SACRED / TO THE / MEMORY / OF MRS. HARRIET / HASZARD / WIFE OFF / ROBERT / HASZARD / BORN 1838 / DIDE 1868 / BLESSED IS / THE DEAD / THAT DID[E] / IN
THE / LORD / F.E. JUSTICE / MAKER. Collection of the South Carolina State Museum.

The Springfield Missionary Baptist Church, where the tombstones were recovered, was founded in 1868 by freedmen living in neighborhood, within less than a five-mile radius to the aforementioned stoneware factories (Isaac Boles Map, Appendix A). The Landrum family purportedly donated a parcel of land that may have, according to family oral history, contained an old church building. Likewise, Works Progress Administration documents recorded in 1937 stated that members worshiped under an arbor until a building was constructed around 1870.

Remarkably, since its inception, the church has been twice burned down, leveled by a storm, and rebuilt three times.

Today, the sandy graveyard is sprinkled with surviving headstones although many have been broken or damaged by the elements as well as vandals. Headstones or grave markers found here were usually a simple wooden marker, molded concrete tombstones, or no marker at all rather broken household goods or mementos of the deceased. The alkaline glazed stoneware tombstones made by Justice are the only two of such character known to exist, and are the earliest known markers used in the cemetery.

FINDING FORTUNE JUSTICE

The surname Justice was not common in the Old Edgefield District, South Carolina.

However, by 1880 an African American named Fortune [Justice] Jelters, born 1859, was living in Shaws Township, Aiken County, South Carolina where he worked as a “laborer.” His housemates included Wash Miles (age 28), Harriet Miles (wife, age 22), George Miles (son, age 1), and Briscoe [Brister] Jones (age 21). Wash Miles was noted working as a “farmer,” while similar to Justice, Brister Jones was a laborer. Could Fortune Justice be the maker of the stoneware tombstones as “F.E. Justice?”

This seems plausible since Miles, Jones and Justice were living five dwellings away from John W. Seigler who owned a saw mill, grist mill and stoneware pottery on Shaws Creek, near present day Eureka, South Carolina. Seigler, and eventually his son, George Preston Seigler, maintained the sawmill and pottery until 1895. Additionally, Wash Miles and Brister Jones have been positively identified as stoneware potters; and Miles enumerated in the 1880 U.S Census non-population industry schedule as running a stoneware pottery.

Pre-1880 documentation of Fortune Justice, and likewise, Wash Miles are sparse which is not necessarily an uncommon occurrence. Probably born no later than 1860, Justice would have been excluded from the 1867 – 1868 South Carolina Voter’s Registration and 1868 South Carolina Militia Registration; but would have been included in the 1869 South Carolina State Population Census and 1870 U.S. Census. In turn, Wash Miles (born no earlier than 1852) and Brister Jones (born no later than 1861) should have had similar patterns of record exclusion and inclusion. Just as the three were excluded from the voter’s registration and militia roll, none of them were found as head of household, the only named individual per dwelling noted in the state census, which would be consistent with a hierarchal family structure.

Furthermore, Fortune Justice and Wash Miles have not been found in the 1870 U.S. Census. Brister Jones, on the other hand, was found living in Edgefield County, Shaw’s Creek Township with stoneware potters Mark Jones (his father) and David Drake. Likewise, Miles’ future common law wife, Harriet Pope was also found living in Shaw’s Creek Township with her parents, Wade and Mary Pope. Notably, the emancipated African American community was ensconced in a hostile political and social climate during Reconstruction, which likely discouraged participation by individuals and encouraged enumerators to casually undercount in particular geographic areas. Additionally, stoneware potters were itinerant, even within a finite radius and could have been away from home selling wares or traveling between factory sites, thus having missed the enumerator’s visit. A surname change by Justice and Miles was also considered, but no compelling evidence was discovered for further pursuit.

THE WILL OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN LANDRUM, SR.

Benjamin Franklin Landrum, Sr. born 1810 operated a stoneware factory in the Horse Creek Valley for more than four decades. On 3 June 1887, he penned a codicil to his 1884 will dictating how a variety of debts accrued by his children were to be collected by the estate after his death. Notably, long time neighbor, William Riggs, with an “X” as his mark, witnessed the codicil. On the line below Riggs, in careful script, the final witness signed “F.E. Justice.” When Landrum died in December 1888, the estate was appraised and personal property sold by the sheriff on 15 January 1889. Both “Wash Mils [sic]” and “Justic Fortun [sic]” purchased multiple items at the sale; two of only three identified African Americans who participated in the probate sale.

Figure 3: Signatures of B.F. Landrum’s Codicil witneses with signature of F.E. Justice

This codicil entry and probate sale participation illustrates a direct association between (Fortune) E. Justice and B.F. Landrum, demonstrates literacy on Justice’s part, and implies Justice’s standing amongst the potting community at not only the Seigler pottery, but also the Landrum factory. F.E. Justice’s intimate involvement with the Landrum family along with Fortune Justice’s and, his fellow potter and peer, Wash Miles further suggests that Fortune (F.E.) Justice was the creator of the stoneware tombstones.

Figure 4: Probate sale of Benjamin F. Landrum, SR.

STONEWARE AS GENEALOGICAL MATERIAL CULTURE

The three stoneware artifacts described are dual purpose in that they contain both material culture context as well as and genealogical information.

Stoneware tombstone of Henry Daniels as shown in Figure 1 reads “SACRED / TO THE

/ MEMORY / OFF / HENRY / DANIELS / BORN SEPT / THE . 6 . 1868 / DIDE . JULY / THE . 24 . 1873 / F.E. JUSTICE / MAKER.”

Stoneware tombstone of Mrs. Harriet Haszard [sic] as shown in Figure 2 reads “SACRED / TO THE / MEMORY / OF MRS. HARRIET / HASZARD / WIFE OFF / ROBERT / HASZARD / BORN 1838 / DIDE 1868 / BLESSED IS / THE DEAD / THAT DID[E] / IN THE / LORD / F.E. JUSTICE / ”
Stoneware single handle, alkaline glazed face jug with kaolin inset eyes and teeth incised “JOE RANFORD” as shown in Figures 5 – 9.

In the first two examples, F.E. Justice used a local, established industry, materials and techniques to create a unique product (alkaline glazed stoneware tombstones) for the deceased, Henry Daniels and Robert Haszard; specific to southwestern South Carolina. Robert Haszard [Hazzard], after the burial of his wife, was found living near the Miles and Landrum potteries, less than three miles from the Springfield Missionary Baptist Church in 1870 and 1880 as part of the Shaws Creek, and later Shaw Township community.

Lastly, a stoneware face vessel resides in the collection of the Smithsonian’s The National Museum of American History. The name “JOE RANFORD” is found incised circumferentially around the shoulder in a font exceptionally similar to that used by F.E. Justice on the stoneware tombstones. Joe Ranford, African American and born 1861, was living two dwellings away from John W. Seigler; and three dwellings away from Fortune Justice, Wash Miles and Brister Jones at the time the 1880 U.S. census was recorded. A comparison of the font used on the tombstones created by F.E. Justice to the Ranford face jug is compelling. While kaolin clay was not inlaid to form each letter on the jug, a difficult task to complete on a concave ceramic body, the execution of serif-style font letters E, R, A, F and N are nearly identical to those found on the tombstones. (Figures 5 – 9). If, in 1880, Fortune Justice was living with potters Wash Miles and Brister Jones near the John W. Seigler pottery on Shaws Creek, Joe Ranford was also living three households away, the face jug’s archeological attributes suggest it was likely made at the Seigler pottery, and analysis of the incised font used is comparable to that of the tombstones; then the evidence further identifies Fortune Justice as F.E. Justice, stoneware potter and craftsman.

Figure 5: Alkaline glazed face jug with kaolin inset eyes and teeth and incised lettering. Collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Photograph courtesy of the Chipstone Foundation and Mark Newell, Ph.D.

Figure 6: Side view, face jug. Collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Photograph courtesy of the Chipstone Foundation and Mark Newell, Ph.D.

Figure 9: Inset view, Figures 1 & 2 as font comparison

CONCLUSION:

Although fleeting in the documentary record, F.E. Justice, has been identified as Fortune Justice, a talented, Reconstruction Era African American potter. Justice’s identity could be found using indirect community associations, employment, kinship, and the artisan’s distinct style and technique as a signature.

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Matthews & Rhodes

Collin Rhodes is thought to have owned a large land parcel located on Shaw’s Creek in the Edgefield District of South Carolina that was purchased from the Landrum family in 1838. Rhodes, born April 22, 1811, had previously been involved in the stoneware manufactory at Pottersville as part of the firms Drake, Rhodes & Company; Ramey, Rhodes & Company; and Ramey, Rhodes & Gibbs. Based on an article in the Edgefield Advertiser, the latter firm, Ramey, Rhodes & Gibbs was dissolved on January 1, 1839. However, an indenture was filed in early 1839 in which Collin Rhodes retained John Hughes’ (N. Ramey & Co.) one-third interest in the factory until yearly subsequent payments were made in 1840, 1841 and 1842.

Collin Rhodes wed Eliza Landrum, daughter of Amos Landrum on May 12, 1839. On September 3, 1840, Amos Landrum bequeathed to his son in law Collin Rhodes and daughter, Eliza, “one house in Pottersville and the adjoining lot as well as negroes (Judy, May and child Sampson)”. The witnesses of the transaction included Robert W. Mathis and Coleman Rhodes. Prior to this inheritance, Rhodes listed his own house in Pottersville for sale in February 1839.

In April 1840, Collin Rhodes and Robert W. Matthew/Mathis began advertising the Phoenix Stone Ware Factory in the Edgefield Advertiser noting the location as being “twelve miles from the Edgefield Court House on the main road from Newberry, Union and the Upper Districts to Aiken”. Mathis, in conjunction with Rhodes, had also held various interests in the Pottersville manufactory during the mid-1830s. (A clipping of this article can be found in “What About Amos?”)

An extant storage jar decorated with kaolin slip reads “Shaws Creek Pottery 1839” begs for further investigation.

Is the Shaws Creek Pottery also Phoenix Factory?

Photograph Courtesy of Ceramics in America

Collin Rhodes and R.W. Matthews/Mathis can both be found on 1840 U.S. Census living in nearby households. Rhodes enumerates two white males between the ages of 20-30, and one white female between the ages of 20-30. There is also a white female under the age of five. Rhodes also enumerates three slaves. Two males are listed, one between the ages of 10-24, and another between the ages of 24-35. One female is noted between the ages of 10-24. Matthews/Mathis enumerates one white male and one white female between the ages of 30-40. He also enumerates two white males between the ages of 5-10, and one white male under the age of 10. He enumerates three slaves, two males under the age of 10, one male between the ages of 10-24, and one female under the age of ten.

Other households of interest are those of Isaac Durham and Thomas M. Chandler since they have both been identified as potters. Durham can be noted within circumstantial documents related to Pottersville as early as 1814, and through the mid-1820s. Likewise, Chandler can be located in the Edgefield District as early as 1838 when he marries Margaret Durham. Chandler enumerates as a 29 year old veteran, and his wife enumerates being between 20-30. There is also a female child under the age of five within the household. There are no slaves enumerated within the Chandler household. Similarly, Isaac Durham enumerates one white male between 40-50, two white males between 10-15, two white males between 5-10 and one white male under five years of age. There are also two females between the ages of 30-40. There are also no slaves enumerated in the Durham household.

Interestingly on the 1840 U.S. Census, between R.W. Matthews and Thomas M. Chandler, is a household that appears to be “Matthews Rhodes”. After further inspection of the document, it seems more likely that it is actually “Matthews & Rhodes” since an ampersand appears to be present, and the only individuals enumerated are seven slaves. One may infer that at least seven individuals were living at the Phoenix Factory when the census data was collected in November 1840.

The number of individuals in each household involved in manufacture and trade is as follows:

Isaac Durham 1

Collin Rhodes 3

R.W. Matthews 2

Matthews & Rhodes 7

Thos M. Chandler 1

Martin Posey 1

Since the total slaves present at the Matthews & Rhodes entry is not additive to those listed in the Rhodes, Matthews and Posey households, can one assume that those individuals listed at the factory site are a labor force in addition to the others? If so, that would imply a total labor force at Phoenix Factory of fifteen in the fall of 1840.

Collection of University of South Carolina's McKissick Museum — Collection of University of South Carolina’s McKissick Museum

Also, by mid-1840, Coleman Rhodes began advertising that he had purchased Collin’s share in the Phoenix Factory. Based on the 1850 U.S. Census, he appears to have died prior to 1845. Did Collin regain his ownership, or did Coleman’s wife (Harriet Swearingen Rhodes) gain his equity? I have yet to find a Will or intestate documentation related to Coleman Rhodes.

The next question is who are these individuals and where did they come from? A cursory search of the Edgefield Slave Sales finds no purchases by either R.W. Matthews or Colin Rhodes prior to 1847 (after the death of Reverend John Landrum in 1846).

Collin Rhodes is traditionally thought to be the son of James Rhodes and Patience Bridges. James died before 1803 at which time his Will was executed along with a probate of his estate. There is no mention of Collin or Coleman Rhodes in any of those documents. Patience is not the executor, rather Mary Polly Rhodes. It is doubtful that this is the father of Collin Rhodes, rather a grandfather as it appears that the James whose estate was probated in 1803 is James Rhodes, Senior. I have yet to find an index entry for another James Rhodes (Junior) or Patience Bridges Rhodes. Collin Rhodes did receive Judy, May and Sampson from Amos Landrum in 1840, so that accounts for three individuals either within the Rhodes household, or at the factory site. R.W. Matthews/Mathis is equally an enigma in that I have not found any mention of him in the Will and probate documents related to the Matthew/Mathis family throughout the state of South Carolina.

Exploration of the 1839 Ramey & Hughes ledger for Pottersville also gives a few clues.

Collin Rhodes:

On March 3^rd, Rhodes received $33.33 for “the services of Daniel”.
On June 17^th, Rhodes paid $2.00 for Daniel “account adjustment”.
On July 9^th, Rhodes paid J.W. Gibbs $1.50 for Morris.

W. Mathis:

On January 26, Mathis paid $7.00 for Daniel
On January 13, 1840, Mathis received two months credit in exchange for services and room and board “of your boy Isaiah”. ($31.00 + $7.00)

Rhodes, Ramey & Gibbs:

On January 30^th, paid J. Kirksey $4.50 for Dave.

Ramey, Rhodes & Company:

On December 24, N. Ramey is issued a credit of $132.00 for supplying one year of room and board to “Coleman Rhodes and Leo”.

H. Hughes:

On May, 6, 1840, Hughes is paid $130.00 for Harry (by R.W. Mathis?).

These entries are a testament to the sharing of labor forces. One may also imply that this may also hint at some of the early labor force, in conjunction with Isaac Durham and Thomas Chandler, at the Shaw’s Creek Pottery.

The ledger also raises a myriad of questions:

Is Collin Rhodes the primary owner/investor in Daniel?
Was Daniel a potter?
Was J.W. Gibbs’ “Morris” a potter or laborer?
Was J. Kirksey’s “Dave”, a potter or laborer?
Why was Coleman Rhodes boarded by Nathanial Ramey for an entire year or does this read “Coleman Rhodes’ Leo?
Was he working in Pottersville? If so, what was his trade?
Who is Leo?
What is the skill of Mathis’ “Isaiah”?
Who is Hughes’ Harry?
Did Daniel and Isaiah move to Shaw’s Creek with Mathis & Rhodes?

It seems that further exploration of the genealogy of the Rhodes and Matthews/Mathis families, as well as the business structure of the Pottersville Stoneware Factory may yield further clues that may help in identifying the skilled slave labor in antebellum Edgefield District, South Carolina. It may also lead to further discoveries about Thomas M. Chandler and his presence in South Carolina from approximately 1838 to mid-1852.

I hope to be able to identify other skilled artisans within the slave community using a combination of circumstantial documents and extant stoneware vessels.

Bibliography available upon request.