Face Cup – 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.

Reference material available upon request.

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Corbett E. Toussaint and justnorthofsouthern.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

SaveSave

The Business of Bricks and Brick Walls during the Civil War

The usual discussion regarding Edgefield District, Civil War era stoneware is that of the Thomas J. Davies Pottery, Palmetto Fire Brick Works or Bath Fire Brick Works. This potential pottery and confirmed brick works has gained significant notoriety due to an excerpt written by Edwin Altee Barber, first in his book The Pottery and Porcelain of the United States, next in the Art Interchange, third in the Clay Worker, and later in second and third editions of the previously titled book. Throughout the evolution of these articles, Barber speaks of the “coarse brown wares” made out of necessity for the confederate hospitals. However, by the time the article is published in the Clay Worker, it includes an excerpt about slave made “monkey jugs” related to the potteries located in Bath, South Carolina with comparison to “water monkeys” or the historical, Spanish botijo. Presumably, Mr. Barber and Mr. Davies conducted correspondence between Pennsylvania and South Carolina since Mr. Barber was affiliated with the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

These publications, in conjunction with extant face vessels and the Davies’ “Palmetto Fire-Brick Works” ledger have sparked imagination, interpretation and controversy since the historical site has had no professional archaeological excavations. In early 2014, Harvey Teal wrote an excellent article about the Davies’ “Palmetto Fire-Brick Works” account book, which can be found in the Caroliniana Columns spring newsletter.

This documentation begs the questions:

Other than the account book, are there any other documents to substantiate the statements of both Mr. Barber and Mr. Davies?

Did any other Edgefield District potteries contribute to the war effort?

Were the forms of “clabber bowl” and “chamber pot” interchangeable in an effort to adapt to necessity?

Part of Barber’s premise for the limited success of the Davies’ brick works and pottery is assumed to be due to the Union Blockade proclaimed by Abraham Lincoln in April 1861.

After discussing this in detail with fellow researcher, Jason Shull, he forwarded me a photograph of a receipt signed by Colonel Thomas Jones Davies after receiving payment for 10,500 bricks. The wares were directly sold to The Confederate States in 1863.

The following letter was written by Colonel Davies in January 1863, advertising the quality of bricks produced at his factory named “Bath Fire Brick Works”. Notice, there is no mention of stoneware storage vessels or other table wares, rather the superiority of his fire bricks.

A similar receipt, also signed by Thomas J. Davies, for Bath Fire Brick Works is also found within the Confederate Citizen files. The load of 4,000 fire bricks were delivered to Augusta, Georgia.

No mention of Palmetto Fire Brick Works has been found in the Confederate Citizen files to date.

I was also able to locate a payment voucher for the Southern Porcelain Company stating that they supplied the Confederate States Nitre and Mining Service with 10,000 fire bricks. The price paid for the bricks is noted as $200.00, and dated 1864.

However, with the account in Mr. Barber’s book and ledger entry discussed in Mr. Teal’s article, I expected to find receipt of table wares and/or chamber pots for use in the Confederate hospitals. To be more specific, invoices and receipts from the South Carolina Medical Purveyor, Dr. J.J. Chisolm, addressed to Thomas J. Davies and/or Palmetto Fire Brick Works and/or Bath Fire Brick Works.

Dr. J.J. Chisolm, Medical Purveyor of South Carolina

In 1861, shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War, Dr. J.J. Chisolm published the first edition of A Manual of Military Surgery drawing heavily on his experience as an observer in both military and civilian hospitals while in Europe. Two additional editions were published during the course of the Civil War.

On September 20, 1861, Dr. Chisolm was appointed to the rank of Medical Purveyor of South Carolina. By November 1861, he was in Charleston, South Carolina establishing the Medical Purveyor’s office. The purpose of the Purveyor’s Office was to order, receive and distribute medication, surgical equipment and other necessary medical supplies. The purveyor’s office was later moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where Chisolm also set up a medical laboratory for manufacturing pharmaceuticals made scarce by the Union Naval blockade.

This is the preface of the first edition A Manual of Military Surgery published in 1861:
“When the war suddenly broke upon us, followed immediately by the blockading of our ports, all communication was cut off with Europe, which was the expected source of our surgical information. As there had been no previous demand for works on military surgery, there were none to be had in the country, and our physicians were compelled to follow the army to the battle without instruction. No work on military surgery could be purchased in the Confederate States. As military surgery, which is one of expediency, differs so much from civil practice, the want of proper information has already made itself seriously felt. In times of war, where invasion threatens, every citizen is expected to do his duty to his state. I saw no better means of showing my willingness to enlist in the cause than by preparing a manual of instruction for the use of the army, which might be the means of saving the lives and preventing the mutilation of many friends and countrymen.”
Julian J. Chisolm 

I have been unable to date to locate any such invoice or receipt, signed by Dr. J.J. Chisolm, for Colonel Davies related to the Medical Purveyor’s office. I have also been unable to locate an invoice or receipt related the Medical Purveyor’s office in the state of Georgia.

In contrast, I was able to locate Confederate Citizen files for both Benjamin Franklin Landrum and Linnaeus Landrum (son of Dr. Abner Landrum) related to the Medical Purveyor’s office in Columbia, South Carolina.

One invoiced receipt addressed to Benjamin Franklin Landrum includes 1035 jugs, 296 jars, and a total of 531 chamber pots. Also noted are pans, pitchers, plates and cups. Mr. Landrum received nearly $1900.00 for his wares upon delivery to Columbia in the fall of 1864. Similarly, Linnaeus Landrum sent over 500 chamber pots, and over 500 jars to the Medical Purveyor’s office in January 1864. He received a little over $1897.00 in payment.

The photo, below, illustrates the items that were to be purchased using the “Hospital Fund” according to the Regulations for the Medical Department of the C.S. Army, published in 1862. The “Hospital Fund” was money SAVED by feeding sick and wounded men less than those in active duty. The fund was described as being used to buy “luxuries”. It seems chamber pots, for thousands of men with dysentery and septicema, were indeed considered a luxury.

Coincidentally, Dr. Chisolm also received approval by the House of Representatives in December 1863 to increase the volume of “spirituous liquors” produced for medical purposes. A Mr. Berg appears to have supplied bricks for said distillery, and one may infer that the Landrum Family supplied at least a portion of the jugs.

I do acknowledge that between one third and one half of the city of Columbia was destroyed by fire on February 17th, 1865. Consequently, documents COULD have been destroyed related to the endeavors of Thomas J. Davis, as well as other potters within the Edgefield District such as John W. Seigler and Lewis J. Miles who, surprisingly, are also not located with the Confederate Citizen files.

As usual, these discoveries raise more questions than they supply answers. Perhaps the documented activity of the Landrum family during the war years, in conjunction with extant vessels will help further the accuracy of attributions and enhance education.

For example, this face cup has been directly attributed to the Thomas J. Davies pottery site by also attributing this particular chamber pot or clabber bowl to the same pottery at a recent exhibit at the South Carolina State Museum. The guest curator of this exhibit was noted by the South Carolina State Newspaper as Mr. Philip Wingard, a southern stoneware dealer.

Face Cup. Photograph courtesy of Rob Hunter

Clabber Bowl or Chamber Pot at the SC State Museum Exhibit

The conundrum arises when the chamber pot or clabber bowl (pictured above) is compared to this particular extant vessel (pictured below), albeit with a pouring spout. This clabber or batter bowl appears to be made by a similar hand, of similar materials, and is serendipitously stamped with Landrum cross. This particular makers’ mark has been found at both the Benjamin Franklin Landrum site in present day Aiken County, as well as the Landrum Stork site in present day Richland county.