South Carolina – Just North of Southern

The Acacia Collection’s Edgefield Face Vessel:

An Edgefield face vessel sold last fall at Slotin Folk Art Auction in Gainesville, Georgia. Unlike many similar objects that appear at auction, this piece appears to have a potentially valuable provenance. Mr. Derrick Beard, a collector of African-American Decorative Arts, purchased the face vessel, along with a Thomas Day secretary. Mr. Beard was featured in this article in Antiques and The Arts Weekly immediately following the close of the sale.

Figure 1: Face vessel 6 3/4″ H, photograph courtesy of Slotin Folk Art Auction

The lot description was as follows: Slave-Made Edgefield Face Vessel. c. 1860’s. Alkaline glazed stoneware, African American kaolin eyes and teeth. Produced by slave potters in Edgefield District, S.C. 6.75″ h. Professionally repaired handle and rim, otherwise excellent condition. Provenance: H. Paul Blatner, Savannah, GA, The Acacia Collection and The Old Slave Mart Museum. Exhibited Winston-Salem State University, 1995-1996. Featured in AMERICAN VISIONS – AUG. 1990, TIME LIFE Books African American

Voices of Triumph: Creative Fire 1994, Vol. 3, Page 197, WORLD 1994.

Further provenance provided on an information sheet titled “Acacia Historical Arts International Collection” reads: Face vessels or grotesque jugs as they are sometimes called have been mystery items of American pottery. Although they have an African origin, they are produced by white Americans as well. However, this Edgefield, SC piece is undoubtedly of African American origin. See AMERICAN VISIONS mag. 1990. The uniqueness of this face vessel lies in the fact that it is to date the only face vessel that has been linked with a practitioner [sic] voodoo. In this case, a Savannah black lady who told Mr. Blatner at the time of sale, “It is powerful.”Mrs. Mamie DeVeaux and her family were from Coosawhatchie, S.C. where such practices were common place [sic]. Mr. Blater, a trained museum curator, retains documentary evidence of this practice by Mrs. DeVeaux who earned a very good living advising and counselling [sic] clientele in the city Savannah. Mr. Blatner originally purchased this face vessel for his own personal collection. He guarantees it to be of 19^thcentury vintage and not a 20^thcentury copy. This item is similar to Plate VII in THE AFRO AMERICAN TRADITION IN DECORATIVE ARTS by John Michael Vlach,1978.

Howard Paul Blatner was a well-known scholar, collector, historian and antiquarian; as well as a Savannah native. He was active in many historic venues, a passionate bottle collector, co-founder of the Great Savannah Exhibition (now the Savannah History Museum), and the museum’s first curator. Sadly, Mr. Blatner passed away in 2015.

The Acacia Collection of African Americana was formally organized in 1989, although Mr. Greene had been collecting objects during the year’s prior. A short biography of Mr. Greene per Emory University reads: Carroll Theodore Greene, Jr. was born on June 17, 1931. Greene lectured, curated many exhibits, and published widely on the work of Africa American artists. In 1967, he co-curated “The Evolution of Afro-American Artists: 1800-1959” with Romare Bearden at the College of the City

University of New York. In 1968, he began a fellowship in Museum Studies at the Smithsonian Institute, where he played a role in adding to the museum’s collection of African American artifacts. He published American Visions, Afro-American Art-1986 in 1987. He was a founding member, curator, and executive director of the Acacia Collection of African Americana, which he formed in 1989. Greene died at his home in Savannah on May 30, 2007.

Traditionally in the literature this type of face vessel has been attributed to the Miles Mill or Sunnybrook pottery located on the present day Edgefield and Aiken county line based on the unique, flat top spout. While the spout and handle on the Slotin piece has been restored, it appears to be modeled after Plate VII in Vlach’s book mentioned above. Another very similar example from the Marcus Benjamin Collection can be found here at The National Museum of American History. Dr. Benjamin wrote extensively about ceramics beginning in the 1890s and was thanked for his “valuable assistance and advice” in the preface to The Pottery and Porcelain of the United States by Dr. Edwin Altee Barber, 1893.

The Edgefield District of South Carolina was located in the southwestern portion of the state. The Landrum family began producing stoneware in the area about 1810, and this practice continued at multiple locales into the 20^thcentury. On 6 November 1867, Lewis J. Miles announced that he would be moving all of his business operations, including his stoneware manufactory, to Miles Mill. Prior to this announcement, Miles had worked with his father in law, Reverend John Landrum, in the early 1840s, and later established his own pottery known as the Stony Bluff Manufactory around 1848. Miles move strategically placed his ventures within close vicinity of the railroad, and a specific, scheduled stop at Miles Mill. In Leonard Todd’s Carolina Clay he confirmed that Miles died not long after his move to Miles Mill. He also confirmed that the Stony Bluff Manufactory was leased to freedmen. John L. Miles, son of L.J. Miles, appears to have been manufacturing stoneware at Miles Mill from the time of his father’s death through at least 1880. Based on proximity among the 1870 U.S. Census, potters at Miles Mill may have included David Drake, Mark Jones, Brister Jones, Thomas Jones and Phillip Miles. Likewise, in 1880, potters at Miles Mill may have included William F. Hahn, Mark Jones, Jack Thurman, and Archie Thurman. Joseph G. Baynham may have started manufacturing stoneware prior to 1880 as well, although he was not found among the industrial schedules recorded for the year beginning 1 June 1879 and ending 31 May1880.

Figure 2: 1871 Isaac Boles Map detail of Miles Mill pottery site.

Figure 3: Single handle jug attributed to Miles Mill pottery. Photograph courtesy of Ivy Auctions.

Figure 4: Face vessel attributed to Miles Mill pottery. Photograph courtesy of Crocker Farm.

Figure 5: Face jar, collection of the Augusta Museum of History.

What about Mrs. Mamie DeVeaux? How did she gain possession of the piece? If Mr. Greene formally organized the Acacia Collection in 1989, Mr. Blatner most likely purchased the piece pre-emptive to the Acacia as it was part of his personal collection.

Who am I looking for in the documentary record? An African American woman, married at some point, described as “old” (subjectively born about 1900 +/- 15 years) at the time she sold the face vessel, which was likely prior to 1989; and who was originally from the Coosawhatchie area, and might have later lived in Savannah, Georgia. (All within the lifetime of Mr. Blatner who was born 1957).

Coosawhatchie, South Carolina remains an unincorpated community in Jasper County at the head of the Broad River. Prior to 1912, Jasper County was part of Beaufort County, and in 1880, Hampton County encompassed a portion of Beufort County. In the 19^thand early 20^thcentury, the nearest major town was Ridgeland and other surrounding communities included Gillionsville, Pocotilago, and Sheldon. At the time the 1870 U.S. Census was recorded, individuals living in Coosawhatchie, Pocataligo, and the vicinity would have most likely been enumerated at Gardens Corner, near Sheldon. In 1870, one family by the surname Deveaux and its derivations was found. By 1880, there were eighty-three individuals with the Deveaux surname in Beaufort County, and an additional fifteen in neighboring Hampton County. (SeeMap)

Figure 6: Colton’s Map of North and South Carolina, 1886. Courtesy of David Rumsey Collection

Figure 7: Inset of Colton’s 1886 map identifying Coosawhatichie and Sheldon as well as the proximity of Savannah, Georgia.

By 1920, there were four individuals named Mamie Deveaux living in either Beaufort or Jasper County, South Carolina. Mamie Devoe (b. 1920) was living in St. Helena with her grandparents. Mamie Deveaux (b. 1906) was living near Sheldon with her parents, James and Hattie. Mamie Deveaux (b. 1892) was living near Coosawhatchie with her husband Benjamin (b. 1885), Earl W. (b. 1920) and Reius (b.1845). There was also a Mamie Devaux (b. 1879) living with her husband, John, in Savannah,Georgia.

By 1930, Mamie Devoe (b. 1919) continued living with her grandparents. Mamie Deveaux (b. 1906), daughter of James and Hattie, was not present in Jasper or the surrounding counties, nor was she present in Chatham County, Georgia. Mamie Deveaux (b. 1910) was living with her father, Kit Wade near Pocatilago. The household following Kit’s contained Ben Deveaux (b.1888), his son Earle (b. 1920) and daughter Irdell [Thelma] (b. 1923). Mamie’s birth year, in this case appears to have been on error on either the census taker, or reporting individual (neither of which were uncommon) since it would have been highly improbable that she was married and gave birth to Earl at age 10.

Mamie’s father, Kitt Wade was born about 1855 and was identified as a “doctor” on two of his three death certificates as well as a grave marker place at the Moncepoe Cemetery by his daughter Ardell W. Bass. The Moncepoe or Mont Repose cemetery, and its history is an article unto itself. Since formal training was unlikely, one may infer that he may have practiced a craft that was passed down to him from his elders, and from him to his children. In 1938, Mamie Wade Deveaux’s father died. As the informant on one of his death certificate, she signed “Mamie Wade.” In turn, Ben Deveaux was living alone in Coosawhatchie at the time the 1940

U.S. Census was recorded. Meanwhile, Mamie and her children were living in Savannah no later than 1940. Although Mamie married for a second time, she appears to have used the Deveaux surname periodically after her second husband passed away. Mamie made a living in Savannah by working as a fortuneteller for the majority of her life. This included writing spells and recipes, reading a crystal ball, tarot cards, et cetera.

Figure 8: The Fortune Teller by Harry Rosland.

This compilation of evidence in combination with Mr. Blatner’s accession statement and documentary evidence strongly suggests that Mamie Wade Deveaux was in possession of the face vessel that now belongs to Mr. Beard. On a personal note, I look forward to further exploring the genealogy and material culture related to this family and region of South Carolina.

References Available Upon Request.

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Miss Myrtle Bowen

Philip and I acquired this painting in 2013, and it was one of the first “fine art” pieces that joined our collection. At the time we thought the painter was “talented,” and we were motivated to acquire it since the child depicted in the work was identified as being from Clinton, South Carolina (Philip’s hometown). Last weekend we entertained several friends, and this particular painting came up in more than one conversation, which re-kindled my interest. The auction catalog description read as follows: “Late 19th century. Note: Signed on verso “Miss Myrtle Bowen died March 25, 1897 age 5 years 3 months, painted by John (illegible) from photo 1898.”

Miss Myrtle Ellen Bowen was born 4th September 1886, presumably in South Carolina, and died 25th March 1897. She appears to have lived most of her young life at Thornwell Orphanage, now known as Thornwell Home for Children, located in Clinton, South Carolina.

The Thornwell Orphanage was founded in October 1875, by Dr. William P. Jacobs for ten boys described as fatherless casualties of the Civil War. Later, Dr. Jacobs also went on to found Clinton, now Presbyterian, College, among other institutions.

Dr. Jacobs actually made mention of Myrtle in his writings, which were later published by his son, Thornwell Jacobs. In a musing about the Thornwell cemetery plot and loss of loved ones, Jacobs said: “The angel of death came even more quickly for others; there was little Myrtle Bowen running from school on a cold winter’s day to a fire that was gone out, and from a coal on the hearth her dress was set in a blaze, and we laid her poor burned body here in this little grave.”

Excerpt from William Plumer Jacbos: Literary and Biographical, 1942

Bowen’s small tombstone, standing in the Thornwell plot at the Clinton cemetery reads: “Though sorry may endure for a night, yet joy cometh in the morning.”

After reading about such a heartbreaking and tragic event, I wanted to learn more about Myrtle. First, I consulted the painting itself. On the front surface, a young girl with light brown hair, blue eyes and a solemn expression stares back at me. Her hair is cut short and parted to one side. On the back, or verso surface of the canvas, there are two different inscriptions.

The first inscription in black ink reads:

Miss Myrtle Bowen,

died March 25, 1897.

aged 5 years 3 months

Painted by John Stolle from Photo.

1898.

A later inscription, written in blue ink reads:

age time of

Deth [sic]

10 years 6 mon.

Therefore, Myrtle Bowen was five years old in the photograph used by the artist to create the work, but simple math shows that she died at age ten.

A search of the online material from the Jackson-Arnold Archives at Presbyterian College yielded many pre-1900 photographs. One, in particular, caught my attention. It identified Dr. Jacobs, Mrs. Liddell, Miss Sallie Liddell, Miss Letha McCants and group of Faith Cottage girls at Thornwell Orphange. The type of photograph and dimensions are not noted within the description, but I will assume that it is either a cart de visite or cabinet card.

Faith Cottage Girls with Dr. Jacobs, Mrs. Liddell, Miss Sallie Liddell and Letha McCants. Photograph courtesy of Presbyterian College.

The back row (from left to right): Dr. Jacobs, Mrs. Liddell, Miss Sallie Liddell and Letha McCants. Dr. Jacobs was born in 1841, and appears to be in his 50s. Letha McCants was born about 1870, and does appear to be at least twenty years old. Mrs. Liddell’s attire, in particular the collar, appears to date to the late 1880s. Miss McCants tight straight collar, tailored bodice and narrow profile skirt are more consistent with early 1890s clothing trends. Also, generally speaking, based on the long sleeves, tights and boots, the photograph was not taken during the summer months in Laurens County, South Carolina. Therefore, based on the clothing styles and estimated ages of known individuals, this photograph was most likely taken circa 1895. The children pictured appear to have been between the ages of four and twelve years old. (Note the children were standing on the bottom step of the cottage, and the camera positioning and lens distortion made them appear more tall and wide)

A closer examination of the children draws my attention immediately to this young girl. She appears to have been between eight and ten years old, has light hair and eyes, and a similar hairstyle to Myrtle Bowen shown in the painting. Although I’m not completely certain of this young girl’s identity, the resemblance is uncanny, implying that this photograph could have been taken shortly before her tragic and painful death.

A former resident of Thornwell Home for Children informed me that he distinctly remembers being told the story of a young girl who had caught her dress on fire in the Faith Cottage while attempting to dry her hair, and died from her injuries.

And, since there are always more questions than answers:

Who is John Stolle and how did he end up painting a portrait of Myrtle Bowen after her death?

John [Johann] Stolle (1836-1909) was a Dresden born artist who immigrated to the United States no earlier than 1870.

The New York Times announced his arrival on 26th November 1883, which can be further confirmed by his presence on the ship’s passenger manifest. It has been suggested that Stolle was recruited to paint in the city of Charleston, which may have been done by former city mayor William Ashmead Courtenay who was a patron of both historical preservation as well as the arts. Stolle later enumerated in the 1900 U.S. census that he immigrated in 1870, and a painting of Colonel Daniel Heyward (in the manner of Jeremiah Theus) hangs in the Heyward Washington House of a similar date. Therefore, this passenger manifest may simply illustrate Stolle’s travels back to Europe.

Prof. John Stolle of Dresden arrives in New York. *New York Times*, 26 Nov 1883

John Stolle, age 40, Passenger Manifest for the steamship Fulda, 27 Nov 1883.

It is not clear whether Stolle immediately settled in Charleston, but even if he was living elsewhere, he had completed multiple commissioned paintings for South Carolinians by the early 1880s. In 1884, the Atlanta Constitution announced that Stolle was going to “Paint Columbia.”

“The City to be Painted,” Atlanta Constitution, 10 Nov 1884.

Interestingly, Stolle’s paintings were often from a photograph, or copies of original works including those of Charles Wilson Peale, Rembrandt Peale, Thomas Sully, Jeremiah Theus, and John Trumbull. The same year he painted a Columbia cityscape, he also painted a portrait of General Thomas Sumter in the manner of Rembrandt Peale, which is in the collection of the Columbia Museum of Art as well as a portrait of General Francis Marion on exhibit in the City of Charleston.

General Thomas Sumter painted by John Stolle in the manner of Rembrandt Peale, 1884
Collection of the Columbia Museum of Art. Photograph courtesy of CMA.

John Stolle first appeared in the Charleston City Directory in 1892 with a studio in the Mills House. In 1900, he was identified as an artist in the census.

1892 Charleston, South Carolina City Directory.

1900 U.S. census, South Carolina, Charleston County, Charleston Ward 3, Broad Street. John Stolle, age 64, born in Germany, occupation: artist.

In May 1891, while visiting from England, Theodore Drayton Grimke-Drayton wrote in his diary that on the suggestion of Dr. and Mrs. Pickens he met with German artist, John Stolle, at his studio and arranged for him to copy four works in the genre of oil paintings. He also encouraged Stolle to visit England and complete more work for him there. Grimke-Drayton described Stolle as “a good artist & cheap.” Then, Augustus Sachtleben, a Charleston professor, wrote to Theodore Drayton Grimke-Drayton, Esquire on 5th July 1891 from Flat Rock, North Carolina:

“ Mr. Charles Drayton’s pedigree was copied very handsomely by Mr. Bergmann and delivered to me on the day he had promised to finish it. Before I left [Charleston], I handed it to Mr. Hastie and advised him to have it packed into the box, in which the paintings of Mr. Stolle are to be sent to you. Mr. Stolle had on the first of July finished, besides Gov. Glen’s portrait, which you saw before you left, the square portrait of Mrs. Baker, which we all think an excellent likeness, and the oval portrait of the Rev. John G. Drayton. The latter is very finely executed and alltogether [sic] like the medallion miniature from which it was copied; all who saw it at my house, where it was for a day or two for examination, were very much pleased with the execution. When Emma [Grimke] went to Mr. Charles Drayton at Drayton Hall about the picture at Drayton Hall which Mr. Stolle was to copy for you, Mr. Drayton said the picture was so dilapidated that he did not no [sic] how it could be transported to Charleston; that Mr. Stolle was quite welcome to go up to Drayton Hall to copy it, but that, owing to the climate, this could hardly be done before the fall of next year. I told this to Mr. Stolle and we concluded that the painting of the Shoolbred picture would have to be put off until November. There remain therefore for the present only the two oval pictures of Dictator Rutledge and Mr. Drayton of which Mr. Charles Drayton has supplied the miniature, and the 25 dollar [sic] picture of Mrs. Motte. I advised Mr. Hastie when the paintings are done, to let Mr. Hickey, the picture-frame-man [sic] know, pack them in a box and, as I said before, to add the pedigree. Mr. Hastie will be informed by Mr. Stolle when the latter has finished one of these pictures which are still to be done and Mr. Hastie may then get someone, either Gen. Seigling or Prof. Manigault to examine them, but I think this hardly necessary, for I know Mr. Stolle to be very conscientious, besides he has the prospect of going to England for more work before his eyes.”

Professor Manigault was likely Dr. Gabriel E. Manigault who was a comparative anatomist and director of The Charleston Museum from 1873-1899. Stolle painted a depiction of Manigault in 1894, which is also in the collection of The Charleston Museum. Emma [Grimke] mentioned in the letter was likely the daughter of Augustus Sachtleben who married Reverend John Grimke-Drayton, probable brother of Theodore Drayton Grimke-Drayton. Sachtleben mentioned in the letter that Grimke-Drayton’s brother was scheduled to preach in Flat Rock that summer. Augustus Sachtleben, a Charlestonian was summering in the North Carolina Mountains at a home belonging to Grimke-Drayton. The diary entries and letter pertaining to Stolle can be found in the Grimke Family Papers. John Stolle as an artist or pertaining to painting copies of photographs or portraits can also be found in the correspondence of John D. Cappleman, Rudolph Siengling and James Simons.

Stolle painted commissioned pieces for Charleston City Hall, the Charleston Library Society and the St. Andrew’s Society of Charleston. His works included portraits of John Rutledge (after John Trumbull), Andrew Pickens (after Thomas Sully), General Thomas Sumter (after Rembrandt Peale), Colonel James Kinlock (after Jeremiah Theus), and General William Moultrie (after Charles Wilson Peale) to simply name a few.

He died 26th December 1909 of valvular heart disease.

Death Certificate, City of Charleston, John Stolle.

The portrait of a young orphan girl appears to have been both a departure and dichotomy compared to John [Johann] Stolle’s usual clientele. It remains unclear how Stolle came to paint a portrait of five year old Myrtle Bowen after her death. Perhaps, Dr. William P. Jacobs commissioned the piece following a poignant incident which surely affected Thornwell Orphanage in entirety.

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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.

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