Amos Landrum was born circa 1780 to Dr. Samuel B. and Mary Sellers Landrum. His siblings included John, George, Reuben, Abner, Adam (Isham), and Martha. He enumerates in the 1850 Census as having been born in 1779. In 1838, he marries Elizabeth Hatcher although he already has a daughter through a previous relationship, Eliza, who was born circa 1819. In 1839, Eliza marries Collin Rhodes. Amos Landrum dies at the age of 82 in 1862.
A pottery site loosely attributed to Amos was discovered on Shaw’s Creek in 1987 and is identified as 38AK387. The sherds at the site are described as being similar to those found at Pottersville, as well as with marks that have also been found at the site belonging to the Reverend John Landrum.
Traditionally, discussion regarding the manufacturing of stoneware in the Edgefield District of South Carolina focuses primarily on, brothers, Reverend John and Abner Landrum. What about their sibling Amos? How exactly he involved in stoneware production in the Edgefield District?
Two schools of thought seem to exist. First, there is a body of collectors and researchers that have assumed that Amos was, indeed, a potter. A mark resembling a serif, impressed “L” has been found in both archaeology, and on extant vessels attributed to the Collin Rhodes/Phoenix Factory site located on Shaw’s Creek. The impression has even been identified as Amos Landrum’s maker’s mark. An impressed “M” of the same size and type has also been found at Shaw’s Creek and attributed to Robert W. Mathis.
The second body of collectors and researchers feel that Amos was likely an investor in the production of stoneware based on his social stature within the community and gross lack of evidence that he was, indeed, a potter in the U.S. Census, Wills, probate and equity documents. If the “L” impressed mark is related to Amos, perhaps it was a mark used to track the efficiency of his leased labor force, or the vessels that would be sold to re-coup a possible investment in the since Collin Rhodes was his son-in-law?
The Phoenix Factory pottery advertised its opening in the local newspapers during the spring of 1840. The principal owners were Collin Rhodes and Robert W. Mathis. Based on circumstantial documents related to both Rhodes and Amos Landrum, it appears that Thomas M. Chandler was likely in the Shaw’s Creek area as early as spring of 1839. By combining documents such as the 1840 U.S. Census, Edgefield District deeds and equity, as well as local newspaper publications, it may be inferred the Chandler was likely one of the master potters at the Phoenix Factory pottery.
The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina has a double handled jug with a dual colored swag decoration at the shoulder as part of their permanent collection. Just above the swag on one side of the vessel is the stamp “PHOENIX FACTORY ED:SC” and on the opposing shoulder is an inverted, impressed, serif capital “L”. This impressed letter is grossly similar, if not identical to the “L” found on numerous vessels that have been attributed to Amos Landrum.
In 1840, Amos Landrum was 60 years old, newly married and living with his mother-in-law on the John Hatcher, Sr. estate. Does his age and locale make him more likely or less likely to be a potter?
It can be noted that by middle age, Amos had amassed large land holdings in the area. During the first decade of the 19th century, he and brother John Landrum purchased at least two large parcels on which this site may reside. By the mid 1830’s, Amos Landrum owned almost 5000 acres with nearly half of that being indexed near Shaw’s Creek within the Edgefield District of South Carolina.
He also inherited land holdings when he married Elizabeth Hatcher, daughter of John and Christiana Hatcher.
To date, I am unaware of any unique maker’s mark or signed extant vessels attributed to this particular site. Therefore, I don’t think there is a question as to whether or not Amos owned the property, rather who created the wares.
Perhaps exploring the Edgefield District Slave Sales reference material may reveal inferable material as to whether Amos was a potter, or merely invested in potters and/or potteries. In the Edgefield District Slave Sale records, a man named Brister denoted as a “turner”, his wife and two children were sold to Reuben Drake and Jasper Gibbs after Amos Landrum’s death in 1862. Was the term “turner, referring to a potter? Was this family taken by Drake and Gibbs to Bienville Parish in Louisiana, or did they remain in the Edgefield District? It is worthy to note that Amos Landrum, although a slave owner, has no (recorded) sale entries in the index until his death. The majority of the individuals listed were inherited through either the Hatcher, or Landrum families. Personally, I feel this implies that he relied on the leasing of labor.
Questions to Explore Further:
Why was this pottery site abandoned?
Was it in production earlier than the site(s) that we usually refer to as “Shaw’s Creek Pottery” or “The Rhodes Pottery”?
Who were the potters? Was it slave labor, itinerant potters or both?
Where was the property that Amos Landrum and Harvey Drake sold to Enoch Phelps in 1821 (60 of nearly 800 acres) with respect to the site attributed to Amos?
What other property(s) were sold by Amos prior to the year 1838?
*General reference material available upon request.
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