From 1899 to About 1920 � Hawthorn Pottery Operations
By Tom Andrews, Jr.
L-V Publisher
Many small industries have flourished in Redbank Valley USA during the past century and the observance of the Bicentennial Year revives memories of some that have vanished from the scene. One of these plants was located in nearby Hawthorn Borough � the Hawthorn Pottery Company. Remains of the plan building still can be seen on the south side of the Conrail tracks.
Products of the pottery operation are today regarded as collectors� items. At least one area resident, I am told, has an outstanding collection of wared produced in Hawthorn � Albert Dean of New Bethlehem RD #3.
Hawthorn is in the central section of Northwestern Pennsylvania, between Brookville and New Bethlehem on Route 28. Interestingly, the borough is spelled �Hawthorne� after the English style, but the U.S. Post Office is labeled �Hawthorn�.
Between 1899 and about 1920, the Hawthorn Pottery Company operated there, and the various articles made by the firm are to be found today in area homes and barns as well as in antique shops.
The history of the Hawthorn Pottery Company begins in early 1894 when W. T. Putney and E. A. Hamilton purchased the land, buildings, and pottery-making machinery from George W. Arblaster, a well-known New Bethlehme potter, who had bought the land and buildings two years earlier from the Wolf Spring Company and, apparently, started a pottery business.
The New Bethlehem Vindicator reported this transaction in a dispatch quoted by one of the leading trade journals of the time � Crockery and Glass Journal:
�An important business transaction took place last week by which W.T. Putney, of Allegheny and E.A. Hamilton, our present postmaster, got possession of what is styled the �Old Spring Factory� at West Millville (former name of Hawthorn). They bought the entire plant from G. W. Arblaster, who had bought from the Spring Factory creditors and fitted it up for pottery. The consideration was $3,500.�
�The new firm will be known as Putney & Hamilton. They are to get possession of the pottery on March 1, 1894. At that time they will start up and commence to manufacture pottery-ware. It is their intention to push the business for all it is worth, which will require them to build an extra kiln and to add considerable machinery and other equipment to the plant. This they will do as rapidly as their trade will permit�.
Exactly what happened during the next few years is not entirely clear, but the Hawthorn Pottery Company was incorporated in December 1899, with E. A. Hamilton a principal shareholder and president of the firm. An agreement was reached for the mining of �potters clay� from the Red Bank Creek for a royalty of 20 cents per long ton (2,240 pounds). More land and a railroad siding were added. In 1909, the Hawthorn Pottery Company had offices in the Bissell Block in Pittsburgh, the nerve center of the glass and crockery trade.
During the early 1920�s the plant passed into the control of the American Clay Products Company of Zanesville, Ohio, a holding or �selling� corporation formed in 1919, probably to control prices and assure the continuance of firms having financial difficulties. In 1928 the land, including buildings, machinery, and kilns were sold and the pottery was no more. Most of its production must have been between about 1903 and 1921. Despite long searches through the trade journals � Crockery and Glass Journal, China, Glass and Lamps, Housefurnisher, Glass and Pottery World, and Pottery Gazette � no advertisements for the Hawthorn Pottery Company�s products have been found.
Without doubt, the factory made jugs and crocks as its main products. Jugs are found in sizes from one-half gallon to five gallons, and crocks range from one to 15 gallons, though larger ones were probably made as well. These items are uniformly grey in color, the hue of the clay taken from the nearby Red Bank Creek. Items marked with a capacity number in gallons usually have �arrowheads� on each side of the number. Insofar as is known, this seems to be a distinctive Hawthorn Pottery Company mark. In addition to the number and arrowheads, many items have stenciled upon them either �H.P. Co. Hawthorn, Pa.� or Hawthorn Pottery Company, Hawthorn, Pa.�. All marks are medium blue, which contrasts nicely with the grey clay. A few items, generally the larger crocks or jugs may have some added d�cor in the form or stars of teardrops.
Although crocks and jugs were the mainstay of the plant, some other striking and distinctive items were made. The pint-sized :Kola-Mint� jug was probably a specialty item. Other desirable items are the water cooler, the umbrellas stand, and the large pitchers. The reclining lions are very attractive and exceptionally scarce; the well-detailed male lion on base is marked �H.P. CO� on the underside. One collector has two little animals, a monkey and a turtle, probably made by workers in idle moments for their own amusement.
Collector interest in Hawthorn pottery is, as one would expect, strongest in Central Northwestern Pennsylvania. The jugs and crocks with �H. P. Co.� or �Hawthorn Pottery Co.� marks will bring upwards of $10, and a really fine example like a five-gallon jub would bring $40 - $50. A reclining lion would probably command $100 at a well-advertised sale. Unmarked items and those with arrowheads and numbers only are reasonably priced, as crocks can be had for $3 to $8 generally.
Collectors and dealers in adjacent states would be on the lookout for Hawthorn pottery, and collectors nationwide should make note of the Hawthorn Pottery Company�s place in the history of American pottery.
It is interesting to not that the plant building photos were given to Mr. Measell by the late Mrs. John Myers, who for many years was Hawthorn correspondent for the Leader-Vindicator.
NOTE: this above article was accompanied by a photo, under which was the following caption: �The Hawthorn Pottery Company at one time was one of Redbank Valley�s leading small industries. The above photos showing rear of the factory building originally was made available by the late Mrs. John Myers. The plant�s kilns were located at the front side of the large building. Remains fo the structure still can be seen on the south side of the Conrail railroad tracks�.