The Vickers Family of Pennsylvania: Abolitionists, Farmers and Quaker Potters
A Short Examination Into a Unique American Ceramics Story – By Carla Herkner
Thomas Vickers (1757-1829) and his son, John (1780-1860), were Quaker potters, farmers, abolitionists and agents on the Underground Railroad, both known for their anti-slavery activism, helping to rescue many people from slavery during their lifetime, as well as being members of the Uwchlan Anti-Slavery Society. Slaves were often concealed in the hay among the pottery in the Vickers’ wagons, along with other places on their property in Chester County, Pa.
In fact, Thomas was one of the original members of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, formed in Philadelphia in 1777, with Benjamin Franklin as its first president. The entire Vickers family were active members of the Uwchlan Meeting House.
Thomas Vickers established a pottery near Downingtown, PA, in the 1790s. In 1796, the tax lists for East Caln Township mention one frame pot house for Thomas Vickers’ farm. There were several deposits of clay near the pottery. He also purchased clay from neighbors for $0.50 to $1.00/load. According to the book, “Marks of American Potters,” published in 1904 by Edwin Atlee Barber (18511916), “One of Thomas Vickers day books, extending over a period from this date until 1813, has been preserved, and from the entries we learn that he produced at various times red earthenware, sgraffito ware, black glazed pottery, domestic queensware and green enameled ware. Among the articles enumerated are pie plates, milk pots, basins, jugs, pitchers, bowls, mugs, cups, coffee and tea pots, sugar bowls, cream cups, salt cups, bouquets, cake molds, candle sticks, salt sellers, mantel and toy figures, chimney ornaments, bread baskets, chimney stands, inkstands, dishes, plates and tobacco pipes, both glazed and unglazed. There are numerous entries of green enameled ware, such as pint, quart and three-pint pitchers, sugar bowls, etc.
In the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is a large jar attributed to Thomas Vickers with incised decorations, a wreath on one side enclosing the words “Apple Butter,” and on the other the name of the recipient, Edith Harlan, and the year, 1807. The entire surface is covered with a mottled, apple green enamel. Other examples in the museum’s collection from this pottery include a sgraffito decorated flowerpot, inscribed, 1826, Leah Phipps, Harmony Hall, as well as a spherical jar with variegated glaze, inscribed with the year, 1822, and the name, Abigail Stromberg.
The PMA also owns plate molds, various storage jars, a pitcher and some slipware plates from his family business. Wares made by the Vickers can also be found in the New York Historical Society in Manhattan, Winterthur Museum and Gardens, the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and West Chester University’s Anthropology and Sociology Department.
When Thomas Vickers’s son joined the family pottery business it became known as Thomas Vickers and Son Pottery. John was in partnership with his father until he started a new pottery, John Vickers and Son Pottery, first in West Whiteland and then after a move to Lionville, Uwchlan Township, PA. Thomas left his pottery in 1823 and assisted his son in Lionville until his death. It was also in 1823 that John Vickers Bought “5 acres and 66 perches” for $800. His homestead, which is now a restaurant on Gordon Drive, off Route 100 in Lionville (near Exton), was a heavily used Underground Railroad station. Vickers hid slaves in the kiln and in piles of fresh-cut cordwood. After the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law made Underground Railroad work more dangerous, Vickers sent runaways to a black couple who rented a house in the woods from him on his property.
The John Vickers and Son Pottery continued operating under the Vickers name until the second half of the 19th century. It then remained open in other hands until closing, possibly as late as the 1880s. Pieces of pottery have been found bearing the incised initials “T.V.” as well as “J.V.,” the latter on some of the noted pottery pie-plate molds and a platter mold in the PMA, accompanied by dates ranging from 1806-31.
Another notable object attributed to Thomas Vickers recently sold in Crocker Farm’s Spring 2022 sale in the form of a green glazed red earthenware vase, inscribe, “Ann Miller / Born A.D. 1796.” This may be the earliest datable object known from Thomas Vickers today, having been inscribed with the same year that he is thought to have established his business. Some of the decorative sgraffito on this vase is very similar to that found on the green glazed jar owned by the PMA, along with a bowl owned by Winterthur, inscribed, “Rachel Heston,” and the year, “1806.”
Interestingly, there is some red earthenware that survives from the Vickers Family Pottery today, which is inscribed on the base with a number that in some cases makes it appear like it was made in the 1700s or 1800s. This number may not have anything to do with a year of manufacture and instead is perhaps related to pottery production or even bears another meaning, seeing that some of the numbers are earlier than the Vickers Pottery is documented as having been established, as well as other known jars that are inscribed with numbers in the high hundreds and random numbers that are over a thousand. Nevertheless, if some of these inscriptions do represent a date, then it is possible that some pieces may need to be looked at again.
However, in the collection of West Chester University are three objects attributed to John Vickers: a large double handled bowl and two dishes or saucers. The manufacture of these objects is different than a lot of the other types of wares attributed to the Vickers family today, with these pieces being more refined table wares instead of the traditional utilitarian shapes.
Furthermore, the Quaker cultural contribution to America in the 18th and 19th century is largely found in religion and family, but there was also a strong sense of accomplishment in the decorative arts produced by Quakers all over America, especially in the Northeast. They were also heavily involved with the political and social landscape in and around Philadelphia during this period. The Vickers family is notable today because of their early involvement in the abolition of slavery and the Underground Railroad. There is a lifetime of stories that can be told about every single potter working in America in the 1700s and 1800s, but the fact that the Vickers family was not only extremely accomplished with the red earthenware they produced but also took an adamant stance against the act of slavery in America makes their story important and one that should always be remembered.
Sources: James, Arthur E., “The Potters and Potteries of Chester Count, Pennsylvania” Chester County Historical Society, 1945. Barber Edwin Atlee. “Marks of American Potters.” Philadelphia: Patterson & White Company, 1904.
In fact, Thomas was one of the original members of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, formed in Philadelphia in 1777, with Benjamin Franklin as its first president. The entire Vickers family were active members of the Uwchlan Meeting House.
Thomas Vickers established a pottery near Downingtown, PA, in the 1790s. In 1796, the tax lists for East Caln Township mention one frame pot house for Thomas Vickers’ farm. There were several deposits of clay near the pottery. He also purchased clay from neighbors for $0.50 to $1.00/load. According to the book, “Marks of American Potters,” published in 1904 by Edwin Atlee Barber (18511916), “One of Thomas Vickers day books, extending over a period from this date until 1813, has been preserved, and from the entries we learn that he produced at various times red earthenware, sgraffito ware, black glazed pottery, domestic queensware and green enameled ware. Among the articles enumerated are pie plates, milk pots, basins, jugs, pitchers, bowls, mugs, cups, coffee and tea pots, sugar bowls, cream cups, salt cups, bouquets, cake molds, candle sticks, salt sellers, mantel and toy figures, chimney ornaments, bread baskets, chimney stands, inkstands, dishes, plates and tobacco pipes, both glazed and unglazed. There are numerous entries of green enameled ware, such as pint, quart and three-pint pitchers, sugar bowls, etc.
In the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is a large jar attributed to Thomas Vickers with incised decorations, a wreath on one side enclosing the words “Apple Butter,” and on the other the name of the recipient, Edith Harlan, and the year, 1807. The entire surface is covered with a mottled, apple green enamel. Other examples in the museum’s collection from this pottery include a sgraffito decorated flowerpot, inscribed, 1826, Leah Phipps, Harmony Hall, as well as a spherical jar with variegated glaze, inscribed with the year, 1822, and the name, Abigail Stromberg.
The PMA also owns plate molds, various storage jars, a pitcher and some slipware plates from his family business. Wares made by the Vickers can also be found in the New York Historical Society in Manhattan, Winterthur Museum and Gardens, the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and West Chester University’s Anthropology and Sociology Department.
When Thomas Vickers’s son joined the family pottery business it became known as Thomas Vickers and Son Pottery. John was in partnership with his father until he started a new pottery, John Vickers and Son Pottery, first in West Whiteland and then after a move to Lionville, Uwchlan Township, PA. Thomas left his pottery in 1823 and assisted his son in Lionville until his death. It was also in 1823 that John Vickers Bought “5 acres and 66 perches” for $800. His homestead, which is now a restaurant on Gordon Drive, off Route 100 in Lionville (near Exton), was a heavily used Underground Railroad station. Vickers hid slaves in the kiln and in piles of fresh-cut cordwood. After the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law made Underground Railroad work more dangerous, Vickers sent runaways to a black couple who rented a house in the woods from him on his property.
The John Vickers and Son Pottery continued operating under the Vickers name until the second half of the 19th century. It then remained open in other hands until closing, possibly as late as the 1880s. Pieces of pottery have been found bearing the incised initials “T.V.” as well as “J.V.,” the latter on some of the noted pottery pie-plate molds and a platter mold in the PMA, accompanied by dates ranging from 1806-31.
Another notable object attributed to Thomas Vickers recently sold in Crocker Farm’s Spring 2022 sale in the form of a green glazed red earthenware vase, inscribe, “Ann Miller / Born A.D. 1796.” This may be the earliest datable object known from Thomas Vickers today, having been inscribed with the same year that he is thought to have established his business. Some of the decorative sgraffito on this vase is very similar to that found on the green glazed jar owned by the PMA, along with a bowl owned by Winterthur, inscribed, “Rachel Heston,” and the year, “1806.”
Interestingly, there is some red earthenware that survives from the Vickers Family Pottery today, which is inscribed on the base with a number that in some cases makes it appear like it was made in the 1700s or 1800s. This number may not have anything to do with a year of manufacture and instead is perhaps related to pottery production or even bears another meaning, seeing that some of the numbers are earlier than the Vickers Pottery is documented as having been established, as well as other known jars that are inscribed with numbers in the high hundreds and random numbers that are over a thousand. Nevertheless, if some of these inscriptions do represent a date, then it is possible that some pieces may need to be looked at again.
However, in the collection of West Chester University are three objects attributed to John Vickers: a large double handled bowl and two dishes or saucers. The manufacture of these objects is different than a lot of the other types of wares attributed to the Vickers family today, with these pieces being more refined table wares instead of the traditional utilitarian shapes.
Furthermore, the Quaker cultural contribution to America in the 18th and 19th century is largely found in religion and family, but there was also a strong sense of accomplishment in the decorative arts produced by Quakers all over America, especially in the Northeast. They were also heavily involved with the political and social landscape in and around Philadelphia during this period. The Vickers family is notable today because of their early involvement in the abolition of slavery and the Underground Railroad. There is a lifetime of stories that can be told about every single potter working in America in the 1700s and 1800s, but the fact that the Vickers family was not only extremely accomplished with the red earthenware they produced but also took an adamant stance against the act of slavery in America makes their story important and one that should always be remembered.
Sources: James, Arthur E., “The Potters and Potteries of Chester Count, Pennsylvania” Chester County Historical Society, 1945. Barber Edwin Atlee. “Marks of American Potters.” Philadelphia: Patterson & White Company, 1904.