The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-10-22
Special Correspondence,
Columbus, O., Oct. IA, 1896.

Special Correspondence.
Columbus, o., Oct. Ia, 1885,
| A document soon to be issued by the
State department goes extensively into
the subject of clay-working, as that in
dustry now exists throughout the State.
One very interesting feature is the man
ner in which IT takes up each depart
ment Of the industry and gives its origin
and development.
1t is a fact, not generally known by
the present generation, that the manu-
facture of common stoneware was once
entirely in the hands of farmers in Ger.
tain sections of the State, The ingen'
ius pioneer brought with him TO Ohio,
| when this State was first settled, a more
or less crude knowledge Of various
! kinds of handicraft. Among others,
was that of forming the native clay
into vessels Of ordinary domestic use,
He built a small apparatus, all the
| parts he was able to make himself Of
wood, so that he was put to no expense
for machinery. With this he was able
to mix his clay and form it into the de.
sired shape. A carefully constructed
kiln answered the purpose of burning
the same soil which he titled for agri-
cultural purposes into durab vessel.
! No luxury or convenience of modern
| life would be more sadly missed now
than was this rough crockery in the
days of our fathers, when not available
to them, cut off as they then were from
the means Of readily replenishing such
supplies.
The farmer potter not only supplied
his own needs, but those of his neigh.
borhood, and at first he had no thought
beyond mere local trade. The pos
| sibilities, however, Of turning his leis-
ure time to profitable account, in the
winter season, when he could not labor
out of doors, or upon rainy days, grad
ually became apparent to him. He was
able to sell his surplus product TO the
village merchant, receiving payment in
groceries and other necessaries Of life.
The merchant, in turn, disposed OF the
ware by shipping it away by latboat,
then the only means Of transportation
1t Is asserted that Muskingum
county, the clay hills Of which yield
excellent material for this grade OF
pottery, al one time contained several
hundred farmers who were engaged In
this industry, They would dispose OF
their stock perhaps once year, after
the manner OF taking any other product
to market, When the merchant, TO
whom they traded it, had accumulated
enough for good sized cargo he would
load up an immense hatboat, and, with
suitable help for the enterprise, would
start it down the Muskingum river
At every settlement along the way the
boat would start and barter with the
population, taking any kind of product
having value for ware. Drifting into
l,n ~ 81 NJ fntt
man would continue his trading down
that stream, and in time reach the
Mississippi. His objective point was
Of the Ohio valley found their way. II
at the early period Of settlement The
only way TO reach the East was by
| packing on horseback over the noun.
tains. This was very expensive mode
OF transportation, and was utterly i'm.
practicable for anything of a bulky na-
ture.
The fatboatman Of the Musklngum,
after his long voyage of months dura.
ton, having reached his destination,
usually found ready sale for his cargo.
The merchandise with which his craft
had originally been loaded was per.
haps all disposed Of along the way, but
in it's place was -four, beef, pork, skins,
whisky and other articles, which com.
manded a ready sale. There were thous.
ands of persons engaged in the business
of datooating, managing their own en-.
terprise personally, or conducting It for
others. A trip to New Orleans In those
days was, to the ordinary mind, an
event of lifetime. Emerging from the
wilderness, the appetite for adventure
and novelty to the pioneer increased by
what 1t fed upon during a hazardous
voyage. The fatboatman who had
never before visited New Orleans found
it bewilderment.
Realizing handsomely on his venture,
as was often the case, he gave himself
up. for a perid, 70 the delights of the
strange civilization he found there.
Sometimes, in order to dispose Of his
cargo to the best advantage, it was nee.
essary to remain for some weeks, await
ing a favorable turn of the market.
His boat was disposed of for what 1t
would bring, along with his merchand.
Use, and with his money secreted about
him, he started homeward with Others
who had been engaged ia like enter.
prise. Returning boatmen travelled in
companies for mutual protection, as
highwaymen and desperadoes infested
the sparsely settled routes along which
1t was necessary to pass. The return
journey was made overland by horse.
back and sometimes on foot, He who
after braving the hardships and dan,
ger, got back safely, was accounted a
travelled man, who had seen the world
and for the remainder of his life was
regarded as an oracle and hero.
Returning to the farmer potter, his
business proved a profitable one for
many years, and was not wholly dis
continued until within a very recent
period, The natural progressivenes:
of the American mind led to the i'm
J provement and perfection OF processes
and the invention of new appliances
The Chinese follow the same primitive
customs Of manufacturing that have
prevailed for thousands Of years, bu
the Yankee, who had come across tht
, mountains from his home in New Eng
land and settled on the Ohio hills, wai
constructed on a different plan, Th,
result of his ingenuity is the fine clay
working machinery we see today, ont
machine being able to turn out as mucl
, ware as hundreds of workmen were
after the old methods. The farmer pot
ter was gradually pushed out Of th'
ield before this spirit of improvement
Machinery made ware better and cheap
or than he was able to produce II. Tht
Industry became consolidated in larg'
plants, and the primitive plants OF tn
rural districts became abandoned
| manu- narta ~ Muskino,,n countU n