20th Century

Jabez Vodrey was a Staffordshire potter who came to American in the 1840's working in New Jersey, Kentucky and Indiana potteries before settling in East Liverpool Ohio.  His first pottery there was established in 1847, but it was in 1876 that his sons, William, James and John, built the Vodrey & Brother Pottery and began the production of white ware.  In 1896 the pottery was incorporated as Vodrey Pottery Company.

In 1890, Robert Hall Sr., Silas Ferguson, and John J. Purinton built a six kiln pottery that became known as U. S. Pottery.  A disastrous fire forced the pottery to become part of the East Liverpool Potteries Co. which disbanded in 1900.  After that U. S. Pottery again became an independent company.

Steubenville Pottery (1881-1960) was founded by a group of Steubenville businessmen who persuaded A. B. Beck, a Staffordshire potter, to come to Steubenville to set up a pottery.  The city had several important prerequisites for a pottery:  easy transportation via the river and the Pan Handle Railroad, coal beds inside the city, and a ready supply of workers.  The first kiln was drawn in 1881.  In 1895 the factory converted to gas-fired kilns and employed over 200 workers.

The founders of Shenango Pottery Co. are unknown but James M. Smith, an inventive business man, was the director of the company.  Originally intended to produce china, the depression dictated the production of ironstone as hotel and restaurant ware were selling well.  At one time, Shenango was the American home of Haviland China (normally made in France).  The American company now produces chinaware.

Sebring Pottery Co. (1887-1940) was founded by the five Sebring brothers.  The five kiln pottery was successful enough to add a second plant of six kilns built in the East End of East Liverpool Ohio called the Klondike facility because of its distrance from the center of town.  Sebring Pottery was so successful that the brothers bought land in Ohio in 1898 and built their own city, christened Sebring, which became the site of their potteries.  Tea Leaf products were made in East Liverpool not Sebring Ohio.

The Potters Cooperative (aka TPC) was started by a group of disgruntled potters who had been locked out of their potteries after trying to form a Pottery Workers Union.  The facility operated from 1882 to 1925.  The facility used was at the Dresden Works which accounts for the number of pieces marked with Dresden's backstamp.  H. A. McNicol (see McNicol, Burton and D. E. McNicol) became President when the other potters returned to their original works.  

Pioneer Pottery Co. (1884-1900) was founded by Hamer Michaels, I. B. Clark and George Morley.  Before 1884 they operated a two kiln pottery in Wellsville, West Virginia as Morley & Co.  Morley withdrew in 1884 and the pottery continued under the name Pioneer Pottery until 1890 when the pottery closed.  Then this pottery becamee known as Wellsville China Co.

Onondaga Pottery (1871-1966) was organized by a group of businessmen who bought the Empire pottery works for the production of white ware.  The production of irsonstone was discontinued in 1893.  In 1966 the pottery was sold to Syracuse China Co. which is still in business, specializing in kitchen, hotel and restaurant ware. 
Only one known piece decorated in the Tea Leaf motif has been found so far. 

Illinois China Company (1919-1946) was formed by businessmen James Shaw, William Coogan and David Hart.  Mr. Hart became the President and Mr. Shaw became the Secretary-Treasurer.  It is only an assumption that the pottery only made dinnerware as plates are the only pieces that have been found.

This pottery was formed by three brothers, James H., George, and Henry S. Goodwin after the death of their father, John, in 1875.  John was a long time potter in East Liverpool Ohio and Trenton New Jersey.  The pottery was in business from 1875 through 1913 but only produced Tea Leaf decorated ironstone between 1885 and 1898.
In additon to making pieces for home use, this pottery produced hotel ware.