Wilson Stoneware 8 Gallon Tie Rim Storage Jar

19th century food preservation made possible by African-American potters

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Imagine food preservation before modern refrigeration.

This 8-gallon storage jar, designed to keep food fresh, was crafted in the mid-1850s by Reverend John McKamey Wilson. Wilson was a minister who established Wilson Potteries in Capote (outside of Seguin). He hired professional potters to train his slaves. They learned well, and made pottery of exceptional quality that is still higly prized today.The size of the jar is indicated by an "8" stamped into the jar with a wooden imprint—traditional on larger pieces of pottery.

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Wilson Stoneware 8 Gallon Tie Rim Storage Jar Artifact from Capote, Guadalupe County
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