William Young’s Sons Pottery
In operation 1860-1879
Wares
Porcelain, hardware trimmings, white granite, dipped, blue edge and c.c. wares (Lant 1872)
Earthenware, also porcelain hardware trimmings (Boyd and Boyd 1874)
Hardware and household crockery, ironstone china, c.c. ware, Queensware and hardware trimmings (Everts & Stewart 1875)
Notes
“In March, 1860, Millington and Astbury sold their interest in the pottery to the Youngs and the company was renamed William Young & Sons. It continued to operate under this name following the retirement of William Young in 1870 until his death in July, 1871. The dominating influence of the senior Young can be seen in the fact that, thereafter, the firm’s name was simply altered to that of ‘William Young’s Sons’. It retained this name until the Young family sold the pottery to the Willets Brothers in February, 1879.”
— Goldberg, David J. 1998. Preliminary Notes on the Pioneer Potters and Potteries of Trenton, N.J.: The First Thirty Years – 1852 – 1882 (And Beyond). Privately published, Trenton, New Jersey.
Selected References
“The Manufactories of Trenton. Article II. The Pottery Trade.” Trenton State Gazette, Monday, August 27, 1866.
J.M. Elstner & Co. 1889. New Jersey’s Leading Cities Illustrated: Historical, Biographical, Commercial Review of the Progress in Commerce, the Professions and in Social, Municipal Life. J.M. Elstner & Co., New York, New York.
Harney, W.J. 1929. “Trenton’s First Potteries.” Sunday Times Advertiser, July 7, 14, 21 and 28, 1929.
Leibowitz, Joan. 1985. Yellow Ware: The Transitional Ceramic. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Frelinghuysen, Alice Cooney. 1989. American Porcelain, 1770-1920. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York.
Goldberg, David J. 1998. Preliminary Notes on the Pioneer Potters and Potteries of Trenton, N.J.: The First Thirty Years – 1852 – 1882 (And Beyond). Privately published, Trenton, New Jersey.
Hunter Research, Inc. 2005 “Historical and Archaeological Investigations at the Excelsior Pottery Site, Southard Street Bridge Replacement Project, City of Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey.” Report on file, New Jersey Historic Preservation Office (NJDEP), Trenton, New Jersey.
Other firms at this site:
Other Names
William Young & Sons; Wm. Young & Sons; William Young's Sons
Block and Lot:
46E-1/24, 53-68, 72, 76
Historic Street Address:
Brunswick Avenue near City Limits; Southard Street; 400 Southard Street
Municipality:
City of Trenton
Map Gallery
Map References
Everts & Stewart. 1875 Combination Atlas Map of Mercer County. Everts and Stewart, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Shown as “Pottery W. Young & Sons” [also includes lithograph])
1860 Census
| Name in census | Wm. Young & Sons |
|---|---|
| Capital Invested | 25000 |
| Raw materials 1 | Coal |
| Quantity materials 1 | 500 tons |
| Value materials 1 | 2000 |
| Raw materials 2 | Clay |
| Quantity materials 2 | 150 tons |
| Value materials 2 | 1300 |
| Raw materials 3 | Flint |
| Quantity materials 3 | 100 tons |
| Value materials 3 | 700 |
| Raw materials 4 | Spar |
| Quantity materials 4 | 50 tons |
| Value materials 4 | 500 |
| Raw materials 5 | Bone |
| Raw materials 6 | Cobalt |
| Quantity materials 5 | 60 tons |
| Quantity materials 6 | 10 lbs. |
| Value materials 5 | 1000 |
| Value materials 6 | 50 |
| Power type 1 | Engine-25 Horse and Hands |
| Male hands employed | 36 |
| Female hands employed | 2 |
| Male wages | 900 |
| Female wages | 40 |
| Kind of product | Queensware & China |
| Value of product | 20000 |
1870 Census
| Name in census | Wm. Young & Sons |
|---|---|
| Capital Invested | 75000 |
| Type of power 1 | 1 Steam Engine |
| Horsepower 1 | 25 |
| Machine name 1 | Potters Wheels |
| Machine quantity 1 | 8 |
| Raw material type 1 | Coal |
| Raw material quantity 1 | 1000 tons |
| Raw material value 1 | 6000 |
| Raw material type 2 | Flint |
| Raw material type 3 | Spar |
| Raw material type 4 | Clay |
| Raw material type 5 | Lime |
| Raw material type 6 | Paris White |
| Raw material type 7 | Zinc |
| Raw material type 8 | Cobalt |
| Raw material type 9 | Biscid [Bisque] |
| Raw material type 10 | Oil |
| Raw material type 11 | Bone |
| Raw material type 12 | Total |
| Raw material quantity 2 | 120 tons |
| Raw material quantity 3 | 60 tons |
| Raw material quantity 4 | 300 tons |
| Raw material quantity 5 | 5 tons |
| Raw material quantity 6 | 2 tons |
| Raw material quantity 7 | 1 ton |
| Raw material quantity 8 | 150 lbs |
| Raw material quantity 9 | 1000 |
| Raw material quantity 10 | 100 gal. |
| Raw material quantity 11 | 40 tons |
| Raw material value 2 | 2000 |
| Raw material value 3 | 1200 |
| Raw material value 4 | 11000 |
| Raw material value 5 | 1200 |
| Raw material value 6 | 150 |
| Raw material value 7 | 600 |
| Raw material value 8 | 600 |
| Raw material value 9 | 330 |
| Raw material value 10 | 65 |
| Raw material value 11 | 1000 |
| Raw material value 12 | 23725 |
| Product type 1 | Earthen Ware |
| Product type 2 | Porcelain |
| Product type 3 | Total |
| Product value 1 | 35000 |
| Product value 2 | 15000 |
| Product value 3 | 50000 |
| Male hands above 16 | 50 |
| Female hands above 16 | 11 |
| Children | 17 |
| Yearly wages | 28000 |
| Months operating | 10 |