The pure white clay that made the Wedgwood name synonymous with fine china throughout the world came from the western North Carolina mountains some three centuries ago.
How North Carolina became part of Wedgwood’s fame began in 1765 in Staffordshire, England, where a ceramic craftsman named Josiah Wedgwood plied his trade. He was an excellent craftsman and apparently, a shrewd businessman. When Queen Charlotte purchased a Wedgwood tea server, he quickly changed the name from “creamware” to “Queen’s Ware” as his reputation and sales began to soar at home and abroad.
Eastern porcelain had been of interest to European potters. since the fifteenth century when a few pieces were imported from China. In 1708, a young Prussian alchemist, Johann Friedrick Bottger, employed by Augustus the Strong of Saxony, produced the first true porcelain in Europe. (Augustus was called the Strong because he reportedly sired over 360 illegitimate children.)
In the New World craftsmen were using a white clay called kaolin which came from Cherokee Indian territory. When some of this fell into Wedgwood’s hands, he began experimenting, creating elegant blue and white, green and white, and lilac and white jaspers. He hired artists to decorate his works with graceful bas-reliefs of classical figure, usually Greek and Roman inspired. These, along with his medallions, bowls, and cameos, became the ceramics for which became chiefly recognized.
The new product’s instant popularity required an ample supply of Cherokee clay so, in 1767, he sent his agent, Thomas Griffiths, an adventurer and geologist, to negotiate with the Cherokee to allow the transport of wagonloads of the white clay to England.
Griffiths boarded the ship America on July 16, arriving in Charleston on September 21. Well provisioned in less than two weeks, he started for the Cherokee Nation. As he recorded in his journal, he was fearful every step of the way of “every Leaf That Rattled.” (A copy of his journal is held in the North Carolina Division of Archives and History in Raleigh.)
Entering North Carolina near Highlands and proceeding north of Franklin to Iotla Gap in Macon County, he and his party arrived at Fort Prince George more than 200 miles from Charleston on October 20. He had a fortunate meeting with Captain Cameron, the English deputy commissioner for Indian Affairs, who was meeting with the Indian Council regarding sending a representative to a peace conference with the Mohawk tribe.
After the captain introduced him to the Indian Council, Griffiths wrote in his diary, “After I had Eat, drank, smoake’d and began to be familiar with these Strainge Colour’d Gentry, I thought it a fair opportunity to Request Leave to Travill through fheir Nation in search of anything that curiosity might Lead me to, and in particular to speculate on their pure white earth…
“This they granted me after a long hesitation and several debates among themselves saying they had been troubled with some young Men long before who had made great holes in their Land and took away their fine White Clay and gave ’em only Promises for it; however, as I came from their father and had behaved like a true brother, they did not care to disappoint me at that time; but if I sho’d want more for the future, they must have some satisfaction for they did not know what use that mountain might be to them, or their Children, and if it would make fine punch bowls, as they had been told, they hop’d I would let them drink out of one; and thus we shoke hands and settled the matter.”
Griffiths and his group remained for several days clearing “rubbish” from the old pit until they hit the coveted white clay, but he was surprised when the chief men of the Ayoree immediately arrested him for trespassing. With the help of a linguist, he was released after four hours and allowed to take what he wanted “without any further Molestation” of the site.
Meanwhile, Griffiths had learned the art of friendly persuasion. As he wrote, “The Indians were often paying me with troublesome visits. However, I invited ’em together and heated ’em with Rum and such Musick as I was capable of, which made ’em dance with great agility, especially when the Bottle had gon about well, which is the only way to make friendship with any Indian.”
By mid-December Griffiths had dug and dried all of the clay, reportedly five to six tons; he wrote “I must own I never was more sensible to the cold, even in Novascotia.”
Returning to Charleston with continuing mishaps, he sailed for England with the Cherokee clay that was to make Wedgwood more famous and his porcelain more valuable.
In view of Griffiths’ ordeal, Wedgwood realized that there would be no more Cherokee clay. With prescience, he noted that his creations would “want nothing but age and scarcity to make them worth any price you could ask for them…so make what you please of the fact.”
Today Wedgwood’s exquisite porcelains are spread far and wide, to royal kingdoms, courts, and the White House. President Theodore Roosevelt bought and used a Cherokee Clay Wedgwood table service during his White House tenure. More noteworthy is the marvelous mantle and centerpiece visitors view today in the Biltmore Estate.
A historical marker, four miles north of Franklin on NC 28, commemorates the discovery of the rare white clay Josiah Wedgwood used in his priceless Wedgwood jasper. In 1950, a sixth generation descendant, Hansleigh Wedgwood, came to North Carolina to unveil the historical marker.
The quotes from Thomas Griffiths’ Journal were drawn from an article, “The Clay That Made Wedgwood Famous,” by the late Billy Arthur.