Weston Stoneware is a small temporary but interesting exhibit containing nineteen beautiful pieces from this local business. The story of Weston stoneware begins with Horace Weston. In about 1826, due to failing health, Rev. Horace Weston gave up his physically demanding fifty-mile ministry in Ulster and Sullivan County, New York. Ellenville, NY became his permanent home in which he began manufacturing stoneware and shipping it along the entire length of the Delaware & Hudson Canal. In the spring of 1848 he purchased land on Sixth Street, Honesdale to establish a branch factory but died in July of fever. His twenty-year-old son William W. Weston carried on and built the factory, which was finished in the spring of 1849. By 1854 William left the business to pursue other interests and his brother Horace, Jr. was placed in charge of the Honesdale plant. The marks on the stoneware were changed from W. Weston, Honesdale, PA to H. Weston, Honesdale, PA In 1872 Horace Weston, Jr. died and the pottery factory closed.

In addition to this exhibit the newly published book Big Ware Turners, The History and Manufacture of Pennsylvania Stoneware, by Phil Schaltenbrand is available for reference in our library. Stoneware from Weston and Burns & Cross of Ledgedale, PA are included.