roseville legend

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ROSEVILLE LEGEND The Official Publication of the Roseville Historical Society The Real (Brown) & McCoy Fall200S By James L. Murphy and Carole E. Williams A rare stoneware crock stenciled in cobalt with the words "BROWN & McCOY WHOLE- SALE DEALERS IN STONEWARE ROSE- VILLE. 0." presents three intriguing questions: Who was Brown? Was there ever a Brown & McCoy Pottery? What role did Brown & McCoy play in the pottery industry of Roseville? There is no doubt that the McCoy in question was James W. McCoy (1848-1914), founder in 1899 of the J. W. McCoy Pottery Company but who was the Brown in Brown & McCoy? Some have surmised that he was James W. McCoy's father-in-law and that the two were partners in a Roseville pottery from 1871 until 1876, when McCoy operated his own general merchandise store. Unfortunately, McCoy's wife, Sarah "Sade" Brown McCoy, has sometimes been misidenti- fied as the daughter of William C. Brown (1827- 1905). He was a potter in the Crooksville area from at least 1860 to 1880, after which he opened a store in Crooksville. There is a crock stenciled "W. C. Brown Depot Crooksville, 0." in the same fashion as the stencil on the Brown & McCoy piece, and these crocks no doubt were sold at W.C. Brown's store. William C. Brown was, in fact, related to Sarah, being a half-uncle of her father James, but a contemporary in age. Who then was James W. McCoy's father-in- law? For the answer we look at another partner- ship between Brown & McCoy which occurred on April 28, 1870 in Roseville. On that day 21 year-old Sarah Elizabeth Brown, daughter of James E. and Lucy Ann Sowers Brown, be- came the bride of 22 year-old James William McCoy, son of William Nelson and Esther Brown McCoy of Putnam, Springfield Town- ship., Muskingum County. The young couple Brown & McCoy were wholesale dealers of stoneware in Roseville from 1872 to 1888. Our research concludes that they were not partners in a pottery business. [Photo courtesy of James L Murphy] made their first home in Uniontown, Newton Township, Musk- ingum County, where James operated a dry goods store. The following year the McCoys moved to Roseville, and it was here James W. McCoy partnered with his father-in-law, James E. Brown in a general merchandising store. Mr. Brown, who had been in the mercantile business at Roseville since 1844, was a capable mentor to young James McCoy. Their business part- nership became known as Brown & McCoy. As mentioned, some have been led to believe that these two men were partners in a Roseville pottery named Brown & McCoy. Our research of the Roseville tax duplicates at the Continued on Page 4

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Page 1: ROSEVILLE LEGEND

ROSEVILLE LEGENDThe Official Publication of the Roseville Historical Society

The Real (Brown) & McCoy

Fall200S

By James L. Murphy and Carole E. Williams

A rare stoneware crock stenciled in cobaltwith the words "BROWN & McCOY WHOLE-SALE DEALERS IN STONEWARE ROSE-VILLE. 0." presents three intriguing questions:Who was Brown? Was there ever a Brown &McCoy Pottery? What role did Brown &McCoy play in the pottery industry of Roseville?

There is no doubt that the McCoy in questionwas James W. McCoy (1848-1914), founder in1899 of the J. W. McCoy Pottery Company butwho was the Brown in Brown & McCoy? Somehave surmised that he was James W. McCoy'sfather-in-law and that the two were partners in aRoseville pottery from 1871 until 1876, whenMcCoy operated his own general merchandisestore.

Unfortunately, McCoy's wife, Sarah "Sade"Brown McCoy, has sometimes been misidenti-fied as the daughter of William C. Brown (1827-1905). He was a potter in the Crooksville areafrom at least 1860 to 1880, after which he openeda store in Crooksville. There is a crock stenciled"W. C. Brown Depot Crooksville, 0." in thesame fashion as the stencil on the Brown &McCoy piece, and these crocks no doubt weresold at W.C. Brown's store. William C. Brownwas, in fact, related to Sarah, being a half-uncleof her father James, but a contemporary in age.

Who then was James W. McCoy's father-in-law? For the answer we look at another partner-ship between Brown & McCoy which occurredon April 28, 1870 in Roseville. On that day 21year-old Sarah Elizabeth Brown, daughter ofJames E. and Lucy Ann Sowers Brown, be-came the bride of 22 year-old James WilliamMcCoy, son of William Nelson and EstherBrown McCoy of Putnam, Springfield Town-ship., Muskingum County. The young couple

Brown & McCoy were wholesale dealers of stoneware in Roseville from1872 to 1888. Our research concludes that they were not partners in apottery business. [Photo courtesy of James L Murphy]

made their first home in Uniontown, Newton Township, Musk-ingum County, where James operated a dry goods store. Thefollowing year the McCoys moved to Roseville, and it was hereJames W. McCoy partnered with his father-in-law, James E.Brown in a general merchandising store. Mr. Brown, who hadbeen in the mercantile business at Roseville since 1844, was acapable mentor to young James McCoy. Their business part-nership became known as Brown & McCoy.

As mentioned, some have been led to believe that these twomen were partners in a Roseville pottery named Brown &McCoy. Our research of the Roseville tax duplicates at the

Continued on Page 4

Page 2: ROSEVILLE LEGEND

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The Real (Brown) & McCoy (Continued fromPage 1)

Muskingum County Records office in Zanesvilleprovided not only the answer to the question regard-ing their business relationship but also documentedwhere the firm was located. Brown & McCoy firstappeared in the tax duplicate in 1872 when the com-pany paid $3,400 in personal property taxes. By1888, the last year the company was listed, personalproperty taxes had risen to $6,450. Most impor-tantly, the 1884 tax duplicate identified the locationof Brown & McCoy as occupying 26 by 65 feet inthe northeast corner of Lot 23 in Roseville. WhileBrown & McCoy paid personal taxes on the north-eastern corner of Lot 23, real property taxes for theentire lot were paid by James Brown, indicatingthat Brown & McCoy was solely a business ar-rangement and the Brown was the sole owner of theproperty. This lot, on the southwest corner of Firstand Main Streets in Roseville, is now a vacant.

After 1888, James E. Brown, at 68 years ofage, went on to establish a furniture store in a newbuilding on First Street., now a private residence. Healso partnered wiih and supported his son GeOl-geW. Brown who opened a general store on the north-west corner of First and Main Street (James Brown& Son are first listed in the 1888 personal propertytax duplicate.) James E. Brown died in 1907 at age88.

James W. McCoy, was a partner in the Wil-liams & McCoy Pottery Company (subsequentlythe Kildow, Williams and McCoy Pottery Com-pany, and later the Midland Pottery Company ofRoseville) before establishing the J. W McCoy Pot-tery in 1899. He, with the assistance of his son, Ar-thur, continued operating a general merchandisingstore along with his pottery ventures until his deathin his 67th year in 1914.We have established that James E. Brown and

his son-in-law James W. McCoy were merchants,who operated under the name of Brown & McCoyfrom 1872-1888 on Main Street, Roseville. We findno evidence that their partnership included themanufacture of pottery but were simply wholesaledealers of stoneware, as the stenciling on the crockindicates. As merchants they provided a valuableservice by merchandising and marketing the prod-ucts of the many small local potteries.

William C Brown was a potter from approximately1860 until 1880 in the Crooksville-area He subse-quently opened a store in Crooksville. [Photo cour-tesy of James L Murphy.]

About the Authors:James L Murphy is an Emeritus Professor, OhioState University Libraries, Columbus, Ohio. Hehas been a contributor to the Roseville Legendforthe past 10 years.Carole J. Williams is a Brown family historian.She has been researching and compilingfamilyhistories for over 15years

Roseville Historical Society

Thank you for your generous supportthis past year as we celebrated our tenthyear as an organization.

Please consider volunteering and/orloaning or donating items to be exhib-ited in the Roseville Historical Societymuseum. We appreciate your support.

RHS Celebrates 1998-2008

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