Genealogy of Isaac Watts Knowles
Knowles Ohio Progenitor  #07 (Columbiana)

  Isaac Watts Knowles (1819 - 1902)  and Hester Ann Smith (1823 - 1855)

Children:

• Bellvina Kathryn Knowles (1847 - 1925)

• Homer S. Knowles (1851 - 1892)

• Mary Zelletta Knowles  (1853 - ??)

• George H. Knowles  (1855 - 1855)

  Isaac Watts Knowles (1819 - 1902)  and Rebecca Jane Merchant (1839 - 1933)

Children:

• Elizabeth Knowles  (1857 - 1947)

• Willis Alfred Knowles  (1860 - 1961

• Alice K. Knowles  (1862 - 1935)

• Annie Knowles  (c 1865 - ??)

• Edwin M. Knowles  (1869 - 1943)

Knowles,  Taylor  &  Knowles  China  Company

One of the oldest names on American pottery, Knowles, Taylor, Knowles operated in East Liverpool, Ohio, beginning in the mid-1800´s, and remained in operation in East Liverpool until 1931.

Isaac Watts Knowles and Isaac A. Harvey started a factory in East Liverpool, Ohio in 1854, after operating a store boat on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, which sold pottery, glass, and other staples.  Their initial factory made yellow ware in a single kiln.  Knowles bought out Harvey a couple of years later and operated the factory by himself from 1856 until 1870.  In that year, John W. Taylor (Isaac's son-in-law) and Homer S. Knowles (one of Isaac's sons) joined him to form Knowles, Taylor, Knowles.   The company became quite large, employing 700 people by 1901.  In 1929, Knowles, Taylor & Knowles was one of eight companies which joined to form the ill-fated American Chinaware Corporation.   With the failure of the American Chinaware Corporation, KTK vanished from the American pottery scene.  During their 75 years of operation, KTK brought out not only a wealth of tableware, but the priceless Lotus Ware as well.

In the past ten to twenty years, interest has greatly increased in the china manufactured by early American pottery companies.  One unique aspect of this industry was American "Belleek."  This translucent porcelain made by several American companies, including KTK from the 1890s until the 1930s. KTK had been successful in making a translucent china which was called "Belleek" circa 1889.

A plant fire, however, was instrumental in causing KTK to stop making "Belleek" porcelain.  When the factory was rebuilt, a bone china was made.  KTK called that china "Lotus Ware."  Lotus Ware, while not "Belleek" was a translucent china and an art ware.  The "Belleek" made by KTK is now extremely rare.  "Lotus Ware" was also made for only a short period of time, about six years.   It too, is considered scarce and highly collectible. 

While the "Belleek" and "Lotus Ware" were the crowning achievements of the Knowles, Taylor & Knowles factory, the company was in business for many years prior to and after that type of china was made.  Commercial china and table wares were the mainstay of the company.  This china had an ironstone or semi-vitreous body.  Today collectors are interested in these products also as they represent America's early pottery industry and they also include items of the Victorian era which are not used today and are both interesting and nostalgic.

The graphic above is  a Lotus Ware Savonian Vase, described as a large vase with bulbous body leading to elegantly designed lip attached to applied fancy handles - Height 15 1/2"

East Liverpool, Ohio, has been the home of many American potteries since the early 1840's when an Englishman, James Bennett, found that the area's soil contained the ingredients necessary for making pottery.  James Bennett had worked in a pottery in England as a "packer" before he settled in America.  A "Packer" would not necessarily know how to  make pottery, but evidently James Bennett had absorbed enough of the process to make him feel confident that he could produce articles made of clay.  His pottery was financed by some businessmen in East Liverpool, and his first production was in 1840.  The type of pottery made was called yellow ware.  This is simple earthenware body which was coated with a yellow glaze.  Bennett's pottery was sold to Isaac Watts Knowles in 1853 and Bennett moved from East Liverpool to Birmingham, Pennsylvania.

Isaac Knowles and a partner, Isaac A. Harvey continued to make yellow ware after taking over the factory.  They also made Rockingham ware, which is a simple clay product covered with a marbled yellow and brown glaze.  The yellow ware and Rockingham ware were made as utilitarian products.  Simply fashioned mugs, jars, jugs, kettles, plates and so forth were pieces necessary for storing and serving food during the Victorian period. This type of pottery was not too durable for it was not fired at very high temperatures.  Examples from this era are scarce. 

Isaac Knowles had a one kiln pottery in 1854.  By 1870, there were only two kilns in operation.  The growth of the company came about after 1870.  Homer S. Knowles, a key figure in the later development of the factory, was a son of Isaac Knowles by his first wife.  Homer was born in 1851, only three years prior to his father's purchase of the James Bennett pottery business.  Homer worked at the pottery business during his youth, and became interested in the scientific procedures for making china.  Homer became a partner in the company in 1872, along with his brother-in-law, John N. Taylor.  Earlier, in 1867, Isaac had purchased his former partner's (Isaac Harvey) interest in the company.  In 1872, the company became Knowles, Taylor & Knowles.  Two additional partners and family members were brought into the company in 1888.  One was Joseph G. Lee, another son-in-law of Isaac Knowles.  The other was Willis A. Knowles, Isaac's son from a second marriage.  The company6 was not formerly incorporated until 1891.

During the early 1870s, the Knowles, Taylor & Knowles Company was successful in manufacturing a type of china called ironstone or granite ware.  This type of pottery was superior to the yellow ware and Rockingham ware.  The body was stronger and had a brilliant white vitreous glaze.  It was quite durable, but it required materials which were not locally available in East Liverpool.   The clays such as kaolin and ball clay were imported from Maine, Missouri, Delaware and Pennsylvania.  Homer S. Knowles is credited with perfecting the formula for this type of ware for the KTK factory.

During the 1870s, the Knowles, Taylor & Knowles Company thrived due to the manufacturing of the white granite ware.  The company ceased producing the yellow wares and Rockingham wares.  The factory was enlarged and by 1879, five kilns were in operation.  By 1881, the KTK factory was the largest pottery in America.  The company produced utilitarian china such as hotel china and table china.  The number of Kilns had increased to sixteen by the mid to late 1880s.

In addition to growth, improvements in the facilities were also taking place.   Isaac Knowles was an inventor, and he was able to make technical advances in the pottery making process.  He invented a shaft-driven jigger, which was the first machinery introduced into an American pottery.  Previously, all of the production processes were by hand.  Isaac's inventions were patented and were adopted into use by other factories.

The Knowles, Taylor & Knowles Company also had its own electric plant which furnished the light which was necessary for the workers.  The electric plant made it possible to have elevators, and electric fans as well.  A private railroad connected parts of the plant and served also to connect the factory to the Pennsylvania rail system.  A private telephone system connected the various parts of the plant, and a forge, machine shop, and woodworking shop were also located on the factory premises.

By the time the company closed, its founders had died.  Isaac died in 1902, His son-in-law and partner, John Neeley Taylor died in 1914.  Isaac's son Homer died at the age of 41 in 1892.  Homer's son, Harold Homer Knowles born in 1884, became active in the East Liverpool factory about 1901.  He later became manager.  Perhaps seeing the end of the East Liverpool factory, Harold Homer opened a pottery factory in Santa Clara, California in 1923.  He had incorporated the company In 1920 in Delaware with two partners from Loa Angeles.  Construction of the plant started in 1921.  When the plant opened in 1923, it had the capacity to employ 350 people.  This company was able to remain in business for only about five months before declaring bankruptcy.