History of Evans' Pottery

As presented to the Stoddard County Historical Society by Kathy Mooney Skelton

By Karen Peters, secretary

Missouri's first known pottery business was begun in Stoddard County by the Jacob Semmimon family between 1850 and 1858. Jacob was a potter in Georgia who sent his son Thomas from there to Arkansas in search of clay soil suitable for the potter's trade. On the advice of friendly Indians, Thomas Semmimon continued on to the Bloomfield area. He was joined later by his then-widowed mother and other family members, and they established themselves as jugmakers. Clay was blasted out of the ground and hit with a hammer until pieces were small enough to be ground up. The pottery was primitive but utilitarian and included fruit jars, kraut crocks, milk pitchers, and whiskey jugs. The business was expanded by loading oxen-drawn wagons with pots and peddling them along the Bloomfield to Cape Road. Upon arriving in Cape Girardeau, the family set up shop at a livery; they also bought and resold goods coming into town on the Mississippi River.

Although Bloomfield was burned three times during the Civil War, the pottery business was always spared, possibly because none of those involved wanted to see a shortage of whiskey jugs!

In 1882, Hugh Evans was working for the Semmimons and married Jacob Semmimon's daughter Lucinda. Evans took over the operation of the business, following the death of Thomas Semmimon. Evans' son Randall was to learn the potter's trade, also, working for Peters Pottery south of Dexter. Peters made whiskey jugs and tried to create a new glaze but was not successful. When his business failed, it was bought out by Hugh Evans, helping provide work for what had become a large family. There were about five firings of 3,000 to 5,000 pieces per year.

Randall Evans and his brother Arthur went to Benton Arkansas in 1928 to observe pottery being made at the Niloak factory. The pattern known as mission swirl had become very popular and was produced there. The Evans were able to copy the style and were sued by the Niloak Company; however, the lawsuit failed. The business continued to prosper and supported the families of Hugh Randall, and Arthur Evans throughout the Great Depression.

Arthur migrated west and started Desert Sands Pottery Co in Nevada. Randall's son Terrell studied at the Chicago Art Institute and also went to Nevada. He was employed as a metallurgist with the federal government, working on the Hoover Dam project. He maintained an interest in pottery, and working with his uncle Arthur on weekends, using his education to help develop and refine the Desert Sands line. Terrell bought a small motel in Las Vegas at a location which would become part of the famed Strip. The land became so valuable it is reported to have been sold by the inch.

Back in Missouri, Randall Evans kept the original factory going. Randall had excellent eye-hand coordination and could make quart pots by feel. He was also a star pitcher and crack shot who served two terms as Stoddard County sheriff. The Missouri and Nevada families would swap wares during visits, resulting in its wide distribution. Pottery from both facilities is desirable to collectors, with the Evans pieces being harder to find. Because of their everyday use, many were broken or not considered of value and destroyed. It is also hard to identify, because Evans pottery was not marked as such when it was made. Evans Pottery ended production in the 1960's, and the last building was demolished for the widening of Highway 25 between Bloomfield and Dexter. Family members out west have remained interested in pottery, and Charles Randall Evans Jr. works part-time creating pieces in the Desert Sands style.