88 THE CLAYS OF ARKANSAS. 
CLAY INDUSTRY. 
At present no plants are reported as engaged in the manufacture 
of clay products in Dallas County. The pottery industry of the 
county has been mainly confined to the operations of the Bird brothers 
and their apprentices. The first pottery was established by them, 
and the last active pottery in the county was owned and operated by 
John C. Welch, who learned the potter's trade under William Bird. 
The first pottery was set up in 1843 by two of the brothers, Joseph 
and Nathaniel Bird. In 1844 James Bird, another brother, erected a 
pottery just over the county line, in Grant County, in the SE. J SE. \ 
sec. 23, T. 6 S., R. 16 W. He had burned but a few kilns when he 
sold out, and the business was discontinued. He used clay from a 
bed close by the old shop. 
William Bird started his first pottery in 1843, in the SW. } NW. \ 
sec. 7, T. 7 S., R. 15 W. His clay came from the Butler bed. He 
continued steadily at work here until 1851 or 1852, when he moved 
his shop to the site now occupied by John C. Welch's pottery, in the 
NW. \ SW. J sec. 17, T. 8 S., R. 15 W. He operated this" pottery 
until 1861, when he sold out to Welch. While running here he used 
clay from the Butler bed, and later from the Cheatham beds also. 
Bird started another pottery at the close of the war on what is known 
as the Bird place, in the SW. \ NW. \ sec. 6, T. 7 S., R. 15 W. He 
continued here until about 1881, when he left the State. He after- 
ward returned and followed his trade in Malvern. While at the Bird 
place he used clay from the Butler bed; also from the Bird bed, on 
the Bird place, and from Gum Bottoms. Bird has the reputation 
among the older inhabitants of the county of making very fine, 
durable ware. 
John C. Welch, as before noted, learned the trade under William 
Bird, and in 1861 bought him out and continued the business at the 
same place. The capital invested, exclusive of that for location, was 
about $150. The kiln had a capacity of 1,500 gallons. Two wheels 
were run and the average annual output was 10,000 or 15,000 gallons. 
The product was in the form of jugs, jars, churns, and crocks, which 
found a market in neighboring towns — Pine Bluff, Camden, Warren, 
Monticello, Eldorado, Magnolia, and other places. Mr. Welch at first 
used clay from the Cheatham beds, but later found and worked the 
Welch bed. His ware was hard, close-bodied, and thin. 
Nathaniel Culberson worked awhile with Welch, and between 1858 
and 1865 ran a pottery near the middle of sec. 24, T. 8 S., R. 15 W. 
He used clay from the Cheatham beds. Fragments from the old kiln 
show a rather thick, porous ware. 
In 1859 or 1860 a foreigner named Etl established a pottery about 
three-fourths of a mile north of the preceding and operated it for 
about three years. Besides ordinary crockery he made flower pots 
