Johann George Pfaltzgraff, Date of Birth, Date of Death
TweetJohann George Pfaltzgraff
German-American potter and businessman
Date of Birth: 05-May-1808
Date of Death: 07-Jan-1873
Profession: ceramist
Nationality: United States
Zodiac Sign: Taurus 
About Johann George Pfaltzgraff
- Johann George Pfaltzgraff or Pfaltzgraf (May 5, 1808 – January 7, 1873) was a German-American potter and businessman.
- He is recognized as the first potter in the Pfaltzgraff family of potters in the United States.
- Pfaltzgraff Pottery Co.
- is known as the oldest pottery company in the USA.
- Lifetime Brands purchased the business in 2005. Born in Frielendorf, Germany, he moved to Foustown in York County, Pennsylvania, United States in 1833.
- He arrived with his wife Hedwig Eleonore (Elenora) Bramer right after they were married on May 27, 1833 in Frielendorf.
- Elenora was a commoner by German standards while Johann came from a family of great distinction and the upper class, as his family owned a pottery company.
- The marriage was frowned upon by his family in Germany, so Johann decided that a move to the United States was in the best interests of himself and Elenora.
- Johann and Elenora had ten children: John Bramer, George Bramer, Elizabeth, Emma, Annie, Sarah, Lydia, Cornelius, Henry, and Isaac. After they settled into the Foustown community, Johann began his new life as a farmer.
- He also started his trade that he mastered while in Germany by designing and creating his own pottery.
- He almost immediately began making stoneware from clay that he would purchase from Ohio.
- He also used the local lands in the Foustown area to gather his own clays as this region of Pennsylvania is rich in clays.
- Later, at least three of his sons learned the trade from him.
- There were: John Bramer, George Bramer, and Cornelius.
- The oldest pieces known to exist from the family are from John Bramer Pfaltzgraff.
- And every one of his pieces were unique, in that he never created a duplicate piece of pottery.1 Johann George died January 7, 1873.
- He is buried in the Loucks Cemetery (also known as Wolf's) across the street from the West Manchester Mall at 1881 Loucks Rd, York, Pennsylvania.
- Elenora died on January 8, 1896 and is buried in the same cemetery.
- Other Pfaltzgraff family members are buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in York.
Read more at Wikipedia