Research by Betty Madden in her work "Jug Towns," Art , Crafts, and Architecture in Early Illinois, University of Illinois Press, pp 181 to 183, depicts most interesting early Illinois pottery and fire clay related data. She conveys "The United States Industrial Census of 1840 showed that the pottery industry had become the most significantly developed industry in Illinois. Twenty-three potteries were listed, all being small operations limited to members of one family. At least two or three potter's had worked in the state of Illinois during the 1820s, and the first to advertiser wares appeared in the Sagamon Journal, November 10, 1831. John Ebey advertised "Potters Ware / established in Springfield, near the public square, a potter's ware manufactory; and will be able to supply all others in his line of business on good terms. Wanted -- in exchange for ware, clean cotton and linen rags: For which two and a half cents per pound will be allowed. Most kinds of country produce will also be received in exchange for ware: Signed John Neff Ebey, Springfield, November 10, 1831.

In about 1826, Ebey moved with members of the Brunk family to Cotton Hill, south of Springfield. The following year he made his first Illinois pottery, redware. The production of stoneware, a finer pottery, had become a leading industry in New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Indiana. This type of pottery had been produced for centuries in Europe, especially Germany in England, but the large amounts of fine, light buff or gray clay needed for its manufacturer had not been found by the early potters of eastern America. In the early 1800s in Illinois, these clays were found at certain areas, surprisingly near the earth's surface. This superior clay had been pushed upward towards periods of the earth's turbulence from the usual resting-place near veins of coal.

Potters of west central Illinois, meanwhile, were making redware. Around 1825, William Heath and Michael Baker were near White Hall, Green County, Illinois. George Ebey discovered stoneware clay near White Hall, Green County, Illinois, in 1828 and took a sample back to Ohio for testing. It appears that this was the earliest discovery of one of the most extensive and accessible sources of fine stoneware clay in America, with the outer cropping forming a belt extending from Rock Island to Alton, about half the length of the state. Sometime before 1834, the brothers John Neff Ebey and George Ebey, always alert to the discovery of newer and perhaps even richer kinds of clay, moved to Manchester, Scout County, Illinois. In 1834, George Ebey struck such a vein at Winchester, a small village in the woods and hazel brush about 14 miles from White Hall, Green County, Illinois. In about 1834 he bought out the pottery establishment of Robert Harrison, and by 1870 Ebey and his sons were operating the most extensive pottery, firebrick, and drain tile factory in the country. During these years, George Ebey made a major contribution to the future development of Illinois prairies. In 1855, experimenting on his own farm, he had demonstrated that with the use of drainage tile, he could convert wet and swampy regions into productive farmland and keep roads passable even during wet seasons. The drainage tile led to the virtual elimination of the "ague" malaria, which had been a great scourge of early settlers."

"GEORGE EBEY, an old and prominent citizen of this county, who settled in Illinois before the "winter of the deep snow," was born in the state of Ohio, near the city of Columbus, on the 18th of January, 1811, and is consequently now in his sixty-first year. He migrated to Illinois in the year 1828, when the great prairies over which he crossed were yet unscathed by iron rails or marred by worn fences-and no thought then had ever entered the head of the boldest settler that these almost boundless prairies would ever be disturbed by the plow-when even the small prairies in the vicinity of timber were yet sparsely settled, and log cabins were plentier than now, and the wigwam was still found along the rivers, especially across the Illinois river. Mr. EBEY settled first in Sangamon county, where he began the manufacture of earthenware, and in January, 1832, he returned to his native state to look after a partner for his future home in the west. The result, as might have been anticipated, was a wedding, which took place in the following May. His wife, Matilda J. KIRKPATRICK, was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and was the daughter of Robert and Jane KIRKPATRICK. In 1833, Mr. EBEY, with his family (not so numerous then as now), returned to Illinois, and settled at Manchester, in this county, where he began to work at once at his trade, and in the spring of 1834 moved to Winchester, then a small village in the woods and hazel-brush. He here began the manufacture of stoneware, carried on the business successfully for three years and sold out his property in town and removed to the farm where he now resides, about three-quarters of a mile northeast of Winchester. Mr. EBEY has always been noted for his enterprising spirit, never afraid to make experiments in new and untried directions, and, as luck or judgment would have it, he generally has been successful. As an example of this: In 1829, when he resided in Sangamon county, he visited Whitehall. He there found clay which in his judgment was suitable for the manufacture of stoneware. He put some of it into his saddlebags, and carried it all the way to Ohio to compare it with the clay there, and for the purpose of having it tested. The result proved the correctness of his judgment, and induced him, after having selected his "partner," to settle in this part of the state.

Mr. EBEY has always been a hard working man, and has accumulate his now ample property, not by trading or speculation upon the misfortunes of his fellow man, but by labor and economy. He has always made it a point to attend to his own business, considering also, that everything connected with the prosperity and welfare of the community, morally, socially, physically, and intellectually, constituted a part of his business; and if little children were locked out of the school house while teachers went home to warm dinners of "turkey and cranberry sauce," the public would soon know it, with "George EBEY" at the foot of his article, responsible for what he said.

Robert HARRISON was the first potter located in Winchester. He established a small pottery here in 1830. Mr. EBEY bought out HARRISON, when he moved to Winchester, and from that time has been actively engaged in the business, which has constantly increased from the onset. Some fifteen years ago Mr. EBEY began the manufacture of tile, to be used on his own farm. This was before the day of tile drainage in the west, but a trial soon demonstrated its suitableness and cheapness, and now the manufacture of tile has become one of the leading branches of industry if Winchester. From the small pottery, made of logs, in Winchester, his works have grown to their present large dimensions, now located upon his farm.

Mr. EBEY and wife have raised a large and respectable family-ten children in all,--and have always not only "brought them up in the way they should go," but have added weight to precept by setting before them a good example. Mr. EBEY is a zealous and faithful member of the Methodist Church, and has been for many years. The Sabbath to him and his family has always been a day of rest, and long, long before the tones of bells had disturbed the wilderness it was his constant practice to take with him his wife and little ones to the house of God. Sermons were a little longer then than now-a few more truths were told. The rough, backwoods preacher went at his work like a wood chopper into the clearing, as if he meant business. His family consisted of seven sons and three daughters, eight of whom are now living: George and Robert were twins. They were born on the 4th of Jul, 1833; Robert died June 27, 1860. Thomas was born November 24th 1835; Wm. Fletcher, January 8, 1838; Mary, the wife of Wm. J. GARLAND, was born May 12, 1840; Eliza, the wife of Henry S-------, who resides in Logan county, Illinois, was born January 29, 1843; Minnie was born on the 29th of November, 1845-she resides at home; Olin was born December 17, 1848, and resides with his father; Orville was born December 27, 1851; David was born April 27, 1854.

When war was declared against the south, and a call was made for volunteers, Mr. EBEY responded by sending thirteen men from his house into the service-sons, sons-in-law, hired men, and apprentice boys. Mr. EBEY rented out his pottery during the war, and was a standing committee to look after the brave boys who fell or were taken sick. He made eight rips in three years, and every time took such things as the boys needed. He was always very fortunate in finding the regiments. No man in Scott county did more than Mr. EBEY, and long may he live to enjoy the society of his many friends and neighbors. "