Dave’s Inscriptions

Some of Dave’s words and poems are included throughout this book to help give readers a sense of his language and an understanding of his thoughts and experiences. The transcriptions of the writings come from Carolina Clay: The Life and Legend of the Slave Potter Dave by Leonard Todd, and they follow Dave’s spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as closely as possible. Here are Dave’s inscriptions that appear in this book.

 

Concatination

June 12, 1834

 

put every bit all between

surely this Jar will hold 14

July 12, 1834

 

horses mules and hogs —

all our cows is in the bogs —

there they shall ever stay

till the buzzards take them away =

March 29, 1836

 

Dave belongs to Mr Miles /

wher the oven bakes & the pot biles ///

July 13, 1840

 

L. Miles Dave

October 13, 1843

 

just a mammouth Jar [illegible]

for I not [illegible]

October 17, 1850

 

Lm says this handle

will crack

June 28, 1854

 

I wonder where is all my relation

friendship to all — and, every nation

August 16, 1857

 

This noble jar = will hold, 20

fill it with silver = then you’ll have plenty

April 8, 1858

 

Great & Noble Jar

hold Sheep goat or bear

May 13, 1859

 

I, made this Jar, all of cross

If, you dont repent, you will be, lost =

May 3, 1862