If you've ever been to the North Carolina Museum of History, you'll notice several pieces there by potters named Owen and Owens. The "s" in the name isn't a typo--the Owens name is a derivative of Owen. In the middle 1800s, B. Franklin Owen had 3 sons: Rufus, B. Franklin, Jr., and James H. Of the three, only Rufus and James had children; James added an "s" to the name. One of Rufus' three children was Ben Owen, Sr. M.L. Owens was one of James' five children.

The representation of the Owen and Owens families in The Potters of Seagrove illustrates how the craft is passed down from one generation to the next. For the Owen family, Ben Owen III learned from his grandfather, Ben Owen, Sr., and father, Ben Owen, Jr. In fact, Ben Owen III comes from 9 generations of potters. M.L. Owens taught his children, Vernon and Nancy, who in turn taught their children, Travis and Baile. Thus Owens and Owenses continue handing down the tradition, making pottery a part of their family history and equating the family name with the craft.

.Ben Owen III

Vernon Owens

Nancy Owens Brewer