Notable people · Business · Art
Maria Longworth Nichols Storer
Cincinnati arts patron who founded Rookwood Pottery in 1880 and won a gold medal at the 1889 Paris Exposition. Married George Ward Nichols (1868) and, after his death, diplomat and Congressman Bellamy Storer (1886).
At a glance
- Born
- 1849-03-20
- Died
- 1932-04-30
- Education
- McMicken School of Drawing and Design (Art Academy of Cincinnati), Cincinnati, OH, from 1874
- Known as
- Business, Art
- Organizations
- Rookwood Pottery
Life story
Maria Longworth was born in Cincinnati in 1849 into a wealthy family and studied piano and painting from childhood. In 1868 she married Colonel George Ward Nichols.
In 1871 she founded the Cincinnati May Festival and in 1874 enrolled at the McMicken School of Drawing and Design. She studied china painting and ceramics.
In 1879-80 she founded Rookwood Pottery, and in 1889 she won a gold medal at the Paris Exposition and handed the business to William W. Taylor.
After Nichols died in 1885 she married lawyer Bellamy Storer in 1886; he served in Congress 1891-95. She became Catholic in 1896 and died April 30, 1932.
Timeline
- 1849-03-20: Born in Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1868: Marries George Ward Nichols (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1871: Founds Cincinnati May Festival (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1876: Work shown at the Centennial Exposition (Philadelphia, PA) source
- 1880: Founds Rookwood Pottery (1879-80) (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1886: Marries Bellamy Storer (US) source
- 1889: Gold medal at Paris Exposition; transfers pottery to Taylor (Paris, France) source
- 1932-04-30: Dies at 83 source
What Maria is known for
- Founded Rookwood Pottery, Cincinnati, 1880
- Rookwood gold medal, Paris Exposition 1889
- Rookwood Pottery
- Cincinnati May Festival
Inventions and firsts
- Rookwood Pottery (1880)
Honors and things named for them
- Gold medals: Cincinnati 1882, Paris 1889, Paris 1900
Family
- first husband: George Ward Nichols
- second husband: Bellamy Storer
- father: Joseph H. Longworth
- nephew: Nicholas Longworth III
Ohio places
Where Maria Longworth Nichols Storer was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Born: Cincinnati, Hamilton County ZIP 45202 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County
- Worked: Cincinnati (Rookwood Pottery, first site a former schoolhouse on Eastern Avenue), Hamilton County ZIP 45202 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County
Myths and corrections
- Wikipedia also credits Mary Louise McLaughlin's collaboration in the founding.
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Maria Longworth Storer (Wikipedia) born 1849-03-20 Cincinnati; died 1932-04-30; Rookwood 1880; Paris 1889 gold medal; marriages