In 1869, John M. Wilson sold his interest in the Guadalupe Pottery to his partner, Marion J. Durham, a native of the Edgefield District of South Carolina. This sale may have prompted the establishment of a new pottery by men formerly enslaved by John M. Wilson. Hyrum Wilson (1836–1884), James Wilson (1847–1917), Wallace Wilson (born c. 1845), Andrew Wilson (dates unknown), and George Wilson (dates unknown) founded the firm that would be known as H. Wilson & Company. Hyrum, James, and Wallace became the principals of the new enterprise, one of the first African American owned businesses in Texas, which operated until 1884. Breaking from the southern tradition of using alkaline glazes, H. Wilson & Company appears to have used only salt glazing for its wares, a technique thought to have been introduced by Ohio native Isaac Suttles.

As he continued the business he bought from John M. Wilson, Marion Durham appears to have been affiliated with John Chandler (born c. 1830), who was probably formerly enslaved by the noted Edgefield potter Thomas Chandler. Durham moved the pottery to a site closer to the clay source; it remained in operation until 1903.