Monday, April 30, 2012

John Potter of Rhode Island: Counterfeiter




An article in Yankee magazine, August 1978, explained that a house built in 1730 on the bay in Matanuck, Rhode Island by one Capt. John Potter has a fascinating history. "Down in the cellar is where the original owner, Capt. John Potter, and a number of his cronies manufactured counterfeit money..... all described in the Rhode Island Historical Society's book, Counterfeiting in Colonial Rhode Island. Seems he was eventually caught and ended up paying a fine of 10,000 pound, half in gold dust and the balance in cash, in order to keep from going to jail and having his ears cut off. Ouch!"  The article, which I reproduced in Potter Profiles, Vol. 5, September 1985, did not have any further information on this John Potter. Anybody know any further history on him, his family or his descendants??

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