Wednesday, May 28, 2014

"Stray" Potter in Eastern Washington,1931


My friend, Charles, found this "stray Potter" while doing some indexing for the Washington State Archives (the SCRIBE program). This family lived in the little town of Ione, on the Pend Oreille River in the county of the same name, north of Spokane in Eastern Washington (just 22 miles from the Canadian border).  The town was first settled in 1894 and incorporated in 1910. Mining and timbering were the two primary occupations.

The Marriage Affidavit Record above is for Ray Potter, age 21, of Ione, and Esther Sarah Applegate, also age 21, and of Ione. They were married on 28 May 1931 in Ione and Gertrude Applegate was a witness.

I could not find the Potter family in either the 1930 nor 1940 U.S. Federal Censuses.

I did find the Applegate family in 1930 living in Ione; Gertrude was 43, a widow, born in Kansas, with children Esther, 20 (store clerk), Marvin, 18, Fred, 15, and Forest 12. In the 1940 census, poor dear Gertrude is living all by herself in Burns, Harney Co, Oregon.

So where did Mr. Ray Potter come from? And where did he go? To which Potter family does he belong?

Monday, May 19, 2014

Potters Resting in Richmond, VA, Hollywood Cemetery


I was lucky enough to be able to visit a second time to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. The name derives from the many holly bushes and trees on the site. Opened in 1849, many notables from the history of the South rest there. In the President's Circle (above) is the gravesite of President James Monroe.


Many folks of humble origin and service are buried there too. Amazingly, there are only five Potter persons resting there......... out of all those thousands! I was surprised. They are:

May Handy Potter, died age 86, buried 5 Jun 1952
Mary D. Potter (Mrs. Benj. J.), died age 54, buried 24 Mar 1937, last residence was Atlanta, GA
Hazeltine Wattson Potter (Mrs. S.B.), died aged 83, buried 26 Mar 1982.
Ben. J. Potter, buried 12 Nov 1913
Eva Landrum Potter (Mrs. Jas.), died age 81, buried 7 Jan 1938, lived at 2509 W. Grace St.