"Stray" Potters in Washington State

Last weekend I attended the Washington State Genealogical Society conference, held this year in Ellensburg, Washington. This town was incorporated in 1883 which is a long time ago for Washington.

Ellensburg is home to the Central Washington Branch of the Washington State Archives. As such, the facility pictured above holds the government-created records for the several counties in the center of Washington.

After a lovely tour there, I did some looking and collecting of marriage records in those counties for stray Potters:

Kittitas County

Afred H. Potter m. Elizabeth J. Bonnell on 20 Feb 1889 in Ellensburg; Isacc H. and Edith F. Bonnell were the witnesses.

Klickitat County

Earl Potter, along with Lizzie Nesbitt, were the witnesses to the marriage of  Pearl Potter to J.E. Ryan on 20 Mar 1889 at the residence of M.B. Potter.

John Potter married Frances D. West on 27 Oct 1892 in Goldendale; Nels and Addie Potter were witnesses.

M.E. Potter was a witness to the marriage of S.C. Eshleman to Emma Neimela on 25 Jun 1905 in Centerville.

Grant County

Newton Potter married Susan A. (nee Fike? couldn't quite read)  Rogers on 25 Apr 1915.

R.W. Potter married Matte (Mitchell) Lowe on 21 May 1918.

Potter's Field... Definition ..... More & Again

This is the image accompanying the Wikipedia explanation of the term "Potter's Field." And here is the definition: 

1. A potter's field, paupers' grave or common grave is a term for a place for the burial of unknown or indigent people. The U.S. expression potter's field derives from the Bible, referring to a field used for the extraction of potter's clay; such land, useless for agriculture, could be used as a burial site.

 Once again I read Matthew 27:7-10 where the chief priests took the money Judas had remorsefully cast back at them and "bought the potter's field to bury strangers in."  

I did a brief post on this same topic back on 25 Mar 2011.   A comment posted to that blog entry was most helpful:  

TmasonSeptember 10, 2011 at 1:43 AM

As far as I understand, a potters field was a field that was not good for agricultural or even developmental purposes. The potter would use it to dispose of broken, unfixable pottery. The land was purchased with the money because it could not be put into the treasury, but notice, once it became a burial ground, the Bible no longer refers to it as the "potters field" but as the "field of blood"

1. Bottom line, seems to me that this term has no origins to the surname Potter. Would you agree??

Potters in Anderson County, Texas Prior to1900

From the book "Pioneer Families of Anderson County, Texas, Prior to 1900,"  published by the Anderson County Genealogical Society (no date), page 294:

Silas Potter was born in 1813 in Tennessee. He and his wife, Rachel Amos, born 1826, died about 1861, were living in Cherokee County, Alabama in 1840. They apparently were newlyweds, as there were no children in their household at that time. An older woman between the ages of 60-70 was living with them. In 1850 and 1860 they lived in Dekalb County, Alabama, and their family had grown to ten children, all born in Alabama. They were:

1. Frances Marion, b. 1841
2. Nancy Elizabeth, twin, b. 1843, d. 2 Mar 1912, m. George Coffee. 
3. Sylvia, twin, by 1843, died young.
4. Rachel, b. 1844, d. 15 Jan 1926, m. Will Geiger.
5. James H., b. 1849.
6. daughter possibly named Emily, who died young
7. Eliza Ann, b. 1853, m. Joseph Miller.
8. Martha Caroline, b. 1855, d. 7 Dec 1922, m. Thomas J. Marlin.
9. John Cobb, b. 1857, d. 1910, m. #1 Susie Mitchell; m. #2 Sarah Frances Mobley.
10. William Washington, b. 26 Aug 1858, d. 26 Feb 1939, m. #1 Sarah Baker, m. #2 Dola Ines Bridges.

A farmer and boot maker by trade, Silas came to Anderson County about 1880 and remained there the rest of his life. All of the children made the move to Texas except Francis Marion, James H., and the two daughters who died young. 

Silas Potter died on 14 Jul 1892 and is buried in the Palestine City Cemetery, Old City Section 1.

*** Submitted (to the book) by Mrs. Johnnie Potter Ayo

Potters At Vicksburg Battlefield National Park

Both Capt. Matthew B. Potter (in Co. F) and 1st Lt. Theodore Potter (Co. H) were in the 124th Infantry from Illinois and did participate in the battle to take Vicksburg, Mississippi in May and June of 1863 (during the Civil War). 

This monument shows where the 124th Infantry was encamped. 

The monument was built by the state of Illinois to honor their fallen sons. This is a photo of a picture at the site depicting the dedication.  This mosaic seal is in the center of the floor of the monument building.

If these two Potter men are your ancestors, I would love to hear from you!

John B. Potter, born 1826, Fayette County, Pennsylvania & More

In the 1889 book, The Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, pages 567 and 232, I gleaned this Potter information for you:




Page 232:  Jasper Markle Thompson, b. 30 Aug 1822, near Washington, Mason County, KY, m. 1846 to Eliza, youngest daughter of Samuel Caruthers..... his mother was a daughter of Lt. James Potter and her  brother was Gen. James Potter, "a highly trusted friend of Gen. Washington during the Revolutionary War."  

Page 567:   "John B. Potter, one of the highly respected citizens of Steward township, was born in Fayette county, PA, November 30, 1828. He is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Leonard) Potter, the latter a daughter of Mahlon Leonard, who was a native of New Jersey. To their union wee born the following-named children:  Mary A., John B., Elizabeth, George P., Julian, Samuel, Amos, Sarah and Thomas, all living.

John Potter, the grandfather of John B. Potter, was born in New Jersey, in a very early day emigrated from that state to Pennsylvania, and settled in what is now known as Jockey Hollow, in Henry Clay township. The maiden name of his wife was Elizabeth Callaham.

John B. Potter received the meager advantages afforded by the common subscription schools of his day. He is at the present time engaged in the milling business and has served several terms in township offices. During the war he was drafted, but upon examination he was rejected on account of the loss of three of his fingers.

In 1855 he was marred to Miss Tamson Harvey, of Wharton Township. To them have been born eight children:  Arthur F., Elmyra, Cora, Anaddo, Lorena, Erma C., Dalton and Hampton L.