The following, which will be the first part of a multi-part posting on this blog, was published in my Potter Profiles, Volume 11, back in March 1987. It was a "chapter on the Potters written by Clayton Buell Potter, grandson of Daniel and Lydia (Hale) Potter. It was included in a hand-written book compiled in 1909 by Edward Augustus Parks, the step-son of Clayton's sister, Cassandra Potter Parks.
Page 1:
"The Potter family is a large one. They have been long in the promised land and have followed the admonition to "increase and replenish the earth."
"I'm not to tell all about all the Potters, for it would be too much to read if it wee written. If you search the records, however, you may find that the Potter family in America sprang from two brothers who left England for America about 1636, both landing in what is now known as the New England states. One remained there while the other went into the more southern colonies. Our branch if from that one who remained in the Eastern States.
"Daniel Potter and Lydia, his wife, my grandparents, lived at Granville, Washington County, New York, probably as late as 1813. They had nine children, Allen, Clarissa, David, William, Daniel, Joseph, Hannah, Silas and Achsah, and our family record shows that Joseph, the sixth child, was born at Granville. Once when stopping at Whitehall in Washington County, I called on Judge Joseph Potter, one of the Judges of the Supreme Court, and in talking on the matter, his records of the family in general were the same as what I had learned of my own ancestors. He was of the same Granville stock.
"The family of Daniel Potter were pioneers, for they went far west when the virgin forest covered the western part of New York state. They settled in the town of Machias, Cattaraugus County, at what is now the foot of Lime Lake, an artificial lake made by my grandfather when he dammed the stream that was of considerable volume, flowing from immense springs and filled with speckled trout. He built a sawmill below the dam, which I believe was later carried away by a freshet breaking the dam. Grandfather and all the family were hard workers, they had to be to clear that heavy clay soil of trees, stumps, roots and stones. In logging, grandfather got one of his legs broken below his knee and had not been long recovered when a log rolled against the same leg and crushed it so badly that about six inches of the bone was lost and ever after he wore a thimble on that leg to stiffen it so that he could get about.
"Personally, I knew but little of him. I never became much acquainted with him. He was old and a broken man when I knew him and seemd quite unsocial to me. But I believe the family was credited as of good standing and sterling integrity.
TO BE CONTINUED..........................
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Monday, May 23, 2016
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Potters & Allied Families in Orange County, New York, 1800s
The following comes from the Portrait & Biographical records of Orange County, New York, 1895, pages 787-788:
Lewis Potter, owner of the "natural bridge" farm in the town of Highland, was born at Ft. Montgomery, August 17, 1825, and the first fourteen years of his life were passed in the place of his birth. He then came to Forest of Dean, and for the four ensuing years was in the employ of Daniel Slosson, upon the farm which he now owns. As soon as he had a sufficient amount saved to warrant independent action, he began farm work on his own account, and for a number of years thereafter he rented farms in Forest of Dean and Ft. Montgomery. His next venture was the purchase of a yoke of oxen, and thus equipped he engaged in teaming for three years, after which he was employed on the Hudson River for one years, and for two years tilled the soil in partnership with his brother.
After his marriage, Mr. Potter rented a farm near Ft. Montgomery, and this place he worked for nine years on shares. He then was employed for a year in New Jersey, but the following year returned home and began the cultivation of the place where his family had resided during his absence. On this property, which was situated near Ft. Montgomery, he engaged in general agricultural pursuits for three years, and later rented a farm near the mines for ten years. Desirous, however, of having property of his own, in 1873 he bought one hundred and twenty-six acres, and upon that tract he settled two years later. He has since added several hundred acres to the estate, which, under his efficient management, is one of the most productive farms in the neighborhood. The place is a very old one, and one field was cleared and has been in cultivation since a period antedating the Revolution.
It is worthy of note that our subject's grandfather, Aaron, and great-grandfather Potter were participants in the Revolutionary struggle and took an active part in the Battle of Ft. Montgomery, where the latter was killed and the form had part of his ear shot away.
For a time after the Revolution Aaron Potter lived on Long Island, whence he came to Orange County and took up a large trace of land near Highland Mills. After his death his son Thomas, our subject's father, removed to Ft. Montgomery, and died at the home of his daughter there. His wife bore the maiden name of Margaret Weyant, and was the daughter of Tobias Weyant, of Highland Mills.
The marriage of our subject took place at Forest of Dean, February 16, 1850, at which time he took as his wife Miss Phoebe, daughter of James and Catherine (Vought) Clark. Her father, who was a farmer by occupation, was a son of Moses Clark. Her mother was a daughter of Joseph and Amelia (Conklin) Vought, and the latter in turn was a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Nelson) Conklin. Henry, father of Joseph Vought, was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. Mrs. Potter is the eldest of eleven children, of whom all but two are living. Our subject was the eighth among fourteen children, and he and his brother John M., who was third in order of birth, are the only survivors.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Potter consisted of five children, namely: Millie Ann, who married Thomas Cox and is now deceased; Sarah Jane, who died in infancy; Jane, wife of George VanTassell; Catherine, who passed away in infancy; and Mary Emma, wife of Fred Holman, a fireman in an apartment house in New York City. The latter has one child, Arthur J., a fine lad of six years.
In politics Mr. Potter upholds the principles of Democracy, and has been prominent in the local ranks of his party. For thirty years he has served as Collector, and he has also filled the position of School Director.
Lewis Potter, owner of the "natural bridge" farm in the town of Highland, was born at Ft. Montgomery, August 17, 1825, and the first fourteen years of his life were passed in the place of his birth. He then came to Forest of Dean, and for the four ensuing years was in the employ of Daniel Slosson, upon the farm which he now owns. As soon as he had a sufficient amount saved to warrant independent action, he began farm work on his own account, and for a number of years thereafter he rented farms in Forest of Dean and Ft. Montgomery. His next venture was the purchase of a yoke of oxen, and thus equipped he engaged in teaming for three years, after which he was employed on the Hudson River for one years, and for two years tilled the soil in partnership with his brother.
After his marriage, Mr. Potter rented a farm near Ft. Montgomery, and this place he worked for nine years on shares. He then was employed for a year in New Jersey, but the following year returned home and began the cultivation of the place where his family had resided during his absence. On this property, which was situated near Ft. Montgomery, he engaged in general agricultural pursuits for three years, and later rented a farm near the mines for ten years. Desirous, however, of having property of his own, in 1873 he bought one hundred and twenty-six acres, and upon that tract he settled two years later. He has since added several hundred acres to the estate, which, under his efficient management, is one of the most productive farms in the neighborhood. The place is a very old one, and one field was cleared and has been in cultivation since a period antedating the Revolution.
It is worthy of note that our subject's grandfather, Aaron, and great-grandfather Potter were participants in the Revolutionary struggle and took an active part in the Battle of Ft. Montgomery, where the latter was killed and the form had part of his ear shot away.
For a time after the Revolution Aaron Potter lived on Long Island, whence he came to Orange County and took up a large trace of land near Highland Mills. After his death his son Thomas, our subject's father, removed to Ft. Montgomery, and died at the home of his daughter there. His wife bore the maiden name of Margaret Weyant, and was the daughter of Tobias Weyant, of Highland Mills.
The marriage of our subject took place at Forest of Dean, February 16, 1850, at which time he took as his wife Miss Phoebe, daughter of James and Catherine (Vought) Clark. Her father, who was a farmer by occupation, was a son of Moses Clark. Her mother was a daughter of Joseph and Amelia (Conklin) Vought, and the latter in turn was a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Nelson) Conklin. Henry, father of Joseph Vought, was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. Mrs. Potter is the eldest of eleven children, of whom all but two are living. Our subject was the eighth among fourteen children, and he and his brother John M., who was third in order of birth, are the only survivors.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Potter consisted of five children, namely: Millie Ann, who married Thomas Cox and is now deceased; Sarah Jane, who died in infancy; Jane, wife of George VanTassell; Catherine, who passed away in infancy; and Mary Emma, wife of Fred Holman, a fireman in an apartment house in New York City. The latter has one child, Arthur J., a fine lad of six years.
In politics Mr. Potter upholds the principles of Democracy, and has been prominent in the local ranks of his party. For thirty years he has served as Collector, and he has also filled the position of School Director.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Martin B. Potter, ca 1812-1883, New York...... Anybody?
Potter Profiles reader, Linda Phillips, has submitted a query for all Potter researchers to consider:
Martin B. Potter, b.ca. 1811-1812; d. 7 Feb 1883 in Natural Bridge (town of Diana), Lewis Co, New York.
He married Lucy Thompson on 12 Sep 1847 in Carthage (a village in the town of Wilna), Jefferson Co, New York.
Linda first documents her Martin B. Potter in 1850 in Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York.
Martin B. Potter, b.ca. 1811-1812; d. 7 Feb 1883 in Natural Bridge (town of Diana), Lewis Co, New York.
He married Lucy Thompson on 12 Sep 1847 in Carthage (a village in the town of Wilna), Jefferson Co, New York.
Linda first documents her Martin B. Potter in 1850 in Ellisburg, Jefferson County, New York.
Martin and Lucy had three sons: (1) Alvah Potter, 1852-1874, buried in the Carthage Cemetery; (2) George C. Potter, b. 2 Oct 1854, d. 20 Oct 1918; and (3) Chester E. Potter, b. 29 Aug 1857, d. Oct 1931.
Linda's Potter ancestor was George C. Potter, 1854-1918. Any help from anybody related would be welcomed by Linda! Contact her at Linsgenealogyhx@gmail.com.
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