Potters In Steuben County, NY 1797-1868

From the book Marriages & Deaths from Steuben County, New York, Newspapers, 1797-1838, edited by Y.E. Martin:

Bradford A. POTTER, d. 1850, age about 56, Corning NY
E.K. POTTER, ???
George E. POTTER, only child of E.K. and Orillia POTTER, d. age 1 year 7 months
Gifford POTTER, d. 25 Oct 1841, age about 40, in Wheeler, NY, "suddenly of inflammatory rheumatism"
Orillia L. POTTER, d. 2 Feb 1856 in Bath, NY, of scarletina anginosa and cyanche parotidea
W. POTTER, d. 13 Aug 1856 in Avoca, NY, was a Revolutionary War Patriot

How does one did "suddenly" of rheumatism??? Hummmm...............   If any reader of this blog has any bit of information on "stray" Potters, I would be happy to publish it here for all to benefit from. 

Query From A Reader: Looking for Christopher Potter

Looking for information about Christopher POTTER 3rd from Rhode Island - his parents and siblings, date of birth, date of death and where, etc. Any info is greatly appreciated..

 

What I know is:  he married Charlotte WADE (b. 1770) of Glocester RI (no marriage record found). Christopher and Charlotte purchased land from Nicholas Potter in 1790 (Foster Ri land records) and were parents of my GG Grandfather Amos Potter.   Charlotte gave a deposition in 1849 to the fact she attended her half sister Phebe Hopkins’ wedding to Nicholas Potter (so Phebe could qualify for his Revolutionary War pension).  

 

Charlotte died after 1850 in Scituate RI (listed in the 1850 Census as Charlotte Potts).  Christopher 3rd appears in the 1820 Scituate RI Census only (with approximately 20 other Potter heads of family). Amos Potter (1801-1861) and Phebe Ann Keach had 3 children, the oldest of which was my G Grandfather, Henry Wade Potter (1828-1911). 

 

His son, James T. Potter, was my grandfather, etc.

 

Bill Potter (formerly Rumford, RI)

320 Harbor Dr S. Venice, FL 34285

willpotter@verizon.net

 

 

Elisha Reynolds Potter, Congressman, 1796-1797

                                   Elisha Reynolds Potter ; from Wikipedia

Elisha Reynolds Potter (1764–1835) was a statesman in the Federalist Party from Kingston, Rhode Island, who served several times as the Speaker in the Rhode Island State Assembly. Potter ran against Peleg Arnold in a special election for the U.S House of Representatives in 1796 caused by Benjamin Bourne's resignation, and Potter won the election. He served as a United States Congressman from 1796 to 1797 and again from 1809 to 1815.^[1]  His son, also Elisha Reynolds Potter, was also a Congressman.

I was browsing through some old issues of James N. Arnold's Narragansett Historical Register, A Magazine, Vol. 2, 1883-1884, when page 107 caught my eye:  TRUE AMERICAN TICKET;  Elisha R. Potter, Esq., of South Kingstown. Richard Jackson, jun., Esp., of Providence. Representatives in the twelfth Congress of the United States. 

What followed was a "political letter" dated Providence, August 22, 1810, signed by fifty "friends and fellow citizens" (apparently submitted to the magazine) written "to request your cooperation in the election of Messrs. Jackson and Potter."  I quote from that letter:

"They have represented the State for two years with fidelity, zeal and ability. They have opposed unnecessary restrictions on our commerce, and the increase of an useless army, and have advocated Economy in our public expenditures. They are not only qualified by their talents to serve their country in these eventful times when even our INDEPENDENCE is endangered by the injustice, the rapacity, and still more by the influence of a foreign power....but are also from their intimate knowledge of the affairs of their Constituents, and their deep stake in our prosperity, the proper representatives of our feelings, our views and our interests.

"Mr. POTTER is a farmer, and one of the largest landholders in the State. MR. JACKSON is concerned in an extensive manufacturing establishment.....in them are united the various interests of Agriculture, Commerce, Manufactures and the Mechanic Arts; and they have ever shown themselves to be true and able friends of those great sources of our national wealth, prosperity and power. 

"Knowing your attachment to the CONSTITUTION and INDEPENDENCE of our country, and placing great dependence on your personal exertion and influence, we confidently hope that you will unite with us, in endeavoring by all fair and honorable means to secure the re-election of these firm and faithful Representatives.  (Signed) We are respectfully, Your Friends and Fellow Citizens...

I was hoping for a picture of Elisha, Jr. or Sr., but none came up. If you want more information about either Elisha, first check out the Wikipedia listing and then Potter Profiles.

 

Potters in list of Early Ohio Settlers

 

In these hot July and August days, aren't you glad you're not an Ohio pioneer living in the Ohio summer heat in a long wool dress in a little cabin having no windows??? But some of our Potter ancestors did  ...........

From the book Early Ohio Settlers: Purchasers of Land in East and East-Central Ohio, 1800-1840, compiled by E.T. and D.A. Berry, I found these Potters listed:

Purchaser                             Date Filed                                County

Daniel Potter                        12 Sep 1837                             Coshocton Co

David Potter                         10 Sep 1838                            Tuscarawas Co

Henry Potter                         9 Dec 1814                              Muskingum Co

Horace Potter                       21 Dec 1821                            Columbiana Co

Horace Potter                       24 Jan 1822                              New Lisbon

Horace Potter                       31 Jan 1822                              New Lisbon

Horace Potter                       18 May 1824                            New Lisbon

Horace Potter                       20 May 1824                            New Lisbon

Horace Potter                       11 Aug 1824                             New Lisbon

Leonard Potter                      15 Feb 1833                             Holmes Co

Leonard Potter                      14 Nov 1836                            Holmes Co

Relita Potter                           12 Jan 1835                             Ohio Co, Virginia

William Potter                         28 Mar 1836                           Ohio Co, Virginia

(Thanks to Google images for the "early Ohio settler" cabin photo.)

Potter Family in Morrow County, Ohio, 1880

 

 
This is from the History of Morrow County, Ohio, published in 1880, page 552:

DAVID POTTER, farmer; PO Mt.Gilead; was born in Yorkshire, England, about 1811, and lived there until 1838 following farming and general albor; he then came to Ohio, and worked at farming in this vicinity; in October, 1839, he married miss Elizabeth Melott, who was born in Monroe, Co, Ohio, and came to this county when 12 years of age.

About the year 1858, Mr. Potter settled on his present place, and has lived on the same ever since. Of their nine children, but four are living... Hannah, now Mrs. George Pinyerd, of this vicinity; Martha E, now Mrs. W. F. Finley, of Jay Co, Indiana; Henry, living in this vicinity, and Charles E., living at home.

Mrs. Potter's parents, Samuel and Massie (Straight) Melott, were natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, mrs. Melott being born at Straighstville, which was named after her father, one of the pioneers of that locality. She died in Monroe Co; he then married Mrs. Wink, formerly Miss Mary Truex, and they came to this vicinity in 1831, where he died in March, 1868; Mrs. Melott is living on the old homestead.

A "Lost" Potter in Port Angeles, Washington in 1915?

 

(Thanks to FindAGrave.com for this image; Sequim View Cemetery)

An obituary from The Olympic Leader, dated 26 September 1915: 

 Benjamin R. Potter, Pioneer Resident Dead

Benjamin R. Potter, one of the oldest men in Clallam County and a resident of the Sequim community since 1886, died at his home here of old age on Sunday, September 26th. He was close to 90 years.

He was born in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, January 2 1826 and was married to Adelia Sybrant of Sparta Township, Pennsylvania, August 28 1855. His wife survives him.

In 1865 they moved to Minnesota and took up a homestead near Rush City where they resided 21 years coming further west to Washington Territory in 1886 and settling at Sequim where they have ever since made their home.

Here in 1905 they celebrated their golden wedding surrounded by their children and grand children, a very interesting and memorable occasion for the entire assemblage.

Ten years have since been added to their married life making the unusual record of sixty years together.

Born to this union were ten children, nine of whom are living, as follows:  Mrs. J.W. Grant, Seattle;  Mrs. Effie Pilcher, Sequim;  Mrs. J.L Pownall, Eugene, Oregon;  G.E. Potter, Sequim;  Mrs. William Wooding, Reeveton;  J.C. Potter, Mabton;  Mrs. C.L. McDougal and Mrs. Eva Ware, Sequim, and W.B. Potter, Puyallup.

There are 38 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren. One sister, Mrs. Cynthia Sybrant of Harris, Minnesota, survives the deceased. 

The funeral took place from Mrs. Ware's residence where Mr. and Mrs. B.R. Potter have been making their home. Services were conducted by Rev. C.E. Fulmer of Port Angeles and burial took place in the Sequim Vew Cemetery.

Mr. Potter was a farmer by occupation most of his life. He was a member of the Baptist Church and a highly respected, honorable and industrious citizen throughout his long and useful career.

Will of Nicholas Potter of Salem, 1697

The quite lengthy will of Nicholas Potter was transcribed and published in Vol. 3 of The Probate Records of Essex County in 1916 by the Essex Institute....... and I republished it in Vol. 5, 1985, in Potter Profiles.

In this long document, composed on 10 Aug 1677, Nicholas mentions many/most/all of his children.... and some he designated as those "by my last wife." He mentions sons Robert, Samuel, and Benjamin. Daughters were Elizabeth (NEWALL), Sarah, Mary (ELLSON), Bethiah (WITT), and Hannah (ROCH). Interestingly he mentions his brothers Bartholmew, Eleazer and Nathaniel GIDNEY. I believe that these were not his born-siblings-brothers but brothers to his wife, Mary GEDNEY.  I also found it quite interesting that the names of his children are spelled differently with each mention in the will.

Nicholas Potter's lineage was dubbed by me to be Branch 3 and in the 3000 pages of Potter Profiles there is much information on this line for he had quite a posterity!