Thomas Potter Family

Thomas Potter Family
Virginia, Tennessee, & Missouri

Thomas Potter II SR
b. 1760-70
d. 1840-50 ? Dallas Co., MO

m.unknown
her father: unknown
her mother: unknown

his father: ? unknown Potter Ireland
his mother: ? unknown Ireland

Children
Elizabeth Potter	b. c1780 VA	d.1871 possibly in Greene Co., MO	m. Mathias Wall Mackey (son of Elias Mackey ) 2m. Thomas Wilkerson (a widow) abt 1815
William S. Potter	b. c1784 VA	d. 5 Nov 1857 Polk, MO	m. Ruth Mackey 13 Jan 1806 Greene, TN (dau of Elias Mackey )
Mary Potter	b. 29 Jan 1782 Tenn	d. 5 Aug 1854 Newton / Jasper Co., MO	m. Benjamin Mackey (son of Elias Mackey )
Rev. Thomas J. Potter Esq. JR.	b. 1791 TN	d. 21 Jan 1865 Greene Co.,MO	m. Elizabeth Wilkerson
James W. Potter	b. 1793 Jackson, TN	d. 4 Sep 1875 Marshfield, MO	m. Rachael Wilkerson
Zacheriah Potter	b.	d.	m. Mary Ann Plumlee (b. abt 1800 TN)

We have no idea if this Thomas Potter is the immigrant Potter to the colonies. We have found no proof that gives the age or place of birth. There are quite a number of Thomas Potters of the same approximate age and it has proved difficult to find documents that identify the family members. Several of the Potters move into various areas of Kentucky making connections even more problematic. David Seigler states, "The Potters apparently lived in Virginia before moving further west. There are a number of Potters including a couple of Thomas Potters in the early Virginia records but nothing conclusively links the early Potters together into cohesive family groups although they are probably related. One Thomas Potter was probably born about 1740. There was a large family of Quakers named Potter in Shrewsberry, New Jersey for the late 1600's through the late 1700's. In 1677, Thomas Potter married Ann Potter." [records of David Seigler]

The following record is on the Holston River, Washington Co., VA. This the earliest record that we have found so far of the connection of the Potter and Mackey families. We believe this makes firm that this Thomas Potter in Washington Co., Virginia is our Thomas. Elias McKey listed here connects these families and continues a tradition of geographic proximity that also lead to the connetion to the Marshall family later on.

Page 288 - James Watson, assignee of Thomas Potter, assignee of Frithuies? Wall, assignee of George Finley - 70 ac - Treasury Warrant - on Gross Creek running into the south fork - in a valley - warrant #12166 June 4, 1782 - August 19, 1785
[Washington County, VA Survey records abstracts 1781-1797 Part 3 of 5 (pages 201-300)]

Page 300 - Francis Wilkinson, assignee of Aaron Lewis - 100 ac - Treasury warrant - in the New Garden on Andrew Lynem's fork of Thompson Creek on the waters of Clynch River - warrant dated March 23, 1782, #11573 - September 6, 1785
[Washington County, VA Survey records abstracts 1781-1797 Part 3 of 5 (pages 201-300)]

Page 372 - Sibius Main, assignee of Thomas Potter - 196 ac - treasury warrant #12166 - on the south side of the south fork of Holstein River - March 14, 1788
Washington County, VA Survey records abstracts 1781-1797 Part 4 of 5 (pages 301-400)

1787- a notation in the TAX list for Montgomery Co., Virginia says that John and Thomas Potter moved to North Carolina. Elias Mackey had a land grant in Green Co., NC in 1787 along with William Wilson and Thomas Wilkinson (1796)

Marriage records document family links. [Green Co., TN]

1793 - Thomas Potter and Thomas Gregg recorded early North Carolina land grant for Green Co., NC which later became Green Co., TN. Based on land grants it is assumed that they moved to Tennessee by the the early 1790's and then on to Knox Co., Kentucky.

1802- The Potter family shows up on the Tax List of Knox Co., TN.

Knox County, Kentucky is formed in 1800 from Lincoln County.

1802 - Thomas Potter was listed as owning land on Fighting Creek in Knox Co., KY. but did not show up on the tax list of 1800.

June 6       Potter, Thomas Jr
             Potter, Richard
             Potter, Thomas Sr
June 7       Potter, Thomas
June 7       Mackey, William 
  	     Mackey, Benjamin

1803 - Thomas Potter is owning land on Meadow Creek. Grants also are to Benjamin Mackey, Brannick Wilkinson, and William Potter all on Meadow Creek. [Land Grants, Kentucky]

1805 - Matthew McKey, Thomas Potter Sr., Thomas Wikerson, who had land on Flat Creek.

1806- Tax lists Thomas Potter, Richard Potter, but no McKeys.

1807 - Tax List of Knox Co., VA

June 8       Kelly, Joseph
June 8       Wilkerson, Branick
June 9       Wilkerson, Thomas 
June 9       Potter, Thomas
June 9       Mackey, Benjamin
June 13      Potter, Thomas
July 18      Potter, John
July 28      Mackey, Elias
             Mackey, (Firthiaswale)
             Mackey, William
May 6        Potter, Uriah
             Potter, Thomas
             Potter, Richard

1807-Tax lists Uriah Potter, Thomas, Richard, and Matthew McKey (two times), along with John Potter and Thomas Potter

1810- Uriah Potter bought land in Knox Co. (Bk.B, p.4), as did Richard Potter (Bk.B, p.4).

1815- Uriah Potter sold land to Soloman Carter (bk.B, p.372) and (Bk. B., p.378) Nancy Potter to Solomon Carter (Bk. B., p. 378)

1816 - Richard Potter sold land to David Snauffer (Bk. B, p.473)

1835-Thomas Potter sold land to Benjamin Cox and to James Blakely (Bk. D, p. 256 and Bk. D, p. 256 and Bk. D, p.235).

1836- Ruth Potter sold land to Joseph Pritchard (Bk. D, p. 303)

1830-William Potter and Thomas Wilkerson are two pages away from each other in the Montgomery Co., Illinois.

name	   males   0    5   10   15   20  30   40   60  70 females 0    5   10   15   20  30   40   50
                  -5   -10  -15 -20  -30 -40  -50  -70 -80        -5  -10  -15  -20  -30 -40  -50  -60
Thomas Wilkkison   2    2    3    1    0   1    0    0    0        0    0    1    0   1    0   0    0
William Potter     0    0    3    2    0   0    1    0    0        0    1    1    0   0    0   1    0
Thomas Potter Sr.  0    0    0    0    0   0    0    0    1        0    0    0    0   0    0   0    1
Thomas Potter Jr.  2    0    0    0    1   0    0    0    0        0    0    0    0   1    0   0    0
James Potter       1    1    0    0    0   1    0    0    0        2    2    2    2   1    0   0    0
Gilbert Mackey     0    0    0    0    1   0    0    0    0        0    0    0    1   0    0   0    0  
[US Census , Montgomery Co., IL, page 202 & 200

Although Thomas Potter(III) Jr. had been a Quaker, he later became a minister in the Church of Christ.

1832- Jan. 21 -

Thomas Potter Jr. received a land patent to 72 acres in Montgomery Co. Illinois. W 1/2 NWof Sect 31 or 3) Twp. 9, Range 4. Thomas Potter, minister of the Gospel witnessed two pension application in Montgomery Co. [records of David Seigler]

"Jake remembers well the house of John P. Campbell, the only one, where now is our city, in 1831. William Fulbright, Benjamin Cannefax, Joseph Rountree, and Joseph Miller were the nearest residents to where now is Springfield. Jake, in those far-gone days, was accustomed to church-going, to hear the Rev. Thomas Potter, an uncle of Col. Thomas Potter, a leading man and politician of Greene county." [ "BIOGRAPHY OF JACOB PAINTER, EARLY GREENE COUNTY MILLER & GUNSMITH", Submitted by Maxine Springer. White River Valley Historical Quarterly. 1985]

1844, Sept 10- Thomas Potter, Senior files a land claim in Springfield, MO for land in Greene Co.

An adjoining property "the north east quarter of Section nine of township twenty-nine," at the same time "containing one hundred and sixty acres", #4003 [records of US Bureau of Land Management]

Another adjoining property "the East half of the Northwest quarter of Section nine, in Section twenty nine of range twenty in the district of Springfield, Missiouri containing eighty acres", #4620 [records of US Bureau of Land Management]

On the same day.
Thomas Potter Junior files a land claim in Springfield, MO for land in Greene Co., "Lot number six and the east half of lot number seven, of the northeast fractical corner of section five, in township twenty nine of Range twenty west, in the District of Lands subject to sale at Springfield Missouri containing one hundred and thirty seven acres and thirty hundredths of an acre." #4129 [records of US Bureau of Land Management]

1845, May1-

Thomas Potter Jr. files a land claim in Springfield, MO. "The east half of lot number five of the NorthEast fractional quarter of section five of Range twenty West , ... containing forty acres and twenty five hundredths of an acre." #6362 [records of US Bureau of Land Management]

1845, May 1-

James Potter of Greene County Missouri files a land claim for land in "the east half of the northwest quarter of Section Twenty eight, in Township twenty eight of Range Twenty Three West, in the district of lands subject to sale in Springfield Missouri containing eighty acres." #5220 [records of US Bureau of Land Management]

1845, June 1-

James Potter of Greene County Missouri files a land claim for land in "the east half of the northeast quarter of Section Twenty one, in Township twenty eight of Range Twenty Three West, in the district of lands subject to sale in Springfield Missouri containing forty acres." #5839 [records of US Bureau of Land Management]

1848 , Sept 1 -

Thomas Potter Jr. files a land patent for "The west quarter of the South West quarter of Section Thirty four of township thirty of range twenty lot number five... containing forty acres " #8546 [records of US Bureau of Land Management]

1848, Nov 1-

James Potter of Greene County Missouri files a land claim for land in "the east half of the lot number two north west of fractional quarter of Section Four, in Township twenty nine of Range Twenty Two West, in the district of lands subject to sale in Springfield Missouri containing thirty nine and eighty five hundredth acres." #8721 [records of US Bureau of Land Management]

1850, July 3-

James W. Potter of Polk County Missouri files a land patent for eighty acres in Springfield district. The record is very difficult to read. #8517 [US Bureau of Land Mangement]

1852, July 1 -

1860 - US Census, Ozark Twp., Webster Co., MO, page 93. living in House number to left.

609 Potter         Thomas         48   M         Farm Pub Lands           630       Tenn
609 Potter         Mary           48   F                                            Tenn
609 Potter         Alexander Mc   19   M                                            MO
609 Potter         Ruth E         17   F                                            MO
609 Potter         Rachel E       13   F                                            MO  
609 Potter         Jefferson W    11   M                                            MO
609 Potter         Mary E         9    F                                            MO
609 Potter         Sarah A        7    F                                            MO
610 Wilkerson      Joel           22   M         Farm Laborer             165       NC
610 Wilkerson      Mary J         20   F                                            Tenn
610 Wilkerson      George W       2    M                                            MO
611 Potter         James          66   M         Farmer         1,250     445       Tenn
611 Potter         Rachel         63   F                                            VA
611 Popejoy        Wesley         12   M                                            MO
611 Gordon         Susan A.       6    F                                            MO
611 Derryberry     Thomas         25   M         Farm Laborer                       Tenn
611 Derryberry     Rachel J       21   F                                            MO       X
611 Derryberry     Robert B      11/12 M                                            MO
612 Potter         Branick        25   M         Farm Laborer             130       ILL     X
612 Potter         Hilda E        23   F                                            ILL      X
612 Potter         James W        7    M                                            MO
612 Potter         John F         2    M                                            MO
612 Potter         Wm T           8/12 M                                            MO

1876- Jacob Painter said that Rev. Thomas Potter and William Potter were brothers. An annotation to the article states that Thomas Potter was a Quaker and later became a Church of Christ preacher. (Wm. Carter)[Springfield Mo. Patriot Advertizer, 28 Dec. 1876]

Sources:

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