CHAPTER XXIII
JOHN POTTS, OF PATH VALLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.
FIRST GENERATION
1. John POTTS was born about 1729 in Dublin, Ireland. He died in 1785 in Pennsylvania. The Potts Family in Great Britain and America - 1901 - Thomas Maxwell Potts John is said to have been born in 1729, in Dublin, Ireland, and died in 1785, in Pennsylvania. (NOTE: The account of John Potts is altogether, having been obtained from John Potts, (11) his grandson, late of Moulton, Iowa) He was educated in London, and prepared for the ministry in the Church of England. He is said to have been a schoolmate and fast friend of King George III. Being too young to take orders in the Church, he was placed for a time in his uncle's store in London. Through some mishap he lost some books or papers belonging to his uncle. He took the matter greatly to heart, renounced his intention to take clerical orders, and applied for a Commission in the Army. He was appointed a topographic engineer under General Braddock, in 1750, and came to America. He was at the memorable defeat at Duquesne, and escaped the general massacre, but his servants were all slain. He remained in Pennsylvania and settled in Path Valley, Cumberland County, --- now included in the western part of Franklin County. He was among the earliest settlers of that section, and built the first grist-mill in the valley.
It is alleged that the English Government gave him the grant of a large tract of land, but shortly after the opening of the Revolutionary War, he became mentally deranged and destroyed his patents, deeds, etc. After his death, his children deemed it useless to press any claim for remuneration, the Colonies being then separated from Great Britain. The family have a tradition that two brothers of John Potts came to America and that one of them settled at Pottsgrove. There seems to be nothing to support this tradition. John Potts married Elizabeth Stevens about 1757.
TMP page 347 - 348
He was married to Elizabeth STEVENS about 1757. John POTTS and Elizabeth STEVENS had the following children:
+2 i. Alexander POTTS.
+3 ii. John POTTS.
4 iii. James POTTS. He is said to have removed to Ohio and settled on the Muskingum River. ( NOTE: In 1803, a marriage license was granted at Stuebenville, Ohio, to one James Potts and Elizabeth Roads. This may or may not have been the above.)
5 iv. Robert POTTS. He was a millwright and is said to have died at sea. He married and left two daughters who married southern gentlemen, slave holders.
6 v. Charlotte POTTS was born in Path Valley, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
7 vi. Hannah POTTS.
SECOND GENERATION
2. Alexander POTTS was born in 1758 in Fort at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He died in 1833 in Berlin, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He was a miller in Path Valley, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. He was married to Martha BARNETT (daughter of James BARNETT and Catharine). Martha BARNETT died on Aug 22 1807. Alexander POTTS and Martha BARNETT had the following children:
+8 i. Elizabeth POTTS.
+9 ii. Catharine POTTS.
+10 iii. Hannah POTTS.
+11 iv. John POTTS.
+12 v. Martha POTTS.
He was married to Susan PARSONS. Susan PARSONS died in Berlin, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Alexander POTTS and Susan PARSONS had the following children:
+13 i. Rev. Jephthah POTTS.
John POTTS had the following children:
14 i. Alexander POTTS died in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania.
15 ii. John POTTS died in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
16 iii. Joseph POTTS. Is said to have been a Methodist Minister.
+17 iv. Mary (?) POTTS.
+18 v. Hannah POTTS.
THIRD GENERATION
8. Elizabeth POTTS was born on Jul 4 1797 in Path Valley, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. She died in 1874.
She was married to John STITT in 1840.
She was married to John KINNESMAN.
She was married to Stephen WILKINSON.
He was married to Margaret LINN.
He was married to Sarah C. STITT. John POTTS and Sarah C. STITT had the following children:
19 i. Nancy Martha POTTS was born on Apr 20 1848.
20 ii. John Rittenhouse Sedman POTTS was born on Apr 20 1848.
21 iii. Juanita POTTS was born on Oct 25 1854.
22 iv. Margaret POTTS was born in 1857.
23 v. Alexander POTTS was born on Jul 2 1859.
24 vi. Frank Udell POTTS was born on Jan 1 1862.
25 vii. William S. POTTS.
26 viii. Eva Eliza POTTS.
He was married to Mary HORN on May 8 1832. Mary HORN was born on Mar 31 1812. Rev. Jephthah POTTS and Mary HORN had the following children:
+27 i. Charlotte POTTS.
28 ii. William Jephthah POTTS was born on Nov 18 1833 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He died on Nov 19 1845 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
+29 iii. Rev. John Vinton POTTS.
30 iv. Ann POTTS was born on Sep 16 1838 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. She died on Jan 9 1839 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
+31 v. Mary Elizabeth POTTS.
+32 vi. Theodore Benson POTTS.
+33 vii. Evaline Maria POTTS.
34 viii. James Albert POTTS was born on Jul 26 1847 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
+35 ix. Cyrus Josiah POTTS.
+36 x. Sylvester Sydney POTTS.
She was married to Martha (?) SLOUGH.
She was married to Lewis.
FOURTH GENERATION
27. Charlotte POTTS was born on Feb 17 1833 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
She was married to David H. BOWSER.
37 i. Charles POTTS was adopted.
38 ii. Ivan S. POTTS.
39 iii. Arlie POTTS.
She was married to Nathan RHODES.
He was married to Catharine BECKLEY.
She was married to Peter BENDER.
He was married to Beaver.
He was married to Susan REAL.