WILLIAM and MARY POTTER
William A. Potter was born in 1791 or 1794 in England. (1)
Married a woman named Mary, who was born in 1792 in England. (2)
Children: (3)
Jane, born in 1827.
William, born in 1829.
Caroline, born in 1831. Married George West.
Emeline, born Aug. 12, 1833. Married Dell W. Lesnett.
Thomas, born in 1836.
Henry, born in 1838.
The Potters probably immigrated to the United States before 1827 because the 1850 Census states that all of their children were born in Pennsylvania.
William may have come from Liverpool because his will mentions that he had a nephew named William A. Wilson in that city. (4)
The Potters settled in Franklin Township, Beaver County, Pa., where William took up farming. William seems to have been successful. The 1850 Census says his property was worth $3,000. By the time of the 1860 Census, the value had grown to $7,750. He probably retired from farming before 1872 because in his will he refers to himself as a "gentleman," the usual term for a retired, well-respected farmer.
In his will, William left his daughter Jane 50 acres; Thomas, 150 acres and $2,000; Henry, 150 acres and $1,300; Caroline, $1,150; Emeline, $1,150; and his nephew William A. Wilson, $100.
William died March 5, 1873. Mary died in April 10, 1874. They are buried at the English Lutheran cemetery in Zelienople. (5)
(1) The 1850 Census of Franklin Township, Beaver County, Pa., says he was 56 in that year and the 1860 Census of that township says he was 69 in that year. Both say he was born in England. (2) 1850 says she was 56 and 1860 says she was 68. Mary’s tombstone at Zelienople Cemetery in Butler County said she died in April 10, 1874 at 82 years of age. (3) Names and years come from 1850 Census, except Emeline’s, which comes from the 1900 Census of Franklin Township, Beaver County, Pa. (4) Beaver County Will Book E, page 430. (5) William’s death date is in Beaver County Register’s Docket 2, page 385. Mary’s death date is on her tombstone. Transcriptions of the tombstones in "Butler County Cemetery Inventory, Vol. 4," by the Butler County Historical Society, page 31. However, these say that William died on March 3 and that Mary was 81.