The Potter Families of Greene County, Missouri

WILLIAMSON HENRY FRANKLIN POTTER.

One of Greene county’s progressive farmers and well known men in public affairs is Williamson Plenry Franklin Potter, of Washington township. He has succeeded in agricultural affairs partly because he has been willing to apply himself assiduously to his vocation and partly because he has adopted modern methods of husbandry whenever practicable. He is a worthy schon of one of the prominent old families of this section of the state and here he has been content to spend his life. He has assisted in the wonderful improvement of the locality that has taken place here during the past half century. A man of fine foresight he has ever manifested faith in the future of his native community.

Mr. Potter was born in Greene county. Missouri, May 7, 1850. He is a son of Henry D. and Nancy (Myra) Potter. The father was born in Tennessee, March 22, 1810, there grew to manhood and received a common school education and married. He spent his boyhood days on a farm. He came to Missouri in 1845 in wagons, locating in Greene county, where he bought forty acres of land, later adding one hundred and sixty acres, owning a fine farm of two hundred acres at the time of his death. He cleared most of it and carried on general farming successfully. His death occurred on his home farm here, in June, 1875. Politically he was a Republican. His wife was a native of Tennessee where she grew up on a farm and received a common school education. She Avas a very industrious woman, spun and wove cloth for clothing for her family. She often told of the hardships they encountered on the tedious journey from Tennessee. She often raised the cotton herself which she later spun and made into garments for her household. She often worked all day and far into the night. She was a worthy member of the Presbyterian church. She died on the homestead here, about a month after her husband died. To these parents seven children were born, namely: William R. died in Tennessee; Mary Ann died about the close of the Civil war; Mrs. Margaret Jane Watts is living at Rogersville, Missouri; she has been twice married, first, to James K. Kelley, who was a soldier in the Civil war, but returned from the front on account of sickness and died on his farm. The next child is Mrs.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JAMES ELMER POTTER.

A young man who has stamped the impress of his strong personality upon the minds of the people of Greene county in a manner as to render him one of the conspicuous characters of the locality is James Elmer Pottei, who is now serving his second term as county collector. Eew men of his age are better known throughout the county, few occupy a more conspicuous place in public affairs, and it is a compliment worthily bestowed to class him with the representative men of this locality where the Potters have been influential since the first settlement of the county and where he has been content to spend his life as teacher, agriculturist and public servant — always having the best interests of the county at heart.

Mr. Potter was born on February 2, 1875, near Strafford in the eastern part of Greene county, Missouri, and he is a son of Louis Cass Potter and Susan M. (Hankins) Potter. The father was born in the same locality as was our subject, the date of his birth being 1845, and there also, about three miles south of Taylor township line, the mother was born. These parents grew up in this locality and received their education in the common school and were married there, established their home on the farm and spent their lives engaged successfully in general farming and stock raising, and there the death of Louis C. Potter occurred in 1893. He was a man of industry and public-spirit and made a success in his vocation, leaving behind him at death an honored name. His family consisted of three children, namely: Susie, James E. and Ethel.

James E. Potter grew to manhood on the home farm near Strafford and there he worked when a youth, and when of proper age he attended the schools of his community and later the Springfield Normal, after which he taught school for a short time, but was compelled to give up that line of endeavor owing to failing health. He has made general farming and stock raising his main occupation.

Politically, Mr. Potter has always been a stanch Republican. He was first elected to the office of county collector in 1910, and, having served his term of four years in a manner that was highly satisfactory to all concerned and with much credit to himself he was again elected to this office in November, 1914, and is now beginning on his second term. He is faithful, painstaking and accurate in his official work. Being a man of uniform courtesy and fair dealing, and being.straightforward, candid and sincere, he at once enlists the good will of everyone.

Mr. Potter was married on August 10, 1904, near Strafford, to Susan E. McCraw, who was a native of California, from which state she was brought to Greene county, Missouri, when young by her parents and here grew up on a farm and received a common school education. She is the daughter of Gabriel and Elizabeth C. ( Waterson) McCraw. These parents, were early settlers here, locating on a farm. They went to California, where the mother died. The father later returned to Greene county, Missouri, where he still lives on the old homestead on the James river. Our subject’s wife is the oldest of two children, the youngest being James G. McCraw, living with his father on the farm.

John L. McCraw, paternal grandfather of our subject’s wife, was one of the pioneer settlers of Greene county, and was a surveyor by profession. He surveyed a great deal of land in this locality.

Thomas Potter, paternal grandfather of our subject, was among the first settlers in Greene county, was prominent among the pioneers and was sheriff of the county in the early fifties.

Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. James E. Potter, namely: Eldred McCraw Potter, born May 16, 1905, died in infancy: and [name withheld], born July 5, 1910.

Fraternally, Mr. Potter is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a Republican. The family are members of the Presbyterian church.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

AMBROSE POTTER, M. D.

If we would stop trying to get the money that the other fellow earned, without giving something in exchange, the biggest problem of life would be solved. We quite often want more than our share. Dr. Ambrose Potter, a popular and efficient young physician of Ebenezer. Robberson township. Greene county, is one of those who take a delight in bringing succor to suffering humanity, who delights in giving more in this world of uire than he receives. Such a man is always admired in whatever community he may cast his lot, and his record is must commendable and should be emulated by others.

Doctor Potter was born in Christian county, Missouri, February 11, t886. He is a son of Christopher Columbus and Mary Elizabeth (Fondren) I 'utter. The father was born in ( Ireene county, near Strafford, on November -'7, 1858, and there he grew to manhood, received a common school education, and remained on his father's farm until his marriage, in 1878, later removing to Christian county, where he In night one hundred and forty-four acres of land. Prospering by hard work and good management he added to this until he is now owner of a fine farm of two hundred and sixt) acres, where he carries on general farming and stock raising and is une nf the leading farmers of that county. Politically, he is a Democrat, but has never sought political leadership. Fraternally, he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America at Ozark; the Court of Honor at Kenton, Missouri; and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Ozark, fie is a member of the Christian church at Sparta. His family consists of five children, namely: Laura, deceased; Ambrose, of this sketch; Mrs. Alta Lawson; Agnes and Angie, twins. The mother of these children was born in Greene county and here grew to womanhood and received a common-school education. She is a daughter of Ambrose and Nancy (Yeary) Fondren.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

After leaving college Doctor Potter returned to Christian county, and successfully passed the state board examination in June, 191 1, at Santa Fe. New Mexico, and he practiced his profession at Las Vegas, that state, one year, and although he was building up a good patronage, he preferred his own state, and, returning to Missouri, took the state board examination in St. Louis in June, 1912. Soon thereafter he located at Ebenezer, Greene county, where he has since resided, enjoying a successful and growing practice, and, judging from his past record, the future must find him one of the leading general practitioners in a community long noted for the high order of its medical talent.

Doctor Potter was married, October 5, 1912, to Rosa Rathbone, a daughter of William Henry and Emma (Fieldei Rathbone, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this volume. Mrs. Potter received good educational advantages and is a young lady of commendable domestic and social qualities. The union of our subject and wife has been without issue.

Doctor Potter is the official registrar of births and deaths of Robberson township. He and his wife are genial and neighborly and have made many friends since locating at Ebenezer.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Everybody in Brookline township, Greene county, knows Nicholas Potter, now living in retirement, after a long career at the forge, during which there was no more highly skilled blacksmith in the county. He is a pioneer here, for it was fifty-four years ago that he first cast his lot with us, at the time the ominous clouds of rebellion were gathering, and, although born under an alien flag many thousand miles away from here, he enlisted his services in behalf of his adopted country during that great struggle. He has seen the locality develop from a comparatively wild state to one of the foremost farming communities in the state, and he has always taken just pride in the same.

Mr. Potter was born in Uerceg, Prussia, September 29, 1834. He is a son of Nicholas and Katerine Potter, both natives of that country also, where they grew up and were married, established their home and spent their lives. Both the father and grandfather of our subject were blacksmiths by trade. Neither of them ever came to America.

Nicholas Potter, of this sketch, who was one of seven sons, spent his boyhood in his native land and there received his education in the common schools. In 1853, when nineteen years of age, he emigrated to the United States, as did so many of his countrymen at that period. His first four years in the New World were spent in Xew York and New Jersey. In 1857 he came on to the interior, locating at Jefferson City, Missouri, where he finished learning the blacksmith's trade, a rudimentary knowledge of which he had gained under his father in the old country. After remaining there some time he went to Glasgow, this state, for about a year and a half, and in 1860 came to Little York, near Springfield, Greene county, and began working at his trade. When the war broke out he enlisted in the Home Guards, June 11, 1861, and fought in the great battle of Wilson's Creek, August loth of that year, after which he was honorably discharged, but he continued with the Union army, following his trade of farrier, until July 1, 1865. After the war he returned to Greene county and worked at his trade in Springfield a few years, locating in Little York in 1867, and in 1873 located in Brookline Station, upon the completion of the Frisco railroad to that point, and here he has since resided, maintaining a blacksmith shop up to a few years ago, when the infirmities of old age made it necessary for him to give up active life. He is now eighty years old, but is comparatively hale and hearty. His shop was always a popular one, and his patrons came from all over this section of the country. Mr. Potter also owns eighty acres of good land in Brookline township.

Mr. Potter was married, March 26, 1860, to Louisa Philips, a daughter of William Philips, a prosperous farmer near Brookline, Greene county, where she grew to womanhood and received a common school education. She is one of eleven children.

A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Potter. John, whose birth occurred in 1867. He is now in the employ of the Frisco railroad, with which he has been connected since 1891; he married Jane Stuldley, of Brookline, and they- have three children, two sons anil a daughter. A daughter was also born to Xicholas Potter and wife,.Mary Ellen, whose death occurred at the age of nineteen years.

Politicallv Mr. Potter is a Republican, and religiously he and his wife belong to the Baptist church.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Mr. Potter was born in Eurzig, Prussia, and emigrated to America in 1857, and located at Jefferson City, Missouri. He moved to Greene county in 1860, locating where Brookline now stands, where he remained until 1862, when he went to Springfield and worked in the government wagon-shops until 1865. Mr. Potter was married upon the 30th of March, 1862, to Elizabeth Phillips. Their union has been best with four children, one girl, Mary Josephine, and three boys, Frederick William, Lyman Theodore and Roy. Mr. Potter was the first man sworn in Captain Abernathy's Home Guards and his sympathies were always with the Union. When General Marmaduke attempted to enter Springfield in the fall of 1863, he with all the hands of the shop, was called out to repel the attack. At the close of the war he engaged in the manufacture of wagons at Springfield, but at the end of a year removed to Little York, one and one-half miles from Brookline, where he embarked in the grocery business until November, 1871, when he moved to Brookline and engaged in general merchandise. He has been postmaster of Little York and Brookline for sixteen consecutive j'ears, and station and express agent at the depot for eight years. In politics Mr. Potter is a Eepublican and has the confidence of all.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.