The Potter family, which is worthily represented in LaSalle county by the
subject of this article, is one of the oldest and most highly respected in
the United States, having been founded here by Nathanial Potter, a native of
England, who emigrated to the New World in 1638. He located at Portsmouth,
Rhode Island, where his son and grandson, named in his honor, were born.
In tracing the ancestry of Seymour Potter it is found that he is a son
of Darius and Susan (Bower) Potter, the former one of the ten children of
Esec and Lucena (Curtis) Potter. Esec Potter, in turn, was a son of Job and
Desire (Irish) Potter, and grandson of Nathaniel and Mary (Carr) Potter.
Nathaniel was a son of John and Mary Potter, grandson of Nathaniel and
Elizabeth (Stokes) Potter, great-grandson of Nathaniel and Dorothy Potter,
and great-great-grandson of the Nathaniel Potter who founded the family in
New England. John Potter, his son Nathaniel and grandson Job, above
mentioned, in the direct line of descent, were born and dwelt in the town of
Dartmouth, Massachusetts, where they were highly esteemed citizens. Our
subject's parents were both natives of New York state, the father born in
Cayuga county and the mother in Tompkins county. Esec Potter had emigrated
into the wilds of Cayuga county, cleared a small farm, and at first lived in
a rude cabin, which he built of logs cut by himself in the surrounding
forest. He cleared the timber and farmed days, and at night worked at
blacksmithing. In time he developed a good farm, and there the rest of his
useful life was passed. The maternal grandfather of our subject, on the
other hand, was Adam Bower, who with his wife was a native of Pennsylvania,
and was of German extraction. He settled in the Empire state at an early
period, and was a neighbor of the Potter family there.
In 1841
Darius and Susan Potter removed to the west to found a new home, and,
locating on section 26 in Northville township where our subject now resides,
proceeded to improve a farm. The father did not live to carry out many of
his plans, as he died in 1849, at the age of forty-five years, and his
devoted and sorrowing wife did not long survive, as she, too, entered the
silent land during the following year, her age at death being about
forty-six years. They were the parents of a number of children, among whom
were: Orange, Fannie, Annice, Theron, Seneca, Seymour, Jane, Sarah, Lydia
Ann and Ellen.
Seymour Potter was born July 20, 1834, in Tompkins
county, New York, and was a child of seven years when he came to this
county. Here he acquired a common-school education and laid the foundations
of his future success. He has always resided on the old homestead where his
parents settled in 1841, buying the property of the other heirs, after the
death of the mother. He has carried out the work of improvement inaugurated
by his father, and possesses a very desirable homestead, as the result of
his well-directed labors.
In 1866 Mr. Potter married Mary Elizabeth
Pearson, who was born in the city of New Orleans. Her father died when she
was an infant, and her mother came to live with her after her marriage, and
died in the home of our subject. Mrs. Potter was summoned to the silent land
in 1887, and left four children to mourn her loss, namely: Mary T., Sarah
A., Arthur S. and Eliza J.
Mr. Potter is a public-spirited citizen,
always ready to do all within his power to promote the welfare of the
community. He has persistently declined official distinction and
responsibility, preferring the quiet life of a private citizen, yet has
neglected none of his duties toward the public. He uses his franchise in
favor of Republican nominees, and takes a deep interest in the success of
his party.
In December, 1899, Mr. Potter visited his birthplace and
his parents' early homestead in New York, and renewed many old
acquaintances, and learned much from the early pioneers there of his own
family. Among those with whom he renewed acquaintance was Roswell Beardsley,
of North Lansing, Tompkins county, New York, who was a neighbor of Mr.
Potter's grandparents, both paternal and maternal, and which gentleman has
been postmaster of North Lansing for the last seventy-two years, a
remarkable and unequaled continuance in office as a postmaster.
Extracted 13 May 2019 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 623-625.
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