Israel POTTER

  General Notes:

ISRAEL POTTER, farmer; P. O. Leonardsburg. One among the prominent farmers in the township is Mr. Potter, born Sept. 29, 1806, third child of a family of eight born to Asahel Potter, born 1776, whose wife was Annie Benton; both natives of Connecticut, where they married and moved to Chenango, N. Y., where Israel was born, and in the year 1817 emigrated to this State with his parents. They stopped nearly one year in Fairfield Co., and the following year came to Franklin Co., near Worthington, and after three years' residence came to Delaware (now Morrow), settled permanently and was among the pioneers of that locality. Israel received his scholastic education in a log school-house, with slab benches ; his father died in 1870, in this county ; Israel's grandfather was a soldier in the French and Indian wars, also the Revolution ; his powder horn is now in Israel's possession, inscribed, "Crown Point, July, 1762." Israel remained with his parents until he attained his 35th year ; his early life was engaged mostly in trading, and handling stock was his favorite of all pursuits; he made sixteen trips to Michigan while engaged in this business; was at Adrian when the first locomotive came in, in 1841 ; in his 36th year was married to Phoebe G. Whipple, born in 1822, in Morrow Co. After marriage, he located in Oxford Township; after a residence of several years came to Leonardsburg in 1851, and has since made it his abode, and has been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He began poor, has taught school at 33 cents per day, and from this small beginning he has arisen to his present position, and the owner of 600 acres of land ; he started in life with the resolution that he would not squander his property by the use of whisky and "going bail." Has five children-Anna M., Eliza F., Mary C., Celia (now Mrs. Rev. H. R. Smith, a representative from Noble Co.), and Herman (only son). Mr. Potter and wife are both members of the Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church, he having been identified with that body for twenty-nine years.

Israel married Phebe G. WHIPPLE, daughter of Barton Olney WHIPPLE and Elizabeth VAN DUZER, in 1841 in Delaware Co., Ohio, United States. (Phebe G. WHIPPLE was born on 3 Apr 1822 in Delaware Co., Ohio, United States, died on 30 Apr 1908 in Delaware Co., Ohio, United States and was buried in Green Mound Cem., Kilbourne, Delaware, Ohio, USA.)