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| Orrilla (Knapp) Potter, from Kaufman Family Album, p. 17. |
Introduction
Stacey Potter and Orrilla Knapp are my great-great-great grandparents. I am descended from their daughter, Harriet Potter, who married Leander Coon.
This is a large family, and really an interesting family! They had roots in New England and New York, but were part of the western migration to Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Nebraska. Although the story is complex, I would like to try and tell their story, albeit in segments.
The purpose of this particular post is to describe and document the life of Stacey and Orrilla Potter in Hampton, New York, in Washington County. I would also like to briefly explore the Potter relatives that might have been living in the area.
If you do not want to wade through all of the following details, use one of the links below to go directly to a given section.
Click here to go directly to Key dates for family of Stacey Potter and Orrilla Knapp.
Click here to go directly to Overview of ALTERNATE Stacey Potter.
Click here to go directly to Maps of Washington County.
Click here to go directly to Census data in Hampton.
Click here to go directly to Church records in Hampton.
Click here to go directly to Land records in Hampton.
Genealogical Bread Crumbs
My earliest information came from my mother, Lois (Carroll) Crooks, and my grandmother, Lillian (Kaufman) Carroll. My Mom said that Harriet Potter was born in New York. Gramie said that Harriet was born in Vermont, either in Burlington or Bennington, and that Harriet's mother's maiden name was Knapp. Gramie also knew that Harriet and Leander Coon had lived in Palmyra, Wisconsin, in Jefferson County. I found the 1850 census entry for Harriet, age 27, and Leander, age 34, in Palmyra, along with their son, Hiram M. Coon. In addition, there were 3 Potters in the household. Arvilla was 57 and born in Massachusetts. Henry was 24 and Francis was 12, and both were born in New York, as was Harriet. This was the first inkling that I had stumbled across Harriet's mother, Orrilla (Knapp) Potter!
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| U. S. Census, 1850, Palmyra, WI. (Orrilla, Emery, Harriet, Frances, Henry Potter) |
In 1992, I reached out to Roberta Fosdal, a genealogist specializing in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. She was able to provide numerous persons with the surnames Potter, Knapp and Coon in the Palmyra area. When I engaged her services, she provided me with a handwritten 10-page document detailing information on those persons. One key document that she sent to me was the obituary of Mrs. Phebe (Potter) Wilbur. The obituary states that she was born at Hampton, New York, but does not name her parents. But it does name her siblings who came with her to Wisconsin. They are Emory, Henry, Pliny, Harriet, Frances and Mary. Together, with Phebe, this gives us the names of 7 Potter children.
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| Obituary of Phoebe (Potter) Wilbur. |
Later, I obtained an obituary of Pliny Potter, most likely from John Potter, a great-grandson of Pliny Potter. This obituary states that Pliny was born in Hampton, New York, one of 12 children born to Stacey and Orrilla Potter. It does not, however, name any of his siblings.
Eventually, I found a listing of cemetery transcriptions for Hampton Hill Cemetery (aka Warren Cemetery) in Hampton, New York. It names 4 children of Stacey and Orrilla Potter: William, Eliza, Esther and Paulina. All died before they were 4 years old. Nearby is the tombstone of John H. Potter, 1814-1816, son of Stasa and Cynthia Potter! This is when it first became evident that there were 2 Stacey/Stasa Potters in the Hampton, New York, area! (Now, 11 children have been identified.)
The next invaluable document was given to me by the previously mentioned John Potter. The letter was written by Elizabeth (Town) Tuttle Drury to a cousin. Elizabeth is the daughter of Mary Potter and the eldest grandchild of Stacey and Orrilla! I suspect the cousin receiving the letter was Carrie Alice (Potter) McGlothlin, a daughter of Pliny Potter. The letter was written after Pliny's death, so probably 1917-1925. The letter is titled "Family Record of Mr Stacy Poter and Orrillia Potter". Later, she writes their names as Stacey Potter and Orrilla Knapp Potter. She also states that they had 12 children together. They are named: William, Eliza, Mary, Emery, Harriet, Caroline, Henry, Phoebe, Ester, Pliny, Paulena and Frances. So now, all 12 children have been identified! The final child is Caroline, 1824-1853, who married a man named Hill. She was the first of the 8 adult children to die.
Key dates for family of Stacey Potter and Orrilla Knapp
This is a summary of the genealogical details for this family. This information is culled from multiple sources.
Stacey Potter.
B. 11 Feb 1792; Rhode Island.
M. Orrilla Knapp; about 1815; Hampton, Washington, New York.
D. about 1840-1850; possibly Hampton, Washington, New York.
Orrilla Knapp.
B. 17 Jun 1794; Goshen, Litchfield, Connecticut.
M. Stacey Potter; about 1815; Hampton, Washington, New York.
D. 1 Apr 1882; Beatrice, Gage, Nebraska.
A. Marsena Potter (adopted).
B. about 1815.
C. date unknown; Hampton, Washington, New York.
1. William Potter.
B. Jun 1816; Hampton, Washington, New York.
D. 25 Dec 1816; Hampton, Washington, New York.
2. Eliza Potter.
B. 3 Apr 1818; Hampton, Washington, New York.
D. 11 Sep 1821; Hampton, Washington, New York.
3. Mary Potter.
B. 7 Apr 1820; Hampton, Washington, New York.
M. Asa M. Town; 20 Nov 1838; Hampton, Washington, New York.
M. Thomas W. Mickel; about 1846; Palmyra, Jefferson, Wisconsin.
D. 9 Mar 1903; Tekamah, Burt, Nebraska.
4. Emery Potter.
B. 6 Nov 1821; Hampton, Washington, New York.
M. Catherine; 11 Apr 1841; Mentz, Cayuga, New York.
D. Probably before 1901; probably in New York.
5. Harriet Potter.
B. 20 Apr 1823; Hampton, Washington, New York.
M. Leander Coon; about 1842-1843; somewhere in New York.
M. Captain Henry P. Willson; Dec 1878; Palmyra, Jefferson, Wisconsin.
D. 18 May 1901; Walnut Grove Township, Douglas, South Dakota.
6. Caroline Potter.
B. 4 Sep 1824; Hampton, Washington, New York.
M. Hiram H. Hill; 4 Oct 1840; Hampton, Washington, New York.
D. 13 Jul 1853; probably New York.
7. Henry F. Potter.
B. 8 Mar 1827; Hampton, Washington, New York.
M. Phebe Ann Chew; 18 Feb 1851; Palmyra, Jefferson, Wisconsin.
M. Sarah A.; about 1857; probably Palmyra WI or Minnesota.
D. Mar 1913; Northfield, Rice, Minnesota.
8. Phoebe Potter.
B. 7 May 1828; Hampton, Washington, New York.
C. 5 Sep 1830; Hampton, Washington, New York.
M. Miles Wilbur; 3 Nov 1845; Palmyra, Jefferson, Wisconsin.
D. 31 Dec 1901; Palmyra, Jefferson, Wisconsin.
Bu. 2 Jan 1902; Palmyra, Jefferson, Wisconsin.
9. Esther Potter.
B. 21 Jan 1830; Hampton, Washington, New York.
Most sources say 21 Jan 1831, but this is inconsistent with Pliny's birthdate.
C. 21 Feb 1831; Hampton, Washington, New York.
D. 21 Feb 1831; Hampton, Washington, New York.
Bu. 23 Feb 1831; Hampton, Washington, New York.
10. Pliny Potter.
B. 10 May 1831; Hampton, Washington, New York.
C. 21 Oct 1832; Hampton, Washington, New York.
M. Lovina Ewer; 3 Nov 1858; Little Prairie, Walworth, Wisconsin.
D. 26 Feb 1917; College View, Lancaster, Nebraska.
11. Paulina Potter.
B. 23 Jul 1835; Hampton, Washington, New York.
C. 4 Oct 1835; Hampton, Washington, New York.
D. 8 Feb 1836; Hampton, Washington, New York.
Bu. 14 Feb 1836; Hampton, Washington, New York.
12. Frances Potter.
B. 8 Oct 1837; Hampton, Washington, New York.
M. John Whitney; 8 Oct 1855.
D. 1 May 1925; San Diego, San Diego, California.
Furthermore, my mother and I have DNA matches to descendants of Mary, Henry, Phoebe, Pliny, and of course, Harriet. We do not yet have matches for descendants of Emery, Caroline or Frances.
Because there are TWO Stacey Potters living in Hampton, New York, it has been imperative to be able to distinguish them. The following information has not been fully vetted, but it provides an outline to help distinguish the two Staceys.
Children of Christopher Potter and Elizabeth Baker, and siblings of ALTERNATE Stacey.
1. Stacey: B 7 Oct 1788 RI. D 10 Jul 1856 Granville, Washington, NY.
2. John: B 4 Mar 1790 RI or MA or NY. D 9 Dec 1860 Granville.
3. Mary: B about 1792.
4. Philip: B about 1794.
5. Sarah/Sallie: B 12 Sep 1795. D 17 Aug 1841 Granville.
6. Hannah: B 4 Oct 1797. D 7 Feb 1859 Danby VT.
7. Jeremiah: B 17 Apr 1800 NY. D 28 Feb 1858 Granville.
8. Elizabeth: B about 1802.
9. Phebe: B 18 Apr 1805.
According to History of Washington County, Christopher Potter was from Rhode Island and settled in Granville about 1790. Christopher fought in the Revolutionary War and his father was a colonel.
Children of ALTERNATE Stacey Potter and Cynthia Hitchcock.
1. Mary: 1812-1891.
2. John H.: 1814-1816.
3. Russel F: 1817-1818.
4. Charles Wesley: B 28 Jan 1819. D 17 Dec 1904.
5. Elizabeth: 1821-1902.
6. Philip S.: B 30 Jan 1824. D 7 Apr 1835.
7. Seymour L.: B 5 Jul 1826. D 1911.
8. Daniel S.: 1828-1893.
Stacey went to Hampton soon after marrying Cynthia on March 25, 1809. He resided there until about 1837 and then moved back to his father's farm. He resided there until March 1856, and then removed to Granville.
Maps of Washington County
It is always easier to understand family history if one has a visual map of where one's ancestors lived.
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| https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Washington_County,_New_York_Genealogy |
Washington County, New York, is on the eastern edge of New York. It is immediately adjacent to Vermont. Hampton Township, in particular, is immediately adjacent to Rutland County, Vermont.
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| https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Washington_County,_New_York_Genealogy |
The upper right corner is Hampton Township, where Stacey and Orrilla Potter lived. The section directly below Hampton Township is Granville Township, where lots of other Potter families lived. The town of Hampton is just west of Poultney River. Poultney, Vermont, is directly across the river.
Census data in Hampton
Census data is a great way to ground a family in time and place. Since all of MY Stacey's children were born in Hampton, New York, it makes sense to start there.
1820 census
In 1820, there were 2 Potter households in Hampton, New York.
This required a bit of analysis, since I know that both Staceys lived in Hampton, New York, in 1820. I concluded that Statia Potters is MY Stacey. ALT Stacey must be living with his brother John.
The Statia Potter household is consistent with Stacey (28), Orrilla (26), Eliza (2) and Mary (4 months). The 1 male under the age of 10 must be the adopted child, Marsena, since son William died in 1816, and son Emery was not born until 1821. (Marsena can be either a boy's name or a girl's name.)... Statia/Stacey was engaged in manufactures, rather than agriculture or commerce. (We later learn that Stacey probably made wagons.)
The John Potter household is consistent with John (30), ALT Stacey (31), John's wife (26), Cynthia (30), Mary (8) and Charles Wesley (1). Mary and Charles are both the children of ALT Stacey. My current best guess as to the female 10-15, is that she is John and Stacey's youngest sister Phebe, who would have been 15 years old... John and Stacey both worked in agriculture.
1825 census
New York did have an 1825 census, which I examined at the Washington County Archives in Fort Edward, New York. (I processed these records on September 11, 2001, and was understandably distracted.)
There were 3 Potter households in Hampton: MY Stacey Potter, John Potter and ALT Stacey Potter.
Stacey Potter, page 2, line 1, MY Stacey.
4 males, 1 18-45 and able to vote.
6 females, 1 married < 45, 4 unmarried < 16, 1 birth during the year.
1 pauper (male or female).
14 acres, 5 cattle, 1 horse, 5 hogs.
10 yards fulled cloth, 20 yard not fulled cloth, 60 yards thin cloth.
NOTE: Fulling is a process to cleanse and thicken woolen cloth.
ANALYSIS: The males must be Stacey (33) and Marsena (5-15) and Emery (4). The other male could be an apprentice or co-worker, since we know Stacey worked in manufactures.... The females must be Orrilla (31), Mary (5), Harriet (2) and Caroline (1). Who are the other 2 females, though? Caroline was born 4 SEP 1824, which might be considered within the year... Plus, there is 1 pauper in the household. Is this a reference to Marsena or one of the 2 unidentified females? During this time period, they had not yet transitioned to workhouses. Instead, the town would sometimes pay a family to take care of a 'pauper'. Perhaps that is the scenario here.
John Potter, page 4, line 7 or 9.
2 males, 1 qualified to vote, but not subject to militia (not 18-45).
2 females, 1 married < 45, 1 unmarried 16-45.
100 acres, 17 cattle, 2 horses, 21 sheep, 10 hogs.
14 yards fulled cloth, 25 yards not fulled cloth, 55 yards thin cloth.
ANALYSIS: The males could be John and perhaps a young son. But why would John be older than 45? The females could be John's wife and perhaps the same female from the 1820 census, perhaps sister Phebe.
Stacey Potter, page 4, line 8. ALT Stacey.
2 males, 1 18-45 and able to vote, 1 male death during previous year.
3 females, 1 married under 45, 2 unmarried < 16.
100 acres, 18 cattle, 4 horses, 20 sheep, 10 hogs.
7 yards fulled cloth manufactured, 25 yards not fulled cloth manufactured, 40 yards thin cloth.
ANALYSIS: Males must be Stacey (37) and Charles (6). Son Philip was born in 1824 and died in April 1825!... Females must be Cynthia (35), Mary (13) and Elizabeth (4).
It took some thought, but it makes most sense that the first entry is for MY Stacey and this last entry is for ALT Stacey!
1) Persons in the household fit better.
2) It makes sense that John and ALT Stacey would be the ones living close to each other since they lived together in 1820.
3) It makes sense that MY Stacey would only have 14 acres of improved land, rather than 100 acres, since he is engaged in manufactures/trade, not primarily in agriculture.
1830 census (1 June 1830)
In 1830, there were 3 Potter households in Hampton, New York: MY Stacey, ALT Stacey and Horace. Both Staceys are listed as Stasa.
NOTE: John should be listed since he was listed in both the 1825 and 1835 censuses, but I did not find him!
Stasa Potter, page 277, line 26. MY Stacey.
Males under 5: 1 Henry (3).
Males 5-9: 1 Emery (9).
Males 15-19: 1 UNKNOWN, probably Marsena.
Males 20-29: 1 UNKNOWN, probably co-worker of Stasa.
Males 30-39: 1 Stacey (38).
Females under 5: 1 Phoebe (2).
Females 5-9: 2 Harriet (7), Caroline (6).
Females 10-14: 1 Mary (10).
Females 30-39: 1 Orrilla (36)
ANALYSIS: This Stasa Potter is clearly mine. The age ranges are a perfect fit for Stacey and Orrilla and family, with the 2 UNKNOWNs listed above.
Stasa Potter, page 277, line 17. ALT Stacey.
This is NOT my Stacey because the adults are in their 40's, rather than 30's.
Horace Potter, page 276, line 18.
Horace and his wife are in their 30's. There are also 5 children under the age of 15... This Horace was a pattern-maker in Greenwich, New York, (also in Washington County), in 1850.
1835 census
In 1835, there were 4 Potter households in Hampton, New York: MY Stacey, ALT Stacey, John and Maine.
Stacey Potter, page 4, line 3. MY Stacey.
3 males, 1 subject to militia and able to vote.
5 females, 1 married under 45, 4 unmarried < 16, 1 birth during the year.
60 acres improved land, 5 cattle, 3 horses, 4 hogs, no cloth.
ANALYSIS: Males must be Stacey (43), Henry (8) and Pliny (4), but that leaves Emery (14) unaccounted for. I am currently speculating that he was working on the adjacent farm of ALT Stacey... Females must be Orrilla (41), Mary (15), Harriet (12), Caroline (11), Phebe (7) and Paulina (born Jul 1835). But this only fits if the birth during the year is not counted in the other totals, or if one daughter is away, e.g. Mary!
Stasa Potter, page 4, line 2. ALT Stacey.
5 males, 1 able to vote, but not subject to militia.
2 females, 1 married under 45, 1 unmarried < 16.
150 acres improved land, 13 cattle, 2 horses, 150 sheep, 12 hogs.
24 yards fulled cloth manufactured, 13 yards not fulled cloth manufactured.
ANALYSIS: Males must be Stacey (47), Charles (16), Seymour (9) and Daniel (7). The fifth male could be Emery (14) from MY Stacey's household... Females must be Cynthia (45) and Elizabeth (14).
John Potter is listed on page 4, line 8. Again, it appears to be John, his wife, and a third person, an unmarried female, possibly John's sister Phoebe.
Maine Potter is listed on page 6, line 27. There were 3 males, none 18-45 or able to vote, one an unnaturalized alien. There were 3 females, 1 married under 45, 1 unmarried under 16. Maine owned 30 acres of improved land, so he may have been in manufactures/trade.
1840 census
In 1840, there were 2 Potter households in Hampton, New York: MY Stacey and Jeremiah. ALT Stacey Potter and John Potter had moved to Granville, the township immediately south of Hampton.
Statia Potter, page 191, line 4. MY Stacey.
Males in Statia Potter's household are Stacey (48), Henry (13) and Pliny (9). Females in Statia's household are Orrilla (46), Harriet (17), Caroline (16), Phoebe (12) and Frances (3).
NOTE: Mary Potter married Asa Marquis Town on November 20, 1838, in Hampton, and was living in Poultney, Vermont, 1-2 miles east of Hampton.
NOTE: Emery Potter would have been 18-19 years old and has probably already moved west. He got married on April 11, 1841, in Mentz, New York, in Cayuga County.
The Jeremiah Potter in Hampton is a younger brother of ALT Stacey and John Potter. The household appears to consist of Jeremiah (40-49), his wife (30-39) and 9-10 children in the household.
NOTE: There is no available 1845 census for Washington County.
1850 census
In 1850, ALT Stacey Potter and his brothers, John and Jeremiah, were living in Granville, a township adjacent to Hampton Township.
In 1850, there is no record of MY Stacey Potter or any of his children in Hampton.
Church records in Hampton
Stacey's granddaughter, Elizabeth (Town) Tuttle Drury, states "Stacey... lived in Hampton 3 miles from Poultney where he was chorister of the Episcopal Church many years". This may mean that he sang in the church choir or may mean that he conducted the choir.
Stacey Potter belonged to Christ Church, an Episcopal Church in Hampton, New York. The parish was founded in 1798. The church building appears to have been in Hampton, but there were also members from Granville, Pawlet and Wells. The church edifice was on land given by Colonel Gideon Warren and was situated on the northwest corner of the cemetery, on a hill. The town historian, however, said that the cemetery was not specifically associated with the church. Early ministers included Amos Pardee and Bethuel Chittenden.
Reverend Stephen Jewett began his ministry in this church on October 16, 1811, "being in Deacon's Order", and served until about 1821. His salary was $108 and 20 cords of wood, annually, for half time work. Even though Rev. Jewett was not the first minister in the church, the church acquired much more importance during his charge. The parish included families residing in Poultney, Castleton, West Haven, Fair Haven and Whitehall, as well as Hampton.
In the early 1820's, St. John's church was organized in East Poultney, Vermont, as part of a separate parish, although it was effectively still part of Christ Church. In 1828, the 2 parishes united in calling the Rev. Moore Bingham and shared his services until Easter, 1837. The actual edifice of St. John's church was built 1831-1834. About 1840, Rev. Lucius Purdy officiated in the parish. About 1844, Rev. Daniel Barber was briefly the rector of Hampton and Poultney. The next rector was Oliver Hopson.
There was also a Methodist Episcopal church in the area, although there is no evidence that Stacey Potter was connected to it. Methodist activity began in Hampton as early as 1788, but the first Methodist meeting-house in the area was built in Poultney in 1822. In 1841, the Methodists in Hampton broke away from the Methodists in Poultney and erected their own church in 1842, probably in Hampton Corners.
Although I initially viewed the records for Christ Episcopal Church in Washington County, probably with the Hampton town historian, the records at Family Search are more legible. These records are for the tenures of Rev. Stephen Jewett and Rev. Moore Bingham. I am not certain if these are the original records or if they are a transcription by Frederick S. Sill, a rector at St. John's in Cohoes, New York.
According to the frontispiece of the records, Christ Church was consecrated by Right Reverend John Henry Hobart, a bishop of the Episcopal Church, on September 5, 1813. The next day, 70 persons were confirmed. Several years later, in 1816, 22 more persons were confirmed. There were 70 families in the church at one time, but by October 1828, there were only 40 families.
Baptisms
For the ministry of Rev. Stephen Jewett, baptisms for adults and infants are listed separately. Specific dates for baptisms are not given.
The first adult listed is Stacey Potter.
William. Eliza Mary. Marsena (adopted) Chd of S & O Potter.
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| Christ Church Records, p. 2, Baptisms. |
ANALYSIS: Since Stacey is the first adult listed, I am speculating that he was baptized in 1813, shortly after the consecration of the church, and in conjunction with his confirmation... William, Eliza and Mary are the 3 oldest children of Stacey and Orrilla. The baptism of these children could not have been done at the same time, since William died before Eliza and Mary were born. Since Emery was born in November 1821, does this mean that these 3 baptisms all occurred before this time? If these records are for the tenure of Rev. Stephen Jewett, 1811-1821, this would make sense.
NEW INFORMATION: This is the first time that we have seen documentation of Marsena! Marsena is a Biblical name and evidently can be for a boy or a girl. This seems like the likeliest explanation for the previously unexplained males in the 1820, 1825 and 1830 censuses. I have not seen other references to Marsena, so I do not know if he reached adulthood... There is also the question as to why Stacey and Orrilla would have adopted Marsena. Was he the child of one of their siblings? Was he an orphaned child in the town, a pauper, for whom they received payment by the town?
In the second part of the records, for Rev. Moore Bingham, the following entries occur:
Sept 5 [1830] [parents] Stasa & Orilla Potter [residence] Hampton.
Feb 21 1831 Esther [parents] Stasa & Orilla Potter [residence] Hampton.
Oct 21 [1832] Pliny [parents] S. & Orilla Potter [residence] Hampton.
Oct 4 [1835] Paulina [parents] Stacy Potter [residence] Hampton.
ANALYSIS: There were no baptism records found for Emery, Harriet, Caroline or Henry, but this appears to be because the records for the minister during that time (1821-1827) are missing. At least, I have not yet found them.... The first record must be for Phoebe, who was born May 7, 1828. But if so, she was baptized more than 2 years later... The second record is for Esther, who was born in January 1830 and was buried February 23, 1831. She must have been christened on the same day that she died... The third record is for Pliny, who was born May 10, 1831. So he was a little over a year old when he was baptized... The fourth record is for Paulina, who was born July 23, 1835, and died February 8, 1836. So she was a little over 2 months old when she was baptized... There was no baptism record found for Frances, but she was born October 8, 1837, and Rev. Moore Bingham was probably no longer the minister at that time.
Marriages
The following were listed during the ministry of Rev. Stephen Jewett.
Stacey Potter & Orilla Knapp
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| Christ Church Records, p. 3, Marriages. |
ANALYSIS: Their names are listed, including Orrilla's maiden name, but no marriage date is listed. If the marriages are listed in order, we might be able to figure out their marriage date from the marriage date of adjacent entries.
- The marriage 2 before is for William Hill and Asenath Robbins. They had a son, Marcus D. Hill, born in 1816 in Hampton, but he is not necessarily their oldest child.
- The marriage immediately before is for Elijah Blackman and Mrs. Chloe Hill (Chloe Beebe). They were married December 25, 1814, in Hampton, according to Revolutionary War Records of Fairfield Connecticut, Volume 3.
- The marriage immediately after is for Mason Hewlett and Abigail Andrews. Their first child together, Hannah Lucy, was born July 14, 1817, in Hampton, according to Find A Grave. So they were probably married no later than September 1816.
- The marriage 2 after is for Price F[rench] Kellogg and Lucretia Rockwell. According to "The Kelloggs in the New World", they married May 8, 1816, in Hampton.
If the order of marriages is relevant, it would appear that Stacey and Orrilla married in 1815 or the first 4 months of 1816... Since their oldest known child, William Potter, was born June 1816, they were probably married about August 1815, assuming conception a month after marriage.
The following were listed during the ministry of Rev. Moore Bingham.
Nov 20 1838 Asa Town & Mary Potter - Hampton.
Dec 19 1838 Isaac Potter & Mary Ann Collins - Granville.
ANALYSIS: Mary Potter, of course, is the oldest (living) daughter of Stacey and Orrilla. Isaac appears to be the son of Prince Potter and Roxana Cook, but I do not know if he is related to MY Stacey.
Funerals
The frontispiece states that 70 funerals were performed during the rectorship of the Rev. Stephen Jewett, but no names or dates were listed in the copy of the records that I have.
During the ministry of Rev. Moore Bingham, the following funerals are mentioned:
Feb 23 1831 Esther infant of Stacy Potter - Hampton.
Feb 14 1836 Paulina Infant Stasa Potter - Hampton.
ANALYSIS: If Esther was christened February 21, 1831, and her funeral was February 23, 1831, she may have actually died February 21, the same day she was christened... Paulina died February 8, 1836, according to her tombstone, so she was buried 6 days later.
Communicants
The following are listed during the rectorship of Rev. Stephen Jewett.
S. Potter
Mrs. Potter
ANALYSIS: These 2 entries are some distance apart. Stacey was the 6th family listed, after J. Kellog, P Adams, S. Beman, P. French and J. Beman. Does this mean that Stacey was a communicant before he married Orrilla?... Since the earlier entries were for individuals that were the earliest church members, according to the History of Washington County, I believe Stacey was at least a communicant by 1811, and possibly before that.
Land records in Hampton
Another way to establish where and when a family resided is to examine land records. I did examine land records on microfilm in 1996 and 2001. At this time, however, Family Search has all of the historical land records for Washington County online! These records include index books for mortgages, for deeds by grantee and for deeds by grantor.
One dilemma, of course, is distinguishing land records for MY Stacey Potter and ALT Stacey Potter. Since the wife was typically named on land documents, I looked for Orrilla, rather than Cynthia Potter. A second dilemma is that land records are difficult to wade through. In addition to receiving the deed at time of purchase and transferring the deed at time of sale, there were frequently multiple mortgage documents for the same piece of land.
When I visited the Hampton town historian on September 11, 2001, I found information recorded by Helen Miley on the history of Hampton, New York. Stacey Potter had 14 acres on 17 July 1830, in the Faesh Patent. This was part of an original patent made to George Faesh in 1765, consisting of 3,000 acres. This must be MY Stacey because my Stacey had exactly 14 acres in the 1825 census.
After scrutinizing the land records for Stacey Potter, it appears that he owned 4 different parcels of land at different times. The first parcel was 2 acres, the second parcel was 12 acres, the third parcel was 30 acres and the fourth parcel was 78 acres.
The parcel of 2 acres was sold in November 1838 to Henry Beman. I do not know when the parcel of land was purchased, but I suspect that he owned it by 1820. The land is described in 1838 as: "bounded as follows Beginning... in the center of the highway being the southwest corner of a lot formerly owned by the Rev. Stephen Jewett... thence along the Westerly bounds of said lot... to the South line of the Daily farm... thence... to the center of the highway aforesaid thence easterly along the same to the place of Beginning."
The parcel of 12 acres was sold in November 1838 to Henry Beman, in conjunction with the 2 acres mentioned above. The land was purchased from Ormas Doolittle and Reuben Doolittle Jr., who lived in Genesee County, NY, at the time of the mortgage dated 15 Feb 1823.
This land is described as follows in 1823: "bounded as follows... [southeast] from the north east corner of the Church... [north and east to] the south line of Lands belonging to the heirs of Pliny Adams then along the same [southeast]... then to the center of the highway then along the same southwesterly until the north line of the burying ground bears north... then along the north line of the school and burying ground".
This land is described as follows in 1838: "bounded as follows South by the road leading from the bridge to Whitehall West by the burying ground and Peter Honeys land North by land owned by the heirs of Ann Eliza Adams deceased late of Hampton".
In 1820, MY Stacey Potter is listed immediately adjacent to Rev. Stephen Jewett, who lived adjacent to the parcel of 2 acres.
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| U.S. census, 1820, Hampton NY. |
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| Google maps, Hampton NY, focus on cemetery. |
In the above map, we see Hampton Hill Cemetery, aka Warren Cemetery, marked in green. At the intersection of Staso and Ballard Roads, we see the location of the earlier Episcopal Parsonage. Just east of the cemetery, we see Dailey Way. The Dailey farm was immediately adjacent to the parcel of 2 acres.
These 2 parcels are definitely in the vicinity of the Burying Ground, School House and Episcopal Parsonage. It is actually difficult, at least for me, to determine the exact location of Stacey's land. The above map shows my current best guess of the location of the 2-acre and 12-acre parcels of land.
The third parcel of land is 30 acres. The earliest reference to this land is a mortgage given by Stacey and Aurelia/Orrilla Potter to John P. Adams in April 1836. This land was sold in November 1838 to Henry Beman, in conjunction with the 2 acres and 12-13 acres mentioned above. This land is bounded by the Poultney River (at NE corner of Ethan Warren's lot), the eastern border of the parsonage lot and the highway. So this new parcel of land is east of the first 2 parcels.
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| Washington County NY, 1853 map |
The above map shows my current best guess of the location of the 30-acre parcel of land. This map is an 1853 map of Washington County, New York, surveyed by Morris Levey, and held by Library of Congress.
The fourth parcel of land is 78 acres and consists of a sub-parcel of 28.25 acres and a sub-parcel of 49.75 acres. The earliest transaction for this land is a mortgage dated 21 July 1832, between Stacey and Orrilla Potter and Henry Brooks. This land was eventually sold to Lyman Broughton on 8 June 1840.
The first sub-parcel of land was part of the farm on which Stephen Brooks formerly lived. His wife Hannah and son Henry subsequently owned this land. Descriptions of the land vary somewhat as ownership of surrounding land changes. The boundary starts on the patent line in the SW corner of Anthony Austin's farm (later owned by Jesse Munroe), runs along the patent line and is bounded by the NE corner of land owned by Jason and Rachel Kellogg. At the time of an 1836 mortgage taken out on this same piece of land, Stacey and John Potter live to the east of this lot!
The second sub-parcel of land was chiefly on the north side of the highway leading from Hampton to Whitehall. The boundary starts in a brook on the west line of Anthony Austin's land (later owned by Jesse Munroe), runs by the NE corner of Pliny Warren's land (later owned by Nathan Munroe), and runs by a corner of Wait (or Ward) Webster's land.
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| Washington County, NY; 1866; Faesh patent. |
The map above shows the boundary of the Faesh patent line. It also shows the highway going northwest from Hampton to the town of Whitehall. The circled areas above show my current best guess of the location of the 28-acre and the 49-50 acres of land.
At the time of the 1840 census, Stacey and Orrilla must have been living on this fourth parcel, based on his neighbors, Jesse Monroe and Nathan Monroe.
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| U.S. census, 1840, Hampton NY. |
As a result of perusing land records, I know that Stacey and Orrilla Potter owned land in Hampton from at least 15 Feb 1823 (and probably earlier) to 8 Jun 1840. It is also fairly clear where they lived, as marked in the maps above. There are numerous mortgage documents, even for the same piece of property, so it was my impression that he was struggling financially, although this may not be correct.
But the most fascinating item was Mortgage Book Y, p. 386, where Stacey and Orrilla Potter give a mortgage to Henry Brooks.
Stacey Potter agrees to pay $375 to Henry Brooks, "payable in waggons of the following description (viz) twelve two horse waggons made of good materials well ironed painted and finished on or before the first day of May A. D. 1833". If Stacey cannot make all 12 wagons, he must pay $31.25 for each wagon not supplied... Subsequent mortgage documents state that he satisfied this portion of the mortgage by supplying 12 wagons.
Truly, this only makes sense if Stacey Potter's occupation was wagon-maker!
Summary of family of Stacey Potter and Orrilla Knapp
- Stacey Potter and Orrilla Knapp and their children lived in Hampton, New York, from at least 1815-1840.
- Stacey and Orrilla had 12 biological children, born 1816-1837, although 4 of the children died before age 4.
- Stacey and Orrilla appear to have adopted a child named Marsena, based on christening records. The child appears to be male and born 1810-1820. He appears to have lived with the family from at least 1820-1830.
- In the 1825 census, there are 2 females under 16 and 1 male that cannot be identified, assuming that one of the males is Marsena. There is one pauper in the household, gender not identified. Presumably, it could be any of these 4 children.
- In the 1830 census, there is 1 male that cannot be identified, assuming the male 15-19 is Marsena. The second male may be an apprentice or someone who worked with Stacey.
- Stacey was engaged in manufactures, rather than agriculture or commerce. He owned limited acreage and livestock. He was highly likely a wagon-maker!
- Their son, Emery, was not living with the family in 1835 (age 14) or in 1840 (age 19). In 1835, he appears to be living with ALT Stacey! By 1840, he may have moved west, since he married on April 11, 1841, in Mentz, New York, in Cayuga County.
- It is not clear if their daughter Mary was living with them in 1835. She certainly was not living with them in 1840, since she married Asa Town on November 20, 1838, and was living in Poultney, Vermont, about 1-2 miles east of Hampton.
- The family belonged to Christ Church, an Episcopal Church, in both Hampton NY and Poultney, VT.
- Even though they belonged to an Episcopal Church, it does not preclude Stacey coming from a Quaker background. The Potters from Granville were almost all Quaker. But ALT Stacey was a Methodist, even though his father Christopher was a Quaker.
- Records still exist for the ministries of Rev. Stephen Jewett (1813-1821) and Rev. Moore Bingham (1828-1837).
- Stacey Potter is the first entry for baptized adults. He was probably baptized in 1813 in conjunction with confirmation.
- A marriage entry is listed for 'Stacey Potter & Orilla Knapp'. No date is given, but it was probably around August 1815, based on the birthdate of their eldest child.
- Both 'S. Potter' and 'Mrs. Potter' are listed as communicants during the rectorship of Rev. Stephen Jewett.
- Rev. Stephen Jewett baptized 4 Potter children: William, Eliza, Mary and Marsena.
- Rev. Moore Bingham baptized 4 Potter children: Phebe, Esther, Pliny and Paulina.
- Funeral dates are listed for 2 Potter children: Esther and Paulina.
- According to a letter written by Stacey and Orrilla's granddaughter, Elizabeth (Town) Tuttle Drury, Stacey was a chorister in the Episcopal Church.
- Stacey and Orrilla Potter owned land in Hampton from at least 15 Feb 1823 (and probably earlier) to 8 June 1840.
- Several of the children of Christopher Potter and Elizabeth Baker lived in Hampton. They include ALT Stacey and John and Jeremiah. They likely include Phebe. There are several pieces of evidence that MY Stacey and ALT Stacey are related.
- The 4 children of MY Stacey Potter who died young are buried next to John H. Potter, the son of ALT Stacey, with just one tombstone in between.
- The 78 acres of land that MY Stacey owned was just west of land owed by ALT Stacey and John Potter.
- In the 1835 census, it appears that Emery, eldest son of MY Stacey, was living with ALT Stacey.
- There are 2 other Potters who lived in Hampton at the same time as my Stacey, but the evidence of any relationship is thin. Horace Potter was born 1790-1800, and lived in Hampton in 1830 with his wife and 5 children. Maine Potter lived in Hampton in 1835. He owned limited land and may have been in manufactures or trade.
- Even though they belonged to an Episcopal Church, it does not preclude Stacey coming from a Quaker background. The Potters from Granville were almost all Quaker. But ALT Stacey was a Methodist, even though his father Christopher was a Quaker.
- Records still exist for the ministries of Rev. Stephen Jewett (1813-1821) and Rev. Moore Bingham (1828-1837).
- Stacey Potter is the first entry for baptized adults. He was probably baptized in 1813 in conjunction with confirmation.
- A marriage entry is listed for 'Stacey Potter & Orilla Knapp'. No date is given, but it was probably around August 1815, based on the birthdate of their eldest child.
- Both 'S. Potter' and 'Mrs. Potter' are listed as communicants during the rectorship of Rev. Stephen Jewett.
- Rev. Stephen Jewett baptized 4 Potter children: William, Eliza, Mary and Marsena.
- Rev. Moore Bingham baptized 4 Potter children: Phebe, Esther, Pliny and Paulina.
- Funeral dates are listed for 2 Potter children: Esther and Paulina.
- According to a letter written by Stacey and Orrilla's granddaughter, Elizabeth (Town) Tuttle Drury, Stacey was a chorister in the Episcopal Church.
- The 4 children of MY Stacey Potter who died young are buried next to John H. Potter, the son of ALT Stacey, with just one tombstone in between.
- The 78 acres of land that MY Stacey owned was just west of land owed by ALT Stacey and John Potter.
- In the 1835 census, it appears that Emery, eldest son of MY Stacey, was living with ALT Stacey.
Next Steps
The next blog for the Potter family will describe their trek west, across New York, to Palmyra, Wisconsin, and west from there. One big unknown is 'What happened to Stacey Potter?". There is no evidence at this time that he died in Hampton, New York, although all of his property appears to have been sold by June 1840. Did he die in the Hampton vicinity? Or did he die on the trek west?
Sources
Ancestry.com. U. S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, Washington County New York, 1866. Original data: Various publishers of County Land Ownership Atlases. Microfilmed by the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
California. California Department of Health and Welfare. California Death Index, 1905-1939. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Ancestry. www.Ancestry.com: 2013. [Frances Potter]
Christ (Episcopal) Church, (Hampton, New York, United States). Family History Library; Film 533508, item 2.
- Baptisms, 1811-1828, 1828-1839.
- Marriages, 1811-1828, 1829-1839.
- Funerals, 1829-1840.
- Communicants.
Family Search. Intellectual Reserve, Inc.. 2020;
Find A Grave, Inc, digital images (www.findagrave.com), #92963467, Harriet Potter, added 2 Jul 2012, Valerie Lawrence maintains.
Fosdal, Roberta Lien; genealogist for Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
Google Maps. www.google.com/maps. Hampton NY. Focus on Hampton Hill Cemetery.
Historical Data Services, Glen Falls, NY. "Cemetery records of the township of Hampton, Washington County, New York." Typescript, page 6. 1995. Midwest Genealogy Center, Independence. [in order by last name]
Jackson, Mary S. and Edward F. Jackson. Marriage Notices from Washington County, New York newspapers, 1799-1880. Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, Inc., 1995. [Caroline Potter]
Johnson, Crisfield. History of Washington Co., New York: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia: Everts & Ensign, 1878.
- p 228; Bio of Seymour L. Potter, related to ALT Stacey.
- p 366-7; Christ Episcopal Church.
Kaufman Family Album, [in the possession of Dorothy Crooks], page 17, Orrilla (Knapp) Potter.
Levey, Morris, James D Scott and Robert Pearsall Smith. Map of Washington County, New York. Philadelphia: James D. Scott and Robert Pearsall Smith, 1853. Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress.
McCullen, Lindy, town historian, transcriber. "Hampton Hill Cemetery." Typescript, page 12. [in order by row]
Minnesota. Rice. 1900 U.S. census, population schedule. Digital images. Ancestry. www.ancestry.com : 2004.
- Henry Potter, Northfield, ED 158, p. 184A.
Nebraska. College View. Unknown newspaper, 1917. "Obituary of Plinny Potter". [From John Potter].
New York. Washington. 1820 U.S. census, population schedule. Digital images. Ancestry. www.Ancestry.com : 2010.
- Hampton, p. 127, line 11, Statia Potters.
- Hampton, p. 126, line 17, John Potter.
New York. Washington. 1825 state census, population schedule. Washington County, New York, county archives, Fort Edward.
New York. Washington. 1830 U.S. census. Digital images. Ancestry. www.Ancestry.com : 2010.
New York. Washington. 1835 state census, population schedule. Washington County NY county archives, Fort Edward.
New York. Washington. 1840 U.S. census. Digital images. Ancestry. www.Ancestry.com : 2010.
New York. Washington. "United States, New York Land Records, 1630-1975". Database with images. Family Search. https:/FamilySearch.org : 13 April 2021. Multiple county courthouses, New York.
- Mortgage Book P, p. 396, 15 Feb 1823. (12 acres)
- Mortgage Book Y, p. 386, 21 Jul 1832. (78 acres)
- Mortgage Book DD, p. 514, 10 May 1836. (78 acres)
- Deed Book WW, p. 287, 13 Nov 1838. (sale of 2 acres, 12-13 acres and 30 acres)
- Deed Book ZZ, p. 556, 8 Jun 1840. (sale of 78 acres)
(Town) Tuttle Drury, Elizabeth Mable. Letter. 1917-1925 to Carrie Alice (Potter) McGlothlin. [From John Potter]
Wisconsin. Jefferson County. 1850 U.S. census, population schedule. Digital images. Ancestry. www.ancestry.com : 2009.
- Palmyra, Orrilla Potter and Emory Potter.
Wisconsin. Jefferson County. Circuit court records. Box 176 (black) or Box 141 (red), Summons and Complaint, Catherine Potter against Emery Potter, 9 Nov 1861 (file date).
Wisconsin. Jefferson County. Marriage Certificates.
-Henry Potter and Phoebe Chew.
Wisconsin. Palmyra. Palmyra Enterprise, 9 Jan 1902. "Obituary (Mrs. Miles Wilbur)" p. 1, col. 3.
Wisconsin. Palmyra. Palmyra Enterprise, 4 Dec 1878. Marriage of Mrs. Leander Coon and Captain Henry Wilson. [Information provided by Roberta Fosdal. Newspaper not accessed directly.]
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