Background
He as born in 1729 in County Tyrone, Ireland. He was the son of John Potter. His family landed at New Castle, Del. (1741), and settled on a farm in western Pennsylvania, his father becoming the first sheriff of Cumberland County (1750).
He as born in 1729 in County Tyrone, Ireland. He was the son of John Potter. His family landed at New Castle, Del. (1741), and settled on a farm in western Pennsylvania, his father becoming the first sheriff of Cumberland County (1750).
James was educated in the hard experiences of the frontier.
At twenty-five he was a lieutenant in the border militia and in 1756 he participated in the Kittanning campaign under Lieutenant-Colonel Armstrong. He was promoted to captain in 1759. During 1763-64 he was major and lieutenant-colonel respectively against the French and Indians on the northern frontier and when not engaged with the militia devoted his time to farming.
The provincial government appointed him one of the commissioners to induce settlers in western Pennsylvania to withdraw from Indian lands in accordance with the treaty of 1768. One of the first settlers to penetrate the beautiful Penn's Valley in central Pennsylvania, he took up a large tract of land and established his home there about 1774.
A leader in early Revolutionary meetings, Potter was chosen colonel of a battalion of associators early in 1776. He was a member of the constitutional convention at Philadelphia (1776), but was in the field during most of its sessions. He commanded his Northumberland militia at Trenton and Princeton and was appointed brigadier-general April 5, 1777. At Brandywine and Germantown, as well as during the remainder of 1777, he performed valiantly on the outposts of Washington's army in obstructing British raiding and foraging expeditions. His stout opposition to Cornwallis (December 11, 1777) while the American army was on its way to Valley Forge elicited the personal commendation of the Commander-in-Chief.
Pressure of business and the illness of his wife compelled him to leave the army early in 1778. Eager for his return the following spring, Washington declared that "his activity and vigilance have been much wanted during the winter". Indian invasions in Penn's Valley engaged his attention during the years 1778-1780 and in 1779 obliged him to remove his family to more thickly settled areas.
In 1780 he was elected to the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania on the Constitutionalist ticket, the following year was elected vice-president of council, and in 1782 was his party's unsuccessful choice for council president against John Dickinson. He was commissioned major-general of militia May 23, 1782, and in 1784 was on the council of censors. From 1785 until his death he was deputy surveyor for Pennsylvania in Northumberland County and also superintended the development of land schemes in Penn's Valley for a company of land speculators.
While assisting in a building project on one of his properties in September 1789 he suffered serious internal injuries which caused his death two months later.
James Potter rose to the rank of brigadier general of Pennsylvania militia during the Revolutionary War, he led militia troops at the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and Germantown. He also served as Vice-President of Pennsylvania and during his vice-presidential term he served as an ex officio member of the board of trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. Several place names in Pennsylvania, such as Potter County and Potters Mills (in Centre County), were given in his honor.
Enterprising and accustomed to hard work, possessing sound judgment and a penetrating mind, he accumulated a large and valuable estate consisting principally of choice lands in central Pennsylvania.
His first wife was Elizabeth Cathcart of Philadelphia, by whom he had two children. His second wife was Mary (Patterson) Chambers, daughter of James Patterson of Mifflin County, from which marriage he had five children. His daughter Martha was married to Andrew Gregg.
