Background
Potter, William James was born on February 1, 1829 in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States. Son of William and Anna (Aiken) Potter.
Potter, William James was born on February 1, 1829 in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States. Son of William and Anna (Aiken) Potter.
Attended State Normal School, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Attended Harvard Divinity School, 1856-1857, U. Berlin (Germany), 1857-1858.
Ordained to ministry Unitarian church, 1859. Minister 1st Congressional Society of New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1859-1893. Drafted into United States Army, 1863, served as inspector military hospitals, later chaplain to convalescent camp, Alexandria, Virginia.
Organised Free Religious Association, circa 1867, secretary, 1867-1882, president, 1882-1892.
Author: Twenty-five Sermons of Twenty-five Years, 1885. Editor Free Religious Index, circa 1885-1886.
Married Elizabeth Claghorn Babcock, November 26, 1863, 2 children.