John Potter Papers

University Archives and Special Collections
15 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI 02881-2011
Tel: 401-874-4632

email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Published in 2009

Collection Overview

Title:	John Potter Papers
Date range:	1850-1893
Creator:	Potter, John, 1869-
Extent:	0.5 linear feet 1 box
Abstract:	This collection contains letters to and from John Potter, pocket diaries written by Julia Johnson Wells, a transcription of the diaries, and a pamphlet entitled Important Correspondence Between Elisha Reynolds Potter and R. G. Hazard, Esq., 1876. Potter was a resident of Connecticut who served in the Connecticut Legislature. His family had close ties to Rhode Island.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	University Archives and Special Collections
Collection number:	Mss. Gr. 133

Scope & content

The collection is organized into a Subject File. It consists of letters to and from John Potter, pocket diaries written by Julia Johnson Wells, a typescript transcription of the diaries by Charles Hoffman completed in 1978, and a pamphlet entitled Important Correspondence Between Elisha Reynolds Potter and R. G. Hazard, Esq., 1876.

While John Potter was at the New Hampton Literary Institute, his mother Angeline, wrote to her son on a weekly basis. These letters along with letters from other relatives and friends roughly span a twelve year period, 1881- 1892. There are no letters for the years 1885 - 1886.

Along with the letters to John, are six pocket diaries (1850-1855) kept by Julia Johnson Wells, wife of Thomas Potter Wells (1809-1884), banker and later Deacon of the Kingston Congregationalist Church in Kingston, RI. The connection between John and Julia is not clear from researching the materials at hand.

The letters and diaries are in excellent condition and are open for research. Related to this collection, are John's mother, Angeline's wedding dress and several hand-made quilts, ca. 1860, donated by Nancy Potter to the URI Historic Textile and Costume Collection.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into one series:

• 1. Subject File

Biographical note

John Potter was born in Griswold, CT in 1869 to Elisha Palmer Potter (1801-1888) and Angeline Whitford Potter (1834-1898). He attended the New Hampton Literary Institute, now known as the New Hampton School, in New Hampshire from the age of twelve to approximately twenty-one years of age. He attended Yale University but never graduated. He was eventually elected to the Connecticut Legislature where he made his first public speech in favor of the Women's Suffrage bill in 1915.

John was the couple's only child but had a half-brother, Caleb Palmer Potter (1824-1905), from his father's first marriage to Elizabeth Stanton. The family lived in Voluntown, Connecticut but had roots in Rhode Island and are related to the Potters of Kingston. Elisha Palmer was born in Richmond, RI and his wife Angeline was born in Greene, RI (in Coventry) and was working at a millenary in Providence when Elisha proposed marriage.

Perhaps the most distinguished member of the Kingston branch of the family was Elisha Reynolds Potter (1811-1882) who served as an educator, congressman, judge, historian and author. University of Rhode Island Special Collections was given a portion of Elisha Reynolds Potter's papers by William Davis Miller in the 1960's (see MSG# 12, Elisha Reynolds Potter Papers, 1798-1879). The bulk of the Potter papers are at the Rhode Island Historical Society.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	Open for research.
Use of the materials:	Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Preferred citation:	John Potter Collection, Mss. Gr. 133, University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections.
Contact information:	University Archives and Special Collections 15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-2011 Tel: 401-874-4632 email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	This collection was initially sent to the South Kingstown Library on behalf of Charles and Tess Hoffman by the executor of their estate for the purpose of locating a suitable repository. URI Prof. Emerita, Nancy Potter, the daughter of John Potter, had loaned the Hoffman's this small collection for their research. This collection was transferred by South Kingstown Library and donated to the Special Collections Unit of the University Library in April of 2003 by Prof. Nancy Potter.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Ann Amaral and Sarina R. Wyant.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Hailie D. Posey 2009 July 07, updated by Mark Dionne on 2020 April 10
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Inventory

---

Inventory