Robert Potter of Portsmouth

Not a proven child of George Potter, of London & Martha Potter

Not the same as Robert Potter, of Lynn

Robert Potter

• Born about 1609 in England
• Died Warwick before 14 May 1656
• Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
• Married 1) Isabel Unknown, 2) Sarah Unknown

Robert Potter Immigrated about 1634 to Roxbury, then Portsmouth 1639, and Warwick 1642

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Family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Potter-84

Isabel unknown married by 1634, as his first, to Robert Potter.

After Isabel's death, Robert married, as his 2nd, to Sarah (Unknown). After Robert died (inventory 14 May 1656), Sarah married, as her 2nd, to John Sanford.

Robert Potter and Isabell Potter, wife of Robert Potter, were members of the First Church of Roxbury in 1634.[2]. Robert's first wife, Isabel, was the mother of all of Robert's children. She is frequently reported as Isabel (Anthony). This is derived from the fact that John Potter, son of Robert and Isabel, called John Anthony his uncle. In addition, Robert Potter was uncle to John Tripp. There are several different ways that this might occur, but Anderson cautions, "the basis for these stated relations has not yet been determined."[1]

No children by 2nd wife.

Children of Robert Potter and first wife, Isabel:[1]

1. Deliverance Potter, bpt 5 Mar 1636/7; m by 1658 to James Greene
2. John Potter, b abt 1640; m 1) 2 Jun 1664 to Ruth Fisher, 2) 7 Jan 1684/5 to Sally (Wright ?) Collins [NEHGR 37:275].
3. Elizabeth Potter, b say 1642; "said to have married" Richard Harcutt [Austin 156][6]

Disputed child

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Potter-84

According to Anderson, Robert Potter had only two known daughters, Deliverance and Elizabeth. Deliverance Potter married to James Greene, and Elizabeth "is said to have married" to Richard Harcutt [Austin 156].[1] Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island also includes a daughter, Isabel, but Anderson disputes her, based on the will of Robert Potter's second wife, Sarah, who left bequests "to the children of John Potter, Elizabeth Potter, and Deliverance Potter." If this was intended as a complete list of Robert's children, then Isabel could not have been a daughter.[1] Isabel married 1) Unknown Moss, and 2) William Burton. Anderson surmises she might have been more distantly related through Robert's first wife, or possibly a childless daughter (and this is the reason she was not mentioned in Sarah's will).[1]

Disambiguation

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Potter-84

A different Robert Potter was born c. 1566 in England, married on Nov 4, 1591 in Newport Pagnell, BuckInghamshire to Elizabeth Marshall and continued to live at Newport Pagnell until his death in 1631. He had a son by the same name, Robert Potter who was baptized 15 Sep 1606, died in 1655 at Lynn, Essex Co., MA. Neither of these men were any relation to the profiled.

Disputed Origins and Other Life Details

Anderson featured Robert Potter.[1] According to Anderson, his origin is unknown; parents, birth date, and birth place are unknown. He was probably born by about 1609, judging by the estimated date of his first marriage. There is no evidence that he was the son of George Potter and Martha who was baptized 17 Jan 1608, in Clerkenwell, St. James England. It has also been claimed that Robert Potter, Nathanyell Potter and George Potter Jr. were brothers, without evidence.
Charles Henry Pope in The Pioneers of Massachusetts stated that Robert was buried at Roxbury 17 June 1653. An entry in Eliot's Church Records says that Brother Potter was buried Month 11 day 17 1653, (17 Jan 1653). Pope's work confuses Jan and Jun and the Brother Potter in Roxbury was William Potter of Roxbury.

References

• Anderson, Robert Charles, (1995) "Robert Potter," Featured name. Great Migration 1634-1635, M-P. AmericanAncestors.org NEHGS, (Volume V, M-P, Pages 500-505). AmericanAncestors
• The genealogical dictionary of Rhode Island; comprising three generations of settlers who came before 1690, with many families carried to the fourth generation. John Osborne Austin; George Andrews Moriarty. Publisher: Baltimore, Genealogical Pub. Co., 1887. Archive.Org

Biography

An antinomian - a follower of Anne Hutchinson. He was tried along with her and her followers and they went to Portsmouth, RI where they founded that colony in 1638.

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/POTTER/2000-01/094777...

Robert Potter born circa 17 Jan, 1608 is the troublesome one in the Potter line. He is often given as having come from Coventry, yet his family seems to have been from London. He shows up in Lynn and Salem in the records.

He was an antinomian - a follower of Anne Hutchinson. He was tried along with her and her followers and they went to Portsmouth, RI where they founded that colony in 1638. Anne and some others then went on to near Pelham, NY where they were killed in an Indian raid.

A number of Robert's brothers and sisters came to Portsmouth from London to settle. George and Nathaniel had land adjoining Robert's property. Elizabeth married an innkeeper named William Baulston.

Elizabeth the William raised George's son Abel after George's untimely and still unsolved death in 1640 (before his son's birth).

Robert and others went on to found Warwick, RI. Massachusetts folks arrested the men of the town (including Robert) and took them back to Massachusetts and tried them on heresy charges. They were imprisoned for two years, and when Robert returned his wife Isabel Tripp Potter had been killed in an Indian raid (in Sept 1643).

Robert and Isabel had six children, the last of whom was John. Around 1644 John is supposed to have remarried a Sarah....... (No information about her)

I personally have come to believe that there was only one Robert Potter and that he was the oldest son of George and Martha.

Old notes

• Born: 17 Jan 1608 - Coventry, Warwickshire, England
• Died: 1655 - Roxbury, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
• Spouse: Isabel Tripp
• Born: 1612 in Clerkenwell, St James London, Middlesex, England
• Died: Sep 1644 in Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island, USA
• Marriage: abt 1630 in Roxbury, Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA View Info
• Children:
  • 1. Anthony Potter M 1628 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
  • 2. Elizabeth Potter F abt 1631 in Roxbury, [county], Massachusetts, USA
  • 3. Deliverance Potter F 1637 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island, USA
  • 4. John Potter M 1639 in Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island, USA
  • 5. Isabel Potter F abt 1639 in Portsmouth, [county], Rhode Island, USA
  • 6. Robert Potter M 28 May 1639 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island, USA

=================

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/POTTER/2000-01/094777...

Died in 1643 - Invasion of Mass. Bay Colony

Puritans at Shawomet (Warwick RI)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

http://connecticut-genealogy.blogspot.com/2010/07/robert-potter-and...

Birth: Jun. 15, 1606
Newport Pagnell Buckinghamshire, England Death: 1655 Lynn Essex County Massachusetts, USA

Family links:

Parents:

 Robert Potter (1577 - 1627)

 Elizabeth Marshall Potter (1572 - 1628)

Spouse:

 Isabella Potter (1607 - 1643)*

Children:

 Anthony Potter (1627 - 1690)*

• Calculated relationship

Burial: Unknown

Created by: Robert DeVowe Record added: Jan 27, 2014 Find A Grave Memorial# 124227492

Jeremiah Potter's book from 1881 references Anthony Potter as his first child on Page 6 with no other reference in the book.

In the introduction to the Potter Genealogies, the author states that,

"It has also been stated by some historians that Anthony Potter, of Ipswich, was a son of the Robert Potter, of Lynn, who subsequently settled in Portsmouth, RI. There does not seem to be any records to make this certain. The name Anthony was a family name, and suggests that his mother may have been an Anthony, as the families of Anthony and Potter were connected."

Source:

• Genealogies of the Potter families and their descendents in America to the present generation with historical and biographical sketches. POTTER, Charles Edward (ed) Published by Privately published, Boston, 1888

Links:

• Robert Potter Find A Grave Memorial# 124227492
• Robert Potter Geni.com
• Isabella Potter Find A Grave Memorial# 124227582
• Isabel Potter (Anthony) Geni.com
• Anthony Potter Find A Grave Memorial# 124226787
• Anthony Potter Geni.com

Suggested by William Irwin (#48154225) Thank you Erica Howton for your research

GEDCOM Note

[hazard.ged]

Robert was the founder of Warwick, Rhode Island in 1643.

ROBERT POTTER, OF WARWICK

From -"History & Genealogies of Potter Families in America" by Chas. E. Potter, Published 1888. ROBERT POTTER1 came from Coventry, in England, in 1634, and was made a freeman of the Massachusetts Plantation, Sept. 3, 1634. He is mentioned first as being a farmer at Lynn, Mass., and as removing, probably to Roxbury, soon after being made a freeman of the Colony. The records mention his first trouble with his church at Roxbury, which finally resulted in the necessity of his leaving the Colony, which he did, and settled in Portsmouth, R. I. "General court of Newton, Mass., 12th day July, 1637. Robert Potter appearing, liberty granted till next court in the beginning of the third month called May, being bound in œ20 to appear then, and refered the meane time to the church of Roxbury, 2d day of 3d mo., 1638, Robert Potter appearing was enjoyned to appear at the next session of the court, unless hee bee with his family removed out of the Plantation before." At this time Robert Potter had become a follower and friend of Samuel Gorton, the great religious disturber, and they, together with their associates, purchased the tract of land called the Shawomett Purchase, in Rhode Island, but afterwards named by them "Warwick," in honor of the Earl of Warwick, who had so much befriended them in their troubles with the Plantation of Massachusetts. In 1638, Robert Potter appeared again before the court, was also admitted an inhabitant of the island of Aquidneck, R. I., the same year. In 1639, April 30, he and twenty-eight others signed the following compact: "We whose names are underwritten do acknowledge ourselves the legal subjects of his Majesty King Charles, and in his name do hereby bind ourselves into a civil body politicke, unto his laws according to matters of justice."

Gorton, Potter, and their associates seem to have been religious agitators. They agreed with the sect of Quakers in the rejection of church ordinances and in some few other points; they, however, differed from them in many points deemed the most essential. From the records it appears that they did not get on peaceably at Portsmouth. In the following proceedings of the Colony of Rhode Island, March 16, 1642, "It is ordered that Robert Potter, Richard Carden, Randall Houlden, and Sampson Shotton be disfranchised of the privileges and prerogatives belonging to the body of this State, and their names cancelled from the records." On the day following this it was ordered by the colony of Rhode Island, "That if Robert Potter, John Wickes, Randall Houlden, Richard Carden, or Sampson Shotton shall come upon this island armed, they shall be, by the constable, calling to himself sufficient aid, disarmed and carried before the magistrate, and there find sureties for their good behavior; and further be it established, and if that course shall not regulate them or any of them, then a further due and lawful course of law already begun with John Wickes."

The records do not mention the charges against these persons; it is inferred that they were of a religious nature.

In 1642, Robert Potter sold his house and land in Portsmouth to his brother-in-law, John Anthony.

" The origin of the Potter Family is lost in the twilight of Mediaeval England. You can trace by "Coat-of-Arms", its common descent with the Earls of Leicester.

From the Potter who sat on the Commission of English Commons, that condemmed Charles 1, in 1648 to the Potter who vindicated the honor of the Supreme Bench at the bar of the New York Legislature in 1870, the same lofty invincible spirit has animated those who bear the name".

"If there be nobility of descent, all the more indispensible is it that there should be nobility of ascent." - Bishop, Henry Potter.

"People will never look forward to posterity, Who never look backwards to their ancestry." - Edmund Burke.

ROBERT POTTER, OF WARWICK, R. I. Deed from the Sachem Myantonomy to Samuel Gorton, Robert Potter, and others of Shawomett (now Warwick), Jan. 12, 1642:--

"Know all men; that I Myantonomy, chiefe sachem of the Nanheygansett, have sould unto the persons here named, one parsell of lands with all the rights and privileges thereoff whatever, lyinge uppon the west syde of that part of the sea called Sowhomes Bay, from Copassanatuxet, over against a little Island in the sayd Bay, being the north bounds, and the outmost point of that neck of land called Shawomett; beinge the south bounds from the sea shoare of each boundary uppon a straight lyne westward twentie miles. I say I have truly sould this parsell of lands above sayde, the proportion whereof is according to the mapp under written or drawne, being the forme of it to Randall Holden, John Greene, John Wickes, Francis Weston, Samuel Gorton, Richard Waterman, John Warner, Richard Carder, Sampson Shotton, Robert Potter, and William Waddall for one hundred and fortie-foure ffathom of Wampumpeage, I say I I have sould it, and possession of it given unto the men above sayed, with the ffree and joynt concent of the present inhabitants, being natives, as it appears by their hands hereunto annexed.

"Dated ye twelfth day of January, 1642.

"Beinge enacted uppon the above sayed parsell of land in the presence off"

PUM HOMM. JANO,

MYANTOMY, Sachem of Shawhomett.

TOTANOMANS, His Marke.

"In 1643, Robert Potter, with others of the Shawhomett purchasers, was notified to appear at the General Court, at Boston, to hear complaint of Pomham and Socconocco, as to 'some unjust and injurious dealing toward them by yourselves.' This summons they declined to obey, declaring that they were legal subjects of the king of England, and beyond the limits of Massachusetts territory, to whom they would acknowledge no subjection. Captain Cook, with a company of soldiers, was sent from Boston, who besieged the settlers in a fortified house. In a parley it was now said 'that they held blasphemous errors which they must repent of,' or go to Boston for trial. They were soon all carried to Boston, excepting Shotton. Seven of them were sentenced to be confined to different towns, viz., Gorton, Wickes, Holden, Potter, Carder, Weston, and Warner. At the time of their capture, their wives and children were forced to betake themselves to the woods, and suffered hardships that resulted in the death of three women at least, one of these being the wife of Robert Potter."

The sentence passed upon the settlers at their trial, taken from the records, was as follows: --

"It is ordered that Samuel Gorton shall be confined to Charlestown, there to be set on work, and to wear such bolts or irons, as may hinder his escape; and to continue during the pleasure of the court; provided that if he shall break his said confinement, or shall in the meane time, either by speech or writing, publish or declare, or maintain, any of the blasphemous or abominable heresies, whereunto he hath been charged by the General Court, contained in either of the two books sent unto us by him, or Randall Houlden, or shall reproach or reprove the churches of our Lord Jesus Christ, in these United Colonies; or the civil government, or the public ordinances of God therein; (unless it be by answer to some question propounded to him, or conference with any elder, or with any other, licensed to speak with him privately, under the hand of one of the assistants;) that immediately upon accusation of any such writing or speech, he shall by such assistant to whom such accusation shall be brought, be committed to prison, till the next court of assistants, then and there to be tried by a jury, whether he hath so spoken or written, and upon his conviction thereof, shall be condemned to death and executed, dated 3 day of 9th Mo. 1643."

"Robert Potter, John Wickes, Randall Houlden, Richard Carder, Francis Weston, and John Warner are confined on the same conditions, Robert Potter to Rowley, John Wickes to Ipswich, Randall Houlden to Salem, Richard Carder to Roxbury, Francis Weston to Dorchester, and John Warner to Boston, all these on the same conditions that Samuel Gaston above named is, etc."

"In these hostile aggressions by the government of Massachusetts it was not without hesitation that even their lives were spared. This cruell punishment created much sympathy for them and occasioned a good deal of murmering among the inhabitants in whom the love of liberty was deeply seated until they were again banished or released in 1644."

Samuel Gorton and some of his associates then went to England and presented to the Commissioners of Foreign Plantations, appointed by Parliament, a memorial against the Colony of Massachusetts for their violent and unjust expulsion of themselves and their companions from "Shawomett," and in 1646 an order was promulgated, reinstating them in their possession of Shawomett, and forbidding the Massachusetts Colony from molesting them in their peaceful possession. This seems to have secured peace to the settlement, and absolute possession of the lands mentioned as purchase from the Sachem Myantomony, excepting that the Sachem Punnham in 1665 received a payment, as appears in the following, taken from the colonial record:--

"This is to testify that upon the 3d day of January, 1665, Mr. Samuel Gorton, Jr., Capt. John Green, Mr. Walter Todd and Mr. John Potter (son of Robert Potter) of the town of Warwick, did deliver to Punnham the summe of ten pounds in peag at eight a penny, in behalfe of themselves and the rest of the purchasers, according to the terme of that which is within written.

"Witnessed by us. EDWARD MARSHALL & OTHERS."

In 1643, the same year that he was arrested and tried in Boston, he was also excommunicated from his church, as appears in the records of the First Church of Roxbury.

There is no record of the exact date of Robert Potter's coming to this country, or the ship in which he was a passenger, excepting that he was a passenger with the Rev. Nathaniel Ward, afterwards a minister of Ipswich, Mass., who left a writing of his visiting Robert Potter in prison, which is to be found in Edward Winslow's "Hypocrasie Unmasked," pages 76, 77. Rev. Nathaniel Ward is supposed to have sailed from England in April, 1634. "This I remember that one Robert Potter who went in the same ship with mee into New England, and expressing by the way so much honesty and godlinesse as gained my good opinion and affection towards him; I hearing that hee was affected with Samuel Gorton's blasphemous conceits and carriages, and therefore now imprisoned with him. [Note. -- Robert Potter was ordered to be confined in Rowley (Massachusetts Colony Records, Vol. Il., page 52); but this conversation seems to have been held while the prisoners were at Boston.] I went to visit him, and having free speech with him in the open prison yard, who shedding many tears might happily move me to express my affection to him which Samuel Gorton calls passion. After some debate about his new opinions, I remember I used a speech to him to this effect; that hee should doe well and wisely to make such acknowledgement of his errors as his conscience would permit; telling him that Mr. Cotton whom he had so much reverenced in Old England an New had given him a godly example in that kinde by a publique acknowledgement.

"I intreat him to read Titus, 1-13 with an humble heart, and that is the greatest harm I wish him.

N. W."

The notes herewith appended respecting Robert Potter are from "Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island": --

"1649. He was licensed to keep an inn. "1651. Commissioner.

"May 25, 1655. He was appointed by the Court of Commissioners to keep a house of entertainment. A convenient sign was to be set out at the most perspicuous place of said house to give notice to strangers.

"May 14, 1656. Inventory, œ42 10s., in cattle and movable goods, besides housing and land. It was ordered that John Potter, son of Robert Potter, late deceased, be maintained in apparel four years. Estate indebted œ29 12s., and other uncertain debts not yet brought in.

"Jun. 11, 1656. The town council found not enough estate to discharge debts without sale of land, and ordered Mr. Holden and Mr. Holliman to sell the house and land and give a just account. The council gives to Sarah Potter, wife of late deceased Robert, the household goods, cattle, and hogs to dispose of.

"Aug. 26, 1658. The council met concerning debts of Mr. Robert Potter's estate. Mr. Throckmorton was allowed to hold remainder of his goods provided he send for it, being evident they were not sold, but left to be sold by him. Ordered that James Green, for what moneys he hath or may disburse upon John Potter for clothing of him, shall either have so much time in the house and land, or so much rent as it shall be let for. He was also allowed to sell a parcel of land belonging to house of Mr. Robert Potter, deceased, situated on other side of the street.

"Mar. 16, 1686. Will, proved May 4, 1686. Widow Sarah Sanford, of Boston. Executors, William and John Mason, Jr. To daughters of brother Robert Sanford and sister Mary Turner, œ10, divided equally. To the children of John Potter, Elizabeth Potter, and Deliverance Potter, œ10 equally divided. To executors rest of estate."

Born by about 1609 (based on estimated date of first marriage). Came to Massachusetts Bay in 1634 (based on admission to Roxbury church). First settled in Roxbury MA; moved to Portsmouth RI in 1639, & Warwick RI in 1642. Died before 14 May 1656. MARRIAGE: (1) By 1634 Isabel _____.
(2) By an unknown date Sarah _____. She married (2) Boston 19 February 1656[/7?] John Sanford.
John Anthony was uncle to John Potter, son of Robert Potter, and Robert Potter was uncle to John Tripp, but, despite some suggestions that have been made, the basis for these stated relations has not yet been determined.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 1 2022, 5:40:24 UTC