| Notes |
- John Potts -b.1696- David & Alice (Croasdale) Potts
from a book on HistoryQuest online - not in my line
Title: One of the branches of the Potts family tree
Authors: Fegan, Joseph C.
City of Publication: Unknown:
Publisher: Unknown,
Date: 1929
Page Count: 19
Notes: Author from foreword.
"This leaflet is a brief of a book ... compiled by Thomas Maxwell Potts in 1916 ... by Major J.C. Fegan ..."--Foreword.
Reproduction of original in the American Antiquarian Society.
Reel/Fiche Number: (Genealogy and local history; G14800)
Subject Headings: Potts family/ Fagan family/ Fegan family
Primary Family Name: Potts family/ Fagan family
found on Page 7
John Potts. (David and Alice (Croasdale) Potts). Born 8 mo. 8, 1696 and died in September 1766. He married Elizabeth McVeagh, daughter of Edmond and Alice (Dickinson) McVeagh, about 5 mo. (July), 1726. The minutes of the Abington Monthly Meeting show that they passed meeting the second time on 4 mo. 27, 1726, and the minutes of 5 mo. 25, 1726 state that the marriage was orderly accomplished. Elizabeth McVeagh Potts was born 1678, and died 1 mo. 5, 1781, aged 92 years. Their children were: Samuel, Elizabeth (1734-1758), and Thomas (1729-1776).
John Potts was a witness to the will of David Jones, of Bristol Township, made in 1719. David Potts was one of the appraisers. In 1727 he was a witness to the will of Robert Kirkwood of Plymouth Township. He settled in upper Dublin Township, now included with the limits of Montgomery County, where he purchased a tract of land from Isaac and John Phipps about 1748. The deed, which is recorded at Philadelphia, recites at length the chain of title from the original grant by William Penn in 1681. This land is still in the possession and occupation of descendants of John Potts. It lies about two miles east of the present village of Fort Washington. His will is recorded at Philadelphia.
From http://www.pottstown.org/history.htm
William Penn deeded the land, which is now Pottstown and the surrounding area to his son John in 1701. As early as 1714 the first iron forge was built. Among the early settlers were Germans, Swedes, and English.
By the 1720’s, the first blast furnace was in operation for the production of cast iron and wrought iron. In 1732, the first steel furnace was in production in the Pottstown area.
The Potts family, who were iron masters, moved to this area and established a forge here.
The Potts home was a showplace on a small hill just west of town.
John Potts, the oldest son of Thomas Potts, purchased nine hundred ninety-five acres in the area and in 1752 Pottstown was founded. When the town was first laid out, it stretched from York Street to Charlotte Street and from the Schuylkill River to Beech Street.
Before 1800, the village was called Pottsgrove, however, as the population increased, this slowly evolved into Pottstown. On February 6, 1815, this area was incorporated as a Borough, the second Borough formed in the county, Norristown being the first. The first election of town officers was held in April of 1815.
Soon after 1842, the Reading Railroad completed a series of lines from Philadelphia to Mt. Carbon, near Pottsville. Raw materials and coal were moved easily, and markets were more readily accessible. At this time, the population of the Borough was six hundred. Since the first forge, Pottstown has received much recognition in the metal industries. The most significant projects include the locks for the Panama Canal and the Golden Gate Bridge.
In 1847 the town was divided into two wards. By 1850 the population of the Borough reached a total of one thousand eight hundred fifty. As the town grew, new wards were added and old ones were divided. By 1893 the Borough had ten wards represented by twenty councilmen, two from each ward. Borough Council continued to function as one of the largest municipal representative bodies in Pennsylvania. In 1964 the number of wards was reduced to seven, with one councilman representing each ward.
In 1944, the Council-Manager form of government was adopted; administrative responsibility for the operation of the Borough was given to a professional Manager. The Borough has had ten Managers since the position was created.
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1696 - 1766 (70 years)
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