http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/4557.htm Database: Pennsylvania Biographical Sketches, 1868 Combined Matches: 1 Encyclopaedia of Contemporary Biography of Pennsylvania, Volume II Down in the text further it states: . Mr. Potter married, on October 2, 1845, Miss Adaline Coleman Bower, a granddaughter of General Jacob Bower, of Reading, Pennsylvania, a distinguished citizen of Philadelphia, banker, and founder of the great manufacturing establishment of Thomas Potter--now conducted under the style of Thomas Potter Sons & Co.--and prominent for many years in public affairs, was born in the County of Tyrone, Ireland, August 17, 1819, and died at Philadelphia, Sunday, September 29, 1878. "The family of Potter, formerly of Potterstown, County of Fermanagh, is descended from George Potter, an officer who accompanied the army of Cromwell from England, and was compensated for his services in reducing Ireland to the rule of the Commonwealth by extensive grants of lands in the County Fermanagh. The lands thus granted were formerly the property of the Lord Marquis, Chieftain of Fermanagh, who, for his complicity in what is known as 'the Great Rebellion of 1641,' was convicted of high treason, his estate being confiseated to the English Government. Under the Act of Settlement and Plantation of 1660 (time of Charles II.) as may be seen in the public records of Ireland, George Potter was confirmed in the possession of the lands of Oaghill, Mullinscarty, Garderghill, Tremern, and Cromey, all situated in the Barony of Maglierestepha, County of Fermanagh, which came thenceforward to be known and designated as Potterstown and Pottersrath. This property the Potter family continued to possess for many years until, as appears from a deed of conveyance now in the possession of the Right Honorable The Earl of Belmore, K. C. M. G., of Castlecool. County Fermanagh, Abraham Potter, son of the above-mentioned George Potter, disposed of the entire estate to James Corry, the son of a Scotch adventurer and the founder of the family of the present Earl of Belmore." This disposition of the paternal estates was the inevitable result of the heavy mortgages, which had been placed upon them in order to meet obligations caused by improvident living, consequent upon the prevailing habits of the landed people of the period. The Potter family, although their interests in the estates originally granted to their ancestor was thus severed, continued to reside in the county. No longer members of the great landed aristocracy they, nevertheless, occupied a good position. In the year 1791 James Potter, at that time the representative head of the family, who resided in Ramaley in the County of Fermanagh, became possessed of a property at Rilaghquiness in the County of Tyrone. On his death he was succeeded by his son, George Potter, who, having decided to settle in the United States, disposed of his property in Ireland, and left the county with his wife and three daughters and son Thomas, in the year 1828. George Potter arrived in Philadelphia with a moderate sum of money, in a few years was taken ill and died, leaving his family a small estate and limited means. His son Thomas had been desirious of entering the ministry and his parents were arranging to prepare him for college, but the death of his father caused him to forego this cherished hope, and forced him at once to maintain himself, as well as contribute to the support of his family. He learned the trade of manufacturing oil cloth with Isaac Macauley, proprietor of the Bush Hill Oil Cloth Establishment, the main building of which was the original manor house of James Hamilton, twice Colonial Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania. Appreciating, however, the importance of a thorough education, he devoted himself to diligent study at night under the tuition of his mother, and he acquired a broad and liberal framework of knowledge, the completeness and good purpose of which was shown in after life. While devoting his leisure hours to self-improvement and study, he gave such diligent and valuable attention to his business that in a few years he was made manager by Mr. Macauley. In 1838, though then but nineteen years of age, he founded the house of Thomas Potter--succeeded by Thomas Potter Sons & Co.--and shortly thereafter purchased from Isaac Macauley the Bush Hill Oil Cloth Establishment, in which he had served his apprenticeship. In 1870 he sold Bush Hill and purchased the ground and erected the extensive establishment at Second and Venango Streets, on the New York Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, since greatly enlarged, and where the business, still carried on by his sons, has so increased that it is now the most extensive of its kind in the United States. Mr. Potter married, on October 2, 1845, Miss Adaline Coleman Bower, a granddaughter of General Jacob Bower, of Reading, Pennsylvania, who served as an officer in the Continental Army from June, 1775, to the end of the struggle for Independence, in 1783, and was one of the founders of the Pennsylvania section of the Society (or Order) of the Cincinnati, and during the War of 1812 a Brigadier-General of Pennsylvania Militia. The children of this marriage were six sons and two daughters. Four of the sons survive and have succeeded to the business established by Mr. Potter, as noted above. Thomas Potter's civic life was marked by characteristic energy and he held many positions of trust and honor in the city of his adoption. A brief list of these will strongly exhibit the esteem with which he was regarded by his fellow-citizens. In 1853 he was elected a Commissioner. Three years later, after the consolidation, he was nominated by the Democratic party and elected to the City Councils and was immediately appointed to the Chairmanship of the Committee on Schools (having been also a School Controller and School Director). Two years later he allied himself with the Republican party, and was nominated and elected on that ticket to the Common Council in 1858. In 1859-'60-'61, he represented the People's party in the same body. During these years he was Chairman of the School Committee and a member of the Finance Committee, and he took an active and leading part in all municipal legislation. He was especially interested in the improvement of the Public School system, upon which subject he made several valuable reports, and was chiefly instrumental in organizing the paid Fire Department of Philadelphia. In 1861 he originated and carried through the ordinance for the appointment of a Commission to assist in supporting the families of volunteers in the Union Army from the city of Philadelphia. He not only gave this project his untiring attention, but tendered the use of his private office for the use of the Commission. In 1865 and 1866 he was again elected to Councils; was made Chairman of the Finance Committee and was instrumental in passing the bill which secured to the city the eastern portion of Fairmount Park. He was also active in passing the bill which required the City Treasurer to pay City Warrants according to date and number, which had the effect of bringing them to par and strengthened the credit of the city. The bill providing for the revising of the assessment of real estate also received his hearty and earnest support. Mr. Potter carried through Common Council a bill which, had it not been ultimately defeated, would have proved one of the most important ordinances ever passed in the city of Philadelphia: it was to provide for the passage of an Act of Assembly authorizing the public squares at Broad and Market Streets to be used for the erection of an Academy of Natural Sciences, an Academy of Fine Arts and other educational institutions. He had many opportunities of holding more ambitious offices and positions of public trust, but his chief pride lay in trying modestly but diligently to further the material interests of Philadelphia by every means in his power. Mr. Potter's intense devotion to his public duties and the demands of his private interests began to tell upon his strength, so that in 1868 he was obliged to resign his seat in Councils and travel in Europe, where he spent some time vainly seeking to recover the health which he had shattered chiefly in the service of his fellow-citizens. In 1871, after his return from Europe, he was elected President of the City National Bank of Philadelphia, and held that position until his death, which took place at his residence "The Evergreens," Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Sunday, September 29, 1878. The value of his services to the bank can best be recorded by giving extracts from the minutes of the Board of Directors, and from the resolutions passed by the Philadelphia Clearing House Association Brenda K. Wolfgram Moore [email protected] http://members.aol.com/fiddlerben/gtindex.html surnames: Wolfgram, Kratochvil, Secor/Sicard, Jacques, Leguerre, Vallee and and