Here is anoter article I found that might be of interest. Carolyn July 26, 1919 Middletown News Signal POTTER HOMESTEAD GOES Residence Which has stood for a Century Must make way for New Structure of the Church of Christ Perhaps the oldest landmark within the immediate boundaries of the city is destined to disappear with the construction of the proposed new edifice of the Church of Christ. It is the Potter Homestead located where Third and Fourth Streets ( Central and First now) meet beyond the Big Four Railroad. The congregation has purchased the property and the old Potter residence will be wrecked to make room for the foundations of the modern structure. The two story oblong dwelling with the entrance in the center is probably more than a hundred years old. Those familiar with the history of the property are confident that it was built by James Grimes, father of the Methodists here and pastor of the first congregation organized by that denomination in Middletown. The house is excellently preserved and has been occupied constantly as a familt residence since it was erected, Originally the house was the home of Ben Potter and family and fronted on what was known as the Blue Ball Pike. The family came from New Jersey. The Potter farm embraced about 100 Acres. On the opposite side of the pike lay the old Lefferson farm. Feeders to the Miami and Erie Canal passed through both these farms, their channels having long since been filled in. The antiquity of the homestead and of the farm may be appreciated from the fact that the Potters lived there long before the introduction of modern improvements. It was not until 1871 that the Big Four Railroad was put through. The railroad was to have been laid through the property at the foot of Third Stree hill (Central Ave now) but the citizens raised a sum of money and induced the company to build the road where it is now. After having operated the farm for many years Mr. Potter lived in the residence which he built where Cappel's store stands. No members of the family reside here now. It may be of interest here to note that Sloan Gordon, who at one time worked on the editorial staff of the News-Signal and is now a magazine writer in New York married a grandaughter of Ben Potter, Bertha Crawford by name. The farm was staked off into city lots in 1880. Ben Potter was a man of excellent character and reputation. By creed he was a Presbyterian and the fact that Alexander Campbell, of the Church of Christ, was also a Presbyterian, would not dispute his peace of mind to know that the followers of Campbell are to establish a sanctuary on the site of the Potter homestead. __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com