Mike Potter wrote : Need help! I have been searching for relatives for more than ten years in PA with little luck. Thought maybe you could help. I am looking for the family of one John Harmen Potter trade: Blacksmith Born: 5 Sep 1823, Lewistown, Mifflin, PA Married 1844 or 1845 To: Julia Ann Maxwell Born: 5 May 1827 Liverpool, Perry, PA First Son: David Grubb Potter Born: 3 Jan 1845 Liverpool, Perry, PA By 1857 John Harman Potter had moved to Clearfield, PA, but believed he was earlier apprenticed as blacksmith in Perry County. Looking for his father or family group. Through census records and tax records that my Great Grandfather, John Harmen Potter, I found that he did live in Clearfield County, Union Township, moved to Lumber City then around 1880 moved to Gretna, Nebraska with all of his children except for two. Nobody new exactly where John Harmen Potter was buried. I was able to find his grave in the middle of a cornfield in 1988 just outside of Gretna, Nebraska. The little cemetery is called the PA Cemetery, PA/Dutch Cemetery or German Cemetery depending on who you talk too. Prior to 1850 there was no trace of my particular family line. I know that John Harmen Potter according to LDS records was born in Lewistown on Sep 23, 1823. He was married to either a Juliann (Julia Ann?) Grubb or Maxwell in Liverpool according to LDS records. His first son was born in Liverpool, PA on Jan 3, 1845. His second child Margaret Ellen Potter was born according to LDS records on Feb 23, 1847 Juniata, Blair, which could be assumption since the last genealogist I hired pointed out that they could have really meant Juniata Furnace in Perry County. The rest of the children were all born in Clearfield County. It is also believed that John Harmen Potter was apprenticed as a blacksmith in Perry County. From that point on their were three generations of blacksmiths I can document. I also assume that John Harmen Potter's father was John Potter married to a Margaret who also had children names Mary A. Potter and George Potter. I can trace these folks back to Perry County because in an obit from the Newport Gazette, Thurs 13 Jan 1859 Perry Co, PA states: Potter, John & Margaret - Dau. Mary A. of Union Twp, died on 15 Dec age 28-24-26. She was formerly of Perry County. So I can conclude that this John Potter resided at some time in Perry County. In the Grubb family file in The Perry Historians, found hand written notes stating: Mary A. 28 - dau of John and Margaret Potter (Clearfield) d. Dec 15, 1859. I was able to find Mrs. Ralph Branvold who by marriage is related to the Theodore Elmer Potter Branch of the family in Idaho. She is the one who told me that through family history and tradition she was told the name was originally Bauder but when you stated the name it sounded like Potter and caused confusion, so it was changed to Bader. Then the name eventually evolved into the surname Potter. Mrs. Branvold has been researching this Potter line for over twenty years without success getting past John Harmen Potter. In her desperation for knowledge, she even ran adds in the local paper in Perry County several years ago trying to find relatives that might know the answer. She also told me that according to her records John Harmen Potter was married twice. First to Julian Maxwell and then to Julia Ann Grubb. I am waiting for death certificates for Wilson Maxwell Potter and David Grubb Potter since this did not make sense to me. John Harmen Potter's first child was named David Grubb Potter. Do these names ring a bell? Thanks!! Mike If anyone recognizes the surname MAXWELL or John Harman Potter in conjunction with their research, please feel free to contact me. Mike and I are hoping for a little serendipity to kick in! Best regards, Virginia Jones Arnold, MD Researching surnames: BAIR, BADER, CASSATT, DEVEREAUX, DOYLE, FIES, GALLAGHER, KENNEDY, McDONOUGH, POTTER, RYAN, SCOUT, SHAFFER, STEPHEN, UNDERKOFFLER, WALD, WALT, WHISTLER, WHITCOMB, ZIMMERMAN, AND ZERBE