Abraham Potter Sr. 1745

( Ted's G-G-G-G-Grandfather )

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Abraham POTTER Sr.
Born: 10 Oct. 1745 in Rowan Co, NC
Died: after 1833 in Pike Co, KY
Buried: in Pike Co, KY
Father:  John M. POTTER
Mother:  Hannah Sue TIDWELL

Abraham's Notes:
1800 CENSUS, Ashe Co, NC, #86: Abraham POTTER, 2 males under 10; 1 male over 45; 2 females under 10; 1 female 26-45.
1810 CENSUS, Ashe Co, NC, #80: R. Potter (Is this Richard? Is Abraham with him?
1820 CENSUS, Floyd Co, KY: Abraham POTTER, 1 male under 10; 1 male 10-15; 1 male 16-26; 1 male over 45; 2 females under 10; 1 female over 45. (LDS film #0803661 very hard to read, so this may not be accurate.)
1830 CENSUS, Pike Co, KY: "Abram", 1 male 80-90; 1 female 10-30; 1 female 70-80.
Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files, page 2740: "POTTER, Abraham or Abram, NC Line, #S30657, soldier was born 1745 in Rowan Co, NC and he lived in Surry Co, NC at enlistment and after the Revolution he lived in KY, applied 26 Nov 1833, Pike Co, KY."
Abraham received a pension for his Revolutionary War service. He enlisted in 1777 (for 2 years) under Captain John Armstrong. He also substituted for David Stewart (for 18 months) under Captain Joel Lewis. Abraham received his discharge in 1779, but the papers were lost.
1759 Tax List, Rowan Co, NC: Abraham "Potte". (Is this a connection?)
Mary Alice Dell, Apr 2000: Mary believes that Abraham's family came from Sussex Co, DE in the 1600's and 1700's. Mary is descended from Isaac POTTER, who may be a son of Abraham.

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Abraham married
Lydia STEWART  before 1790 in NC
Born: 1758 in Stokes County, NC
Died: after 1830 in Pike Co, KY
Father:  David Stewart
Mother:  Abigail Harrison

Abraham and Lydia had the following children:

• Rachel POTTER
• Richard POTTER
• Levi POTTER
• Benjamin POTTER
• Isaac POTTER
• Abraham POTTER Jr.

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Info from the Potter Flats Website http://potterflats.com/abrampics.html

(Several photos of dedication ceremony at this site.)

I transcribed these Revolutionary War Pension records of Abraham Potter. The spelling of the words are as they appeared in the orginial records. They are available for your personal genealogy use only and may not be sold to any person or institution.

State of Kentucky
Pike County

On this 26th day of November 1833 personally appeared before the Justices of the Pike County Court Abram Potter a resident of Kentucky in the County of Pike, aged eighty-eight years who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the Act of Congress and passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the army of the United States in the year 1777 under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He first enlisted under Captain John Armstrong of Surry County North Carolina in August and served a tour of two years and six months. The name of the Commander of the Regiment ( being the 7th Regiment) was Lt. Col. Joseph Philips who I then served until we joined General Green's Brigade we marched from Surry County to Salisbury in the same state from there to Georgetown, there we had a small battle with the Tories and they retreated. From there we marched to Randolph by way of Willmonton, there we took four or five prisoners, from there we marched back to Abbott's Creek. There we came in contact again with the Tories and took four more prisoners, one of which was a Captain by the name of Philip Culbazier,we again returned in obedience to the orders of Genl. Campbell to Salsbury. There we lay in port for about a month. From there we went to South Carolinia to a place called the Snow Hills Camps. We then marched to a place called the Thrice Runs upon the road leading from Charleston. There we had an engagement with the British and Tories in which many were killed and taken prisoners. Then we marched to the Hanging Rock, there we had another engagement with the British and Tories in which we succeeded and took their waggons and their baggage and from thence we marched to the Cowpens, there we had an engagement with the British in which we suffered much loss, many killed and wounded, Capt. Bell was wounded but did not prove fatal. From thence we marched near Carolina, there we joined GenI. Green's Regiment and there we had an engagement with the British in which many were killed and wounded. From thence wemarched to a town about thirty-five miles from Charleston, upon the waters of the Peedee River, after sometime we marched to Rugsby's Mill, there we had an engagement with the British in which Genl. Gates was defeated also he fled and Cab was killed. We again got together at the crossroads and marched to the Dan River by way of Salisbury and there I received my discharge from Lieutenant I. P. Harper which discharge was burnt. And in the year 1779 I substituted in the place of David Stewart for eighteen months. Then I was in the rondeyvouse in the Moravian town under General Armstrong, then we marched by Wilks Courthouse up to Bucks Point house then we came back to Surry Courthouse. Then I enlisted Thomas Sarten in my place. During the war my Captain's name was Joel Lewis and William Lewis was my Col. and then I returned home. He states that his memory is much shattered and impaired owing to his age and he can not recollect positively as to time. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and he did answer that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any State. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid Abram Potter his X mark

And the said Court as hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he stated.

I, John D. Mims - Clerk of the Court for Pike County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of this court in the matter of the application of Abram Potter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal of Office this 26th day of Nov. 1833
Attest: John D. Mims, Clerk Pike County Court

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Questions propounded by the Court:

1. Where and in what year were you born?

Ans: I was born in Rowan County, North Carolina in the year of 1745.

2. Have you any record of your age and if so, where is it?

Ans: I have, and it is at my son John's .

3. Where were you living when called into service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you know live?

Ans: In Surry County, & State of North Carolina & have since lived in Kentucky and do now live.

4. How were you called into service, were you drafted. Did you volunteer were you a substitute, and if a substitute, for whom?

Ans: I enlisted under Capt. John Armstrong for two years & six months and a substitute for David Stewart under Capt. Joel Lewis for eighteen months.

5 State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops where You served and such as Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.

Ans: Genl. Martin Armstrong, Col. William Lewis, Major Joseph Wuston, Capt. Joel Lewis and Micajah Lewis, Lieutenant. He states he enlisted in the year of 1777 and went against the Tories & British and was in engagements and in 1779 received his discharge, which discharge is lost.

6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so, by whom was it given?

Ans: I received a discharge from John Harper, the commandant for the first tour, the last I did not get any.

7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character, for your veracity and their belief of your service as a soldier of the Revolution.

Ans: William Ramey, Esqr., James Roberts, Esqr., William Tackett, Esqr., Thomas May, Esqr., William Ratliff, Jr., and Thomas Steward.

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On June 30, 2001 descendants of Abraham Potter gathered at a small cemetery located at Willowbrook Golf Course , Breaks, Virginia. We were there to pay tribute to a true American Patriot, Abraham Potter.

Abraham Potter was a long hunter and probably made his first excursion into Kentucky with Daniel Boone .

According to his Revolutionary War pension application he was born in 1745 in Rowan County, North Carolina. As Rowan County was not formed until 1755 he would have actually been born in Bladen County.

The first mention of Abraham Potter in Kentucky is to be found in the marriage record files of Floyd County. On 3 November 1818 Rachel Potter, daughter of Abraham, married Archibald Justice. Abraham is listed in the 1820 Floyd County Census Records and in 1830 he is listed in the Pike County Census. In 1833 Abraham, age 88, files papers in Pike County to receive a pension for his Revolutionary War service. His application is granted. The last record of Abraham is found when he sells land to Hyram Cantril in May of 1837. As no further records are to be found concerning Abraham it is assumed he died shortly after this transaction occurred.

It should be noted that Abraham was present at the Battle of Cowpens on 17 January 1781. This was one of the battles that was fought in The Campaign for the Carolinas. The site of the Battle of Cowpens, a frontier pastureland, is located just north of present day Spartanburg, South Carolina. Tough Continental soldiers and backwoods militia under the command of General Daniel Morgan handed battle-hardened British regulars a major defeat. This victory was a turning point of the war in the south.

The Battle of Cowpens lasted one hour and left staggering loses for the British -- 110 dead, in excess of 200 wounded and 500 captured. General Morgan's losses were considerably less -- 12 killed and 60 wounded. The battle had proved a complete victory for the Patriot forces and was a link in a chain of events which eventually lead to the colonial victory at Yorktown.

In honoring Abraham Potter we acknowledge the contribution he made as an American Patriot and that we as a people have not forgotten these sacrifices nor him.

For those of you unable to attend you were missed, to those who attended many thanks for a memorial that will long be remembered.

 

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