Potter Line

Jacob Potter may be the father to William Potter (b. 1800).  William, I am fairly certain, is my third great grandparent.  Jacob Potter was a farmer in 1820 in Caneadea, Allegany County, NY.  It is not proved that Jacob is the father to William.  My evidence is (1) there were only two Potter families living in Allegany Co. in 1820 according to the census, and (2) data on William indicates he was born in Allegany County, in what was later identified as "Cuba."  

The 1820 Census indicates Jacob living in the Town of Caneadea and having a son, age 16-26, the correct age range for William.  There is also a George Potter living in the Town of Ossian, but he himself is 16-26 and therefore he was not William's father, although he could be another son of Jacob -- pretty tenuous!  

The Town of Caneadea is in the west central portion of the county, just north of the Town of Friendship. The Town of Ossian was in the extreme northeastern corner of the county, somewhat distant (for the time) from Caneadea. William Potter is known to have lived in Friendship, adjacent to Caneadea.  If William was born in Allegany County and his parents were still living there in 1820, it seems most likely that his parents were Jacob and wife.

On the other hand, I find no Potter surnames in the 1810 Census of Allegany Co., raising a question as to whether William was in fact born within the county.  Allegany Co. was formed in 1806, with boundaries somewhat larger than it's current boundaries.

The William Potter descendents largely lived in Allegany County, NY during the 19th and early 20th centuries, with some migration to the neighboring county, Cattaraugus.  There are many "Potter's" in Allegany County, but I have not yet found much kinship for most with the William Potter's found here.

Useful web resources are:

Allegany County, NY is immediately adjoining Potter County, PA.  Ah! You say.  The Potter's in Allegany County probably came from Potter's in Potter County.  Wrong!  Potter County, PA turns out not to be named after any early settlers, but rather was named for General James Potter, a hero of the American Revolution. General Potter apparently was never in the area of Potter County.  There seem to be relatively few Potter's in Potter County, PA, and as far as I can determine, William Potter's ancestors probably came from New England, possibly via Vermont.