Person:Jonas Potts (1)

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Jonas Potts
 
Facts and Events
Name Jonas Potts
Gender Male
Birth? Abt 1662 Llangirrig, Montgomeryshire, Wales
Marriage to Mary 2nd wife of Jonas Potts or Mary THOMAS
Marriage to Mary wife of Jonas Potts


In this research of Jason H.L. Potts he lists Jonas as born 1680 in Wales but says he was noticed in PA Records in September 11, 1686 as a witness to the marriage of his sister Jane and he would only be 6 years old. The research in Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site ( Allen L. Potts) lists his birth as 1662. ( http://www.pcug.org.au./~pottsy/tree/migrations/joelwelsh.html

220 JONAS POTTS

born probably born in Wales and possibly a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (_____) Potts.

died

married 1) Mary_________

married 2) Mary_________

221 MARY_________

born

died

Unless otherwise stated, the material presented here came from a paper entitled "Historical Collections Relating to the Potts Family in Great Britain and America with a Historic Genealogy of the Descendants of David Potts, an early Anglo Welsh settler of Pennsylvania, including contributions by the late William John Potts." The compiler was Thomas Maxwell Potts of Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, and was published by the compiler in 1901. This history was found on the Family History File of the Latter Day Saints 0096253.

The parentage of Jonas Potts has not been proven. However, Thomas Maxwell Potts, following along the lines of an earlier researcher, William John Potts, gave careful study to the signing of marriage certificates, business transactions, and where the various Potts lived in relation to each other and came to the conclusion that the early Potts around Philadelphia were related, even though exact relationships were not established. They were convinced that Thomas Potts (the miller), Jonas Potts, and David Potts. all of Philadelphia County, were brothers; and that they also had a brother, John Potts of Wales whose orphan children were sent to PA in 1699. They figured the parents of these men were Thomas Potts, of Llangerrig, Wales, a Quaker who was persecuted, and his wife Elizabeth. Thomas died in Wales and his widow came to Pennsylvania with her children. See Ancestor #440 for more details. (p. 282, 301, 302)

1686. Jonas Potts is first found in Pennsylvania as a witness to the marriage certificate of John Austen and Jane Potts on t he 9th month, 11 , 1686 (p. 198).

He was a resident of Germantown, Philadelphia County, and vicinity for a number of years, and he sometimes held local offices under the government. Later he settled in Gilbert's Manor, not far from the present town of Royersford in Montgomery County. He was party to several transactions in the purchase and sale of lands in Philadelphia County. (p. 220)

1693. On 12 June 1693, Jonas purchased 133 and 1/3 acres of land in Cheltenham Township, Philadelphia, now Montgomery, County, from Jacob Tellner. This deed does not seem to be on record but is referred to in the deed of sale of the same property located in the Recorder's Office of Norristown, Pennsylvania (Deed Book 80, p. 54.) A tax list of Philadelphia County for 1693, the earliest known to be in existence, contains an entry of "Thomas Whitton and Jonas Potts, assessed together in Cheltenham Township,"

1701. On 8 Dec 1701 Jonas Potts sold this land in Cheltenham to James Williams of Darby, Chester County, for £60 (Norristown Deed Book 80, p. 574). The author added that though this deed was made in 1701 it was not recorded until 1851, or 150 years afterwards.

Jonas Potts held the office of Ranger for the county of Philadelphia, his term of office expiring in 1702. At one time he also held the office of Court Sheriff for Germantown. He seemed to be a man of determination, and an impetuous temper, as upon one occasion in making an arrest, it was said that he handled the man so roughly as to have a almost killed him.

He was a member of the Society of Friends, but did not appear to have been very active in meeting affairs. The imperfect records of the early Meetings do not show a very clear record of his consecutive connections with the Quakers. He seemed to have been under the care of Abington MM but later in life may have been associated with Gwynedd or some meeting in that area.

1703. About this year, Jonas Potts seemed to have been in straitened circumstances, perhaps because his wife had suffered a long continued illness. In the minutes of the Radnor Monthly Meeting minutes of 2 month, 8, 1703, was this entry:

Gwyneadd Friends have laid before this meeting that Jonas Potts and his wife being poore, and haveing divers small children, want assistance to buy a cow, they formerly resorting or belonging to another Monthly Meeting, Friends of this meeting desire that they bring a Certificate from that monthly meeting to the next monthly meeting, and their Proposall is left to the further Consideration of the meeting.

At the next MM held 3 month, 13, 1703, Friends agreed to collect £5 for Jonas Potts to lend him to buy a cow. The amount of £5 was divided amongst Merion, Radnor, Haverford and Newtowne Meetings. Once again Jonas Potts was requested to bring a certificate from the Monthly meeting where he formerly resorted. The collectors appointed from the several meetings were requested to collect the money and bring it to the next MM.

On 3 month, 31, 1703, Abington MM granted a certificate to Jonas Potts' wife, being removed to North Wales. It had been alleged that her parents lived in that place.

The minutes of the Radnor MM of 5 month, 8, 1703, stated that "Mary Potts Certificate from friends of Dublin MM was read in the meeting and ordered to be recorded. "

The minutes of same MM for 6 month, 12, 1703, had this entry: Jonas Potts Certificate not brought to the meeting, and his wife being weakly and sickly, wanting present assistance, and £5 pounds being most collected as the meeting formerly appointed, are Lent to Women's Meeting to be given to her assistance, they not having stock to assist them at present.

(In these minutes the wife of Jonas Potts was referred to as Mary Potts.)

1705. On 2 October, 1705, Jonas Potts, of Germantown, Pennsylvania, planter, purchased two tracts of land from Arnold Koster for £27. (Deed Book B, 2, pg. 391, at Philadelphia) One of these tracts of land was described as containing 20 and 3/4 acres in the inhabited part of Germantown; and the other as containing 29 and 1/4 acres of side land.These were parts of a larger tract of land originally granted by the Proprietor to Benjamin Furley in 1682.

1708. On 28 Dec 1708 Jonas Potts of Germantown, husbandman, sold the first mentioned lot "now in Tenure and occupation of the above said Jonas Potts", containing 20 and 3/4 acres to Herman Casdorp for £60. Jonas made his mark: IP. (Deed Book E,4, Vol. 7, p. 194, Philadelphia)

1709. On Dec 13 1709 Jonas sold the other lot for £37 to Conrad Rutters. The witnesses were Thomas Potts and Francis Daniel Pastorius. (Deed Book 7, Vol. 2, p. 315, Philadelphia)

In the early part of 1709 Jonas Potts became one of the bondsmen for Jane (Potts) Austen, as the administratrix of John Austen, her late husband. It was the theory of Thomas Maxwell Potts that Jane was a sister to Jonas.

1710. 5 month, 31, 1710, Abington MM granted a certificate to Jonas Potts "in order for his removal to Perkiomon".

1712. on 2 month, 10, 1712, Jonas Potts leased 200 acres in Gilbert's Manor from the board of Property for a term of five years at a yearly rental of £8. He was to have the privilege of purchasing the property should it be put up for sale. On 10 month, 31, 1712, the Board of Property stated in their minutes that Jonas Potts, having obtained a grant of 300 acres in Gilbert's Manor for seven years under a certain rent, now applied for the privilege of purchasing it. He was first ordered to pay the arrears due on his lease, and after an exact survey of the whole Manor had been made, he was to have the preference over all others in the purchase, by paying as good a price for it.

The Manor of Gilbert's comprised the whole of the present township of Upper Providence, nearly all of Lower Providence, and parts of Perkiomen and Worcester townships, bisected by Perkiomen Creek, in Montgomery, formerly Philadelphia, County. (p.224)

1713. 11 month, 20, 1713 , the Minute Book H of the Board of Property contained these entries: (This has been typed as closely as possible to what was written in Mr., Potts history.)

"James Hamer, of the County of Philadelphia, desiring to purchase 300 Acres of Land in the Manor of Gilbert's, next above that Part of it where Jonas Potts is setled upon a Lease granted him about the year 1708, agrees to pay Seventy - five pounds for the same (or £25 per C) One moiety thereof in three months and the other moiety in six months after with Int for s'd Six Months, and a Warr't signed, dated this 20th, 1 1 month, 1713-4.


"Jonas Potts, at the same time with the forementioned James Hamer, desires that he may Purchase on the same Terms those 300 a's in Gilbert's, which he held 5 years on lease at £3, Old Currency, p.an., but before the above mentioned 300 Acres be laid out J. Hamer he desires that 50 a's more be added to the first 200 a's at the same rate, all which is granted, and the s'd J. Hamer agrees to begin so much Higher up provided that the Spott of low Land which otherwise might have fallen within his Lines be left to him, which is mutually agreed between them. A Warr't to be granted." (p. 224)

Whether Jonas Potts secured a full title to this property or not, is not clear. Among his descendants in Virginia was a tradition that they were heirs to a tract of land at Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania, which belonged to their ancestor, and had never been distributed.

On 6 month, 31, 1913, Abington MM granted a certificate to Jonah (Jonas) Potts "in order for his removal to Philadelphia." The Philadelphia MM recorded the death of Deborah Potts, daughter of Jonas and Mary on 7 month, 24, 1718. (p.225)

1719. On 8 month, 15, 1719, a double wedding took place at the house of Jonas Potts, at which two of his daughters were married. In one of the certificates Jonas Potts was said to be of Gilbert's Manor and in the other, Perqueoman Creek. (p. 225)

1726. About the year 1726 Jonas Potts had a contract for furnishing walnut logs for the proprietor's use. The order was dated 2 d, 6 mo, 1726 and was recorded in Minute Book I of the Board of Property. (p. 225)

1754. The Pennsylvania Gazette of June 13, 1754, contained the following advertisement:

By virtue of a writ to me directed, will be exposed to sale by public vendue, about 3 o clock on the 29th day of June, inst. at the premises, a plantation with a meessuage and grist mill, situated in Limerick township, bounded by the river Schuylkill; by Mingo Creek and by lands of Joseph Burson and Jonas Potts, a part of which is fine improved meadow, with a small piece of land for a millrace, late the estate of John Starr: taken in execution. Samuel Morris, Sheriff.

Joseph Burson was a son-in-law of Jonas Potts and probably occupied land taken up by his father about 1713. Joseph Burson seems to have removed to Virginia about 1753. (p. 225-6)

It is believed that Jonas Potts was twice married and that he had children by both marriages. Evidence to this is in a deed where David Potts, son of Jonas, called Jonas Potts, another son, a half brother. Both wives were named Mary, but no record of marriage nor any authentic list of his children have been found. The names of his children listed in the history was felt to be correct as far as had been ascertained at the time of writing. There may have been other children not named. No record of death nor decendent's account of Jonas Potts had been found, and as some of his children settled in Virginia, he may have followed them there.

CHILDREN OF JONAS AND MARY (_________) POTTS: (p. 227- 230)

1. David Potts, b ___, d 1768, m 1) Elizabeth Jane Lane, m 2) Ann_______. See Ancestor 110. 2. Rachel Potts, m Joseph Burson 8 month, 15, 1719. Joseph Burson was described as "of Gilbert's Manor in the County of Philadelphia, Bachelor", and Rachel as "daughter of Jonas Potts of the same place". Joseph Burson seemed to be a son of George and Hannah (Gooda?) Burson, b 12 month, 25, 1689. He removed to VA about 1753 as on 8 month, 25 of that year Joseph's certificate from Buckingham MM in Philadelphia was presented to Fairfax MM. On 9 month, 30, 1758, he was appointed overseer of Potts' Particular Meeting and was released in 1762. This meeting was held at the house of David Potts. 3. Elizabeth Potts, m William Heald 8 month, 15, 1719. He was described as "of Kennett in the County of Chester, son of Samuel" and Elizabeth as "spinster, daughter of Jonas Potts of Perqueoman Creek". William was a son of Samuel and Mary (Bancroft) Heald and was born 2 month, 20, 1694, at Eckles in Cheshire, England. This was a double wedding with her sister Rachel. It was said that after the festivities of his double wedding, the newly married young couples left for their respective homes on horseback, each bride mounted behind her husband. 4.?Hannah Potts, Hannah Potts signed the marriage certificates of Rachel and Elizabeth among the near relatives and, therefore, is supposed to have been a sister of the two and daughter of Jonas. Nothing more is known of her.

CHILDREN OF JONAS AND MARY(_________) POTTS:

5. Deborah Potts, died 7 month, 24, 1718 6. Jonathan Potts, b 1714, removed first to Va and then to KY. 7. Jonas Potts, m Mary Heckathorn. He removed first to Loudoun County, VA, and later to Western PA, dying at Georgetown, Beaver County, PA.

References
  1.   Jason H.L. Potts. The Potts Family Tree 1997,98.
  2.   Allen L. Potts. Potts Family (Family Tree Maker).