Person:Nathan Potter (4)

BIOGRAPHY: Potter Hill, from J. R. Cole's History of Washington and Kent Counties, Rhode Island, part 3 (final installment):

About this time, 1792, 'Nathan Potter had a blacksmith shop at the west end of the bridge, which he removed to the east side of the river, and added to it a trip-hammer. This property, after his failure in 1814, was owned by Daniel and Oliver Babcock, excellent men and good workmen, who continued the smith business till 1858, when the shop was removed, the privilege having been sold by Daniel Babcock, in 1851, to the owners of the property on the other side of the stream.' Thomas W. & Joseph Potter & Co., mentioned in a previous paragraph, enlarged the manufacturing business, and worthily conducted it, till 1843, when they sold mills and privilege to Messrs. Edwin and Horace Babcock. In 1800 the place could boast but three residences near the bridge. Joseph Potter, father of Thomas W., Joseph and Henry, died December 14th, 1822, at the age of sixty-three, a man of industry, ability, integrity, decision, generosity and piety. 'He was long a pillar and clerk of the old Sabbatarian Church, when it numbered near nine hundred members.' The progenitor of this worthy Potter family was Martin Potter, who is reported to have been a son of one of the Regicides--one of the judges that condemned Charles I. On the restoration of the monarchy, he fled to this country, and took shelter with his cousins in South Kingstown, R.I., where he lived till his death. He was reticent in respect to his history. It appears, however, that he owned a large estate in North Shields, on the banks of the Tyne, in England--in the midst of the coal region--property valued in 1835 at $9,000,000. Before his flight he leased the estate for ninety-nine years. At the expiration of the lease, an attampt was made to confiscate the property, and it passed into the charge of the Bishop of Durham. Measures were instituted, prior to the revolution, to recover it; these were borken up by the war. During the present century, the suit has been re-opened, and is still pending. The estate embraces 'something like 400 acres, one mile of docks, and near 300 houses.' As one of the witnesses and noble representatives of Potter Hill and Hopkinton, mention should be made of Deacon Daniel Babcock, or, as he was often called, Judge Babcock. He was born in North Stonington August 31st, 1762. He was a blacksmith, and commenced business at Potter Hill, where he married. For forty-six years he was justice of the peace; for nine years from 1807 to 1816, he was a member of the upper house of the state, elected by general prox, and carried with him the suffrage of all parties, retaining the office by a unanimous vote. For ten years he was a judge of the county court for Washington county. He was the intimate friend and counselor of Governors Fenner, Knight and others. As a Christian man, he honorably maintained his profession for sixty-three years, and for fifty-eight years he was a deacon in the staunch old Sabbatarian church in Hopkinton, in which church he also served as chorister for nearly half a century. He belonged to the soundly Evangelical portion of his denomination; was the intimate friend and relative of Reverend Rufus Babcock; was loved and honored by Reverend Stephen Gano and others, of Providence; and was sent for, far and near, as arbiter and counselor in difficult cases in church and in private life. He served for a short time in the revolutionary army. He died in Hopkinton September 18th, 1846. His brother, Doctor Christopher Babcock, was a distinguished surgeon in the revolutionary army, and died in the service. J. P. Campbell & Co., the purchasers of the mills of R. & A. Babcock, employ about two hudnred hands and manufacture fine fancy cassimeres. The store and post office at this place are kept by A. R. Andrews.