CENTRE LINES

The Potter Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on Potter. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

One book in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deals with the Vonada family. It is: Don McClenahen's Major General James Potter, "the Builder" (1979).

There are several different first-name entries for Potter in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' POTTER neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

George L., 42, fire insurance agency and Building and Loan Association--37 E. Linn Elizabeth J. Marguerite Sarah I. Sarah Irvin John I. 44 James H., 37, hardware merchant and liveryman--29 N. Spring Mary S. Donald S. 9 Tamazine H. Minnie--127 N. Allegheny William, 56, laborer--133 N. Ridge

In FERGUSON Township:

Mary--State College

In HARRIS Towsnhip:

Henry R., 48, farmer--Linden Hall Maggie Rhoda Nancy--Linden Hall Miss A. Fergus 55 Mary Phoebe W. Mary Jane R.

In MILESBURG Borough:

Jennie

In PATTON Township:

George W., 37, farmer--State College Ellen J. Sarah Anna Nancy Alice George 5 Bessie

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Margaret--2nd St. Robert M., 56, carpenter--11th St. Mary E. Ida M. Robert L. 16 Thomas B., 60, physician--Presquile St. Matilda William, 27--9th St. Matilda Leona C. Annie C.

In POTTER Township:

Joshua T., 41, farmer--Centre Hall Martha R. Harry W. 7 Mary D.

In RUSH Township:

Amos E., 65, laborer--Philipsburg

In UNIONVILLE Borough:

William R., 45, contractor Margaret