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It is often claimed that the Nathaniel Potter who arrived at Rhode Island in 1638 was either the Nathaniel baptized 1622 in London, the son of George Potter and Martha (Unknown),[1] but that Nathaniel was too young to have been this Nathaniel (who was an adult in 1638).
The other claimed origin for Nathaniel is a Nathaniel mentioned as son in the will of Robert Potter and Elizabeth Marshall of Newport-Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Irene B. Wrigley summarized the Potter family data in the article "Descendants of Ichabod-2 Potter (Nathaniel-1)," Rhode Island Genealogical Register, Volume 3, Number 3, January 1981, pages 208ff.
Nothing conclusively connects the immigrant Nathaniel to either of those families or locations.
Another claim is that Nathaniel Potter, Robert Potter, and George Potter, who all signed the Portsmouth compact of loyalty in 1639, were brothers. However, there is no direct evidence connecting them as relatives.
No relationship is known to exist between Nathaniel Potter and Thomas Potter, who had wife Ann, and daughter Mary born at Newport July 1664.[2]
Nathaniel Potter was presumably born before 1617 in England, as he would have been an adult when admitted to Aquidneck Island in 1638 and when signing the compact of loyalty on April 30, 1639.[3][2]
The exact location of birth and his parentage are unknown.[4]
The first evidence of Nathaniel Potter in New England was when he was admitted to Aquidneck Island on 16 July 1638 (16th: 5th: 1638).[5] On 30 April 1639, he put his mark on the compact of loyalty at Portsmouth.[6]
Nathaniel likely died about 1644.[2] John Albro, who married Nathaniel's widow, had children starting about 1645.
A deed dated 24 November 1656 involved 30 acres of land "giuen & granted by the towne of portsmouth afore sayed unto Nathaniel potter deceased, & sould and conuaied by John Albro to James Sands, & by [him and so forth]".[7]
Nathaniel married Dorothy about the time he migrated.[citation needed] Dorothy was born about 1617 and died February 19, 1696.[2]
Robert Charles Anderson on page 18 of his Great Migration sketch of John Albro states that Dorothy (surname unknown) married first Nathaniel Potter and secondly to John Albro. On page 17 where he cites "The Early Records of the Town of Portsmouth", Anderson says that on 24 November 1656, thirty acres of land in Portsmouth "was given & granted by the town of Portsmouth aforesaid unto Nathaniel Potter deceased, & sold and conveyed by John Albro to James Sands..." Anderson concludes: "(This deed is apparently the only evidence for the claim that John Albro married the widow of Nathaniel Potter.)"[8]The original town records of this transaction can be found here:[7]
Nathaniel was alleged to have had:
The Portsmouth Compact was signed on Mar 7, 1638. Anne Hutchinson and some of her followers signed the document proclaiming their intention to create a "bodie politick" based on their own principles. Their search for land led them to Roger Williams, who in turn urged them to buy Aquidneck Island from the Narragansett Indians. Now a priceless document held in the Rhode Island state archives, the Portsmouth Compact not only established the Aquidneck Island town, but also set a precedent. It was the first document to establish political and religious independence from England.
It is often stated without source that Nathaniel's wife was Dorothy Wilbore. This may have come from conflating Nathaniel Potter who married Joanna Wilbore at Little Compton in 1701.
There is a marriage record for Nathaniel Potter to Dorothy Sommerbye in Billingborough, Lincolnshire, 3 March 1635[9] They had a son Robert Potter christened in the same location 15 Jan 1636.[10] (Note a Robert Potter is attached to his profile) No further children are listed in the records.
A christening record has been added for Nathaniel's son Nathaniel, 30 June 1637, in Radford Semele, Warwickshire.[11] However there were 2 prior children (both daughters) for this Nathaniel in this location: Elizabeth Potter, 1632[12] and Dionisia Potter, 4 May 1634.[13] No later children.
See also:
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P > Potter > Nathaniel Potter Sr.
Categories: Signers of the 2nd Portsmouth Compact
It is significant that Nathaniel Potter of Rhode Island named a son Robert.
Finally, as Robert Potter's second surviving son Nicholas Potter settled in Lynn, Mass. in 1634 or 1635, what would be more normal than that his landless younger brother (then 18 or19 years old) would have accompanied Nicholas to Massachusetts Bay (or followed him there a year or two later), and then moved on to Rhode Island as a settlement opportunity opened up there?
There is no further trace of Nathaniel or of any of the other members of the Robert Potter family in Stratford St. Mary. As Stratford St. Mary was then a center of the woolen trade (see its Wikipedia article), evidently Robert found work there for a time, but ultimately returned to Newport Pagnell as the trade declined in Stratford.
Elizabeth, c. 1632; Dionisia, c. 4 May 1634; Nathaniel, c. 30 June 1637
Perhaps others can find additional records to determine if this Nathaniel Potter is worthy of any further consideration as a possible match or kinsman of Nathaniel-1 Potter of Portsmouth.
edited by Perry Streeter
See notes in the Life Sketch and also click on list of sources
See also: https://gw.geneanet.org/tdowling?lang=en&pz=timothy michael&nz=dowling&p=nathaniel&n=potter&oc=2
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Potter-1469#_note-8
you might want to recheck the death date of this Nathaniel (there are records saying George Potters children died in England) It is very common (for some reason) for people to mix these 2 different Nathaniel's up. This is a totally different Nathaniel than the one who died in R.I.
http://www.portsmouthhistorycenterarchive.org/items/show/154
From Sue Rousseau & Colleen LeComte Reference/YA Librarians Portsmouth Free Public Library 2658 East Main Road Portsmouth, RI 02871
Another interesting note. There is an Old Cemetery on the Land Discovered in 1900, it was named the Brownell Lot. The oldest (Legible) Headstone is dated 1666. Nathaniel dief there beforestone carvers arrived so his plot MAY be there.....but is unmarked.