SUSAN B. OLIN POTTER FAMILY

Susan Olin was the daughter of Henry W. Olin and Lydia Corry

Susan B. Olin was born on April 9, 1854 in Elmira, Chemung County, NY. She married on March 9, 1872 in Stanwood, Michigan to John Grover Potter and died January 29, 1918 in Austin, Mecosta County, MI. John was born November 9, 1849 in Tonawanda, Niagara County, NY and died 1918 Austin, MI.

From Mecosta County Portrait & Biographical published 1883:

John G. Potter, farmer, sec. 22, Austin Tp. (P.O. Stanwood), was born in Niagara Co., N.Y., Nov. 9, 1849. His parents, Russell and Emmeline C.(Grover) Potter, were natives of New York.

Mr. Potter was reared as a farmer's son, sent to the common schools and trained as farm assistant until he was 22 years old. In 1872 he came to Mecosta County and bought the homestead property of his father-in-law, William H. Olin, about 1877, comprising 40 acres of improvedl and.

He was married March 9, 1872, to Susan B., daughter of William H. and Lydia (Corey) Olin, born in Chemung Co., N.Y., April 9, 1854. Her parents were natives of New England.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter have had six children, two of whom are deceased: Stella E., born Aug. 20, 1874, Died May 10, 1876; and Albert, born Aug. 3, 1879, died Oct. 13, 1879. The living children were born in the order named: Florence E., March 28, 1873; Gracie E., July 6, 1877; Claude E., July 13, 1880, and Harry J., July 28, 1882.

Mr. Potter is a Democrat in political faith and action, and is the present Supervisor of the township.

I thought the Potters had the following children:

Florance E. Potter born April 18, 1873 in MI.[1]

Stella B. Potter born August 30, 1874 Stanwood, MI, d: May 10, 1876 Austin.[2]

Jerry E. Potter born July 6, 1877 Stanwood, MI (not listed in 1880 census-died young?)

Grace Potter born July 6, 1877 married to Clarence Pettit

Alberta Potter born August 3, 1879 Austin, died October 13, 1879 (killed!)

Albert Potter born August 3, 1879 Austin, died October 2, 1879 Austin

Charles E. Potter born July 13, 1880 Stanwood, MI

Claude Emery Potter born July 13, 1880 Austin, died May 14, 1956 in Montcalm, MI. He was married to Nellie L. Hopkins (1885-1977). Their children:

Leona May Potter born about 1903 in Stanwood who married Leo Green on November 21, 1922

Lillian Marge Potter

Claude Guyron Potter born January 23, 1908, married Berniece Boyer in Flint Michigan. Both died in a car accident December 6, 1969 at Bellaire, Antrim County, MI.

Harry (Henry) J. Potter was born July 28, 1882, married October 3, 1909 in Austin to Bessie Hopkins age 19, he married Leo Gladys Ward on September 2, 1919 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was a plumber.

Grover Cleveland Potter was born September 21,1884 in Stanwood, MI.

Myrtle M. Potter (Myrtie) was born June 10, 1887 in Stanwood, MI, married August 30, 1909 in Big Rapids to George W. Finch of Akron, OH. He was the son of Charles Finch and Lomia M. Bassett.

Clarabell E. Potter (Clara) was born September 5, 1889 in Austin, married December 20, 1911 to Arthur R. Rausch of Akron, OH, a printer. Clarabell was a teacher until her marriage to Arthur. Arthur's parents were George C. Rausch and Emma R. Riffert.

Irvine Potter born September 27, 1891 in Austin.

Since the Mecosta book was published in 1883 naturally Cleve, Myrtie, Clarabell and Irvine would not be mentioned. However, there are some inconsistencies between the book and Mecosta County vital records and the headstones. It is also possible that some children would not be mentioned at all such as Alberta who was killed.

John Grover Potter's genealogy:

Russell Potter b. 1797, of Rensellaer Cty, NY, was m. abt 1830 to Ann Butts. Their children: William, George Washington, Sarah, Stephen, Eliza and Russell. Russell m. again in 1847 in Carlton, Orleans Cty, NY to Clarinda Emaline Grover. Their children were: Emaline L., John Grover, Kate, Jerald, Charles, Edwina, and Clarissa. He died in 1871 in Barry Cty, MI. This information and the information on Claude E. Potter was submitted by Virginia Potter - potter@ipa.net.

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Notes:

1880 MI census shows this Potter family in Mecosta Cty: Orley age 55 b: NY, Flure age 60 b: NY, Herbert age 20 b: NY and Syndila (F) age 17, b: NY.

There is a marriage on file at Mecosta County for Gertrude M. Potter, age 24 b: NY of Big Rapids m: John P. Webster of Detroit, MI on January 13, 1880.

A Potter married a Cynthia D. Pixley and she remarried a Millie.

In the 1880 census, John Potter's brother Charles Potter age 21, born NY and sister Minnie Potter age 18, born in NY were living with John and Susan Potter. A probate record was found for John G. Potter which lists Grace E. Pettit as Administratrix. The probate for Susan B. Potter lists the following heirs: Grace E. Pettit, Claude E. Potter, Harry J. Potter, Grocer C. Potter, Myrtle M. Finch, Clara E. Rouse (Rausch), Irving R. Potter, Charles Martin, Hazel Martin, Roy Martin and Ralph Martin. The Martins each received 1/32 of estate which would indicate that they were grandchildren. There is a Clarence Pettit buried in the Austin Township Cemetery.

There is a Joseph Potter (1859-1931) and his wife, Clara E. Potter (1857-1936). Relationship to this Potter family unknown. I expect that Joseph was most likely a cousin to John Grover Potter.

Footnotes:

[1] 1880 Michigan census shows that this Florence was a female, a letter from Susan Potter to Mary C. Olin listed all the children and she said specifically that "her" Florence (not Mary's) was born on Mach 28, 1873, not only was she the mother of this child but she references her family bible for exact dates. However, if you look at the Mecosta County Biography you will see another date entirely.

[2] There is a Della E. for this birthdate, obviously an error. This child died at 1y, 7m, 20d and that makes her birth the same as Stella B. Stella's headstone however, reads b: Aug. 30, 1870, d: May 10,1 871 at 1y, 6m, 6d. I believe the headstone to be in error. Six months from August is February! Also, Mecosta County Biographies show her as Stella "E." and has a different birth day.

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