BIO: Hon. Johnson W. POTTER, M. D., Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 405 & 406. _____________________________________________________________ HON. JOHNSON W. POTTER, M. D., deceased, who was widely and favorably known throughout Pennsylvania, having political prominence, large business interests and high professional standing, retired from business activity before his long and unusually busy life came to a close. He was born in Clarion township, Clarion county, Pa., March 6, 1835, and died March 31, 1898. Johnson W. Potter grew to the age of eighteen years on his father's farm and from there went to Indiana county where he remained one year in a mercantile establishment and then came to Clearfield county as a teacher and as a student of medicine. Through the influence of Governor Bigler, the young man received an appointment which made it possible for him to become a student in the National Medical College at Washington, D. C., where he continued his medical studies through 1859 and 1860, and then entered upon the practice of medicine in Clearfield county. Eight years of hard country practice broke down his health and for this reason he gave up his profession and then turned his attention to lumbering and merchandising. He started a store at Three Runs, in Karthaus township, and increased his interests here by erecting a saw and grist mill, and operated them for a number of years. The village of Pottersdale was named in his honor and he was a merchant and postmaster there. In 1877 he purchased a farm of fifty acres, situated in Covington township, which he improved with fine buildings, and in 1883 he erected a first class hotel and also went into the mercantile business at Karthaus village. Long before this, however, Dr. Potter had become a prominent factor in politics. He was an earnest, thoughtful man, with firm convictions of right and wrong irrespective of party ties, and when urged to accept public office consented from a sense of duty. In 1868 he was first brought forward as a candidate for the lower house of the state legislature, but in that contest he was defeated by Hon. Thomas P. McCullough. In 1873 he was an independent candidate, being the nominee of the Independent Democrats, but received hearty support also from the ranks of the Republicans. His selection practically terminated the oppressive political rings in Clearfield county. In 1874 he was again nominated but withdrew during the campaign and from that time took no further active interest in political life. At New Bethlehem, Clarion county, Pa., in 1858, Dr. Potter was married to Miss Alamanda Hoffman, and they had eight children born to them. Mrs. Potter resides in her handsome at No. 10 N. Front street, Clearfield.