John T. Potter Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1403-1404 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JOHN T. POTTER, of Keystone, is a native of Boston, Massachusetts, 
where he was born on September 14,1847. He is the son of William E. and 
Elizabeth (Lewis) Potter, the former also a native of Boston, and the 
latter of historic Plymouth, in the same state. They were descendants of 
old colonial families, active and prominent in the early history of New 
England, the members of which bore their parts creditably in the affairs 
of that section in peace and war. The father's American ancestors came 
to this country and settled at Concord, Massachusetts, in 1635 and the 
mother's to Plymouth in 1630. The paternal great-grandfather was a 
soldier in the Revolution, participating in the siege of Boston and many 
other important engagements, and in subsequent wars members of both 
families have served their country with efficiency and manly courage. 
Both families have maintained their homes in Massachusetts from the time 
of their first arrival on American soil. Mr. Potter's father was a 
bookkeeper and accountant in Boston, and there the son grew to the age 
of twenty years and was educated for mercantile life. In 1877 he came 
west to Earlville, Iowa, and during the next two years was engaged in 
merchandising there. In 1879 he returned to Boston and entered the 
service of a large wholesale house, first in the establishment and later 
as traveling salesman. In 1880 he came to Fort Meade to take a position 
in the post trader's store, and he remained there employed in the store 
until the post tradership was abolished in 1883, when he came to Sturgis 
and opened a dry-goods and gents' furnishing store of his own. The town 
had then only a village organization, and soon after his arrival there 
he was elected chairman of the board of trustees. When the place was 
incorporated as a city he became its first mayor. In the fall of 1890 he 
was elected to the state senate on the Republican ticket, thus becoming 
a member of the second state legislative assembly. In the ensuing 
sessions of the body he demonstrated that he had legislative capacity of 
a high order, shrewdness in the management of public business and a wide 
knowledge of the needs of the state and his section in particular. He 
has always been prominent in public and social affairs at Sturgis, and 
is recognized on all sides as one of the leading and most useful 
citizens of the community. He has long been active in Freemasonry, and 
while living at Fort Meade organized a Masonic lodge at Sturgis, which 
he served four years and a half as its worshipful master. He was 
successful in trade at Sturgis and conducted a large business. In 1891 
he sold out and went to Chicago, where he secured employment with 
Carson, Pirie, Scott & Company, wholesale dry-goods merchants, with whom 
he remained until 1901. He then returned to this state and locating at 
Keystone, taking charge of the Keystone Trading Company as manager. This 
company was formed by the consolidation of the Bee Hive, owned by J. C. 
Haines, and the Stone-Pinney Company's store, which had been doing 
business at Keystone for a number of years. By the consolidation and 
necessary enlargement of the stock the Keystone Trading Company became 
the largest general merchandising establishment in this part of the 
Hills. It is incorporated, with J. O. Haines, of Rapid City, as 
president and Mr. Potter as secretary, treasurer and manager, the latter 
being also one of the principal stockholders. He is enterprising and 
progressive, makes a study of the needs of his trade and is diligent in 
providing for them, and always enforces the up-most integrity and fair 
dealing on the part of his employee toward his patrons. In fraternal 
relations he is an enthusiastic Freemason, belonging to lodge, chapter, 
council and commandery in the fraternity, and taking a leading part in 
the work of each. 

	On September 5, 1865, Mr. Potter was married at Boston, 
Massachusetts, to Miss Fannie F. Trott, a native of that city. By virtue 
of his ancestry and through his own desire Mr. Potter is an honored 
member of the Sons of the Revolution at Boston, Massachusetts.