NICHOLAS POTTER

(1604-1677) - Newport-Pagnel, Buckinghamshire, England; Lynn & Salem, Essex co., MA

(Third Generation - Potter Family)

FATHER	MOTHER
ROBERT POTTER	ELIZABETH MARSHALL

BIRTH & DEATH	Nicholas was born in 1604 in Newport-Pagnel, Buckinghamshire, England and baptized there on 1 April 1604. He died in Salem, Essex co., MA on 18d:8m:1677; he was 73^[1,2].
MIGRATION & RESIDENCE	Though the details are lost to time, Nicholas, his wife Eme and three oldest children -- Elizabeth, Robert & Samuel -- probably sailed for New England in 1634. I believe that his sister Ann emigrated with the family as well, since she married Anthony NEEDHAM in Salem, Essex co., MA in January of 1655. Nicholas was definitely in Lynn, Essex co., MA by 1634 and well established enough four years later to have received the sizeable grant of 60 acres of land in the 1638 Land Distribution at Lynn. He had moved to Salem, Essex co., MA by the time of his second marriage in 1656^[3].
OCCUPATIONS & EDUCATION	Nicholas was a Bricklayer and, later in life, a Doctor. According to most sources, he was first "concerned in the Iron Works, but afterward resided at Salem and was called a bricklayer. Mason in Salem after 1660"^[3,4]. However, at the time of his death, he was called "Doctor" in the public records. Thus, Nicholas was most likely quite educated. This is indicated by the title of "Doctor" and the fact that his estate contained books. On his will, he only "made his mark", but this was probably due to infirmity.
PARENTAGE ISSUES	Nicholas' parentage of Elizabeth is ascertained by a "Deed of Nicholas Potter, of Salem, bricklayer, to his son Robert Potter of Lynn, in which he mentions his daughter, Robert's sister, Elizth Newhall, wife of Corporal Thomas Newhall, 26th of May 1675."^[3]
LEGAL MENTIONS	Legal mention of Nicholas indicates that he was a well-respected member of his community. In 1647, he convinced Richard Woodman of Lynn that he should write a will before his death^[5]. He was one of the overseers of the estate of Richard Barret of Lynn in 1651^[6]. He was also one of the overseers of the estate of James Bowtwell of Lynn in 1651^[7]. And he witnessed the will of William Knight of Lynn in 1655^[8].
ESTATE	"Estate of Nicholas Potter of Salem. I nicholas Potter of Salem, being weak in body, but of good & perfect memory & vnderstanding blesses be God, doe make this my last will & testament this 10:8mo:1677, first after my debts & funerall charges be paid, the rest of my estate I dispose of as followeth, viz: whereas I lately made a deed to my sonn Robert Potter of my house & land at linn dated 26 of May 1675, which conveyance I doe by this my last will & testament confirme, upon the condition therein exspressed, to be observevd, 2 for the land in the north feild in Salem, which I had in a former will given to my daughter Elizabeth Newall, but made it voyde in the aboue said conveyance, which said land I doe now giue & bequeath the said land be it more or less, to my two sons had by my last wife, viz: Samuell & Benjamin, to be to them & theire heires for euer in equal part. 3 Alsoe I giue & bequeath to my said two sonns, Samuel & Benjamin, all that my house & ground at Bostone, to them & theire heires, an equall part, to injoy it at the age of twent one years & if either of them dy before, the whole be to the survivsor, only my will is that out of the said house & ground, there shall be pd to my two daughters viz: Sarah & Mary each of them the value of ten pounds to be paid them within one yeare after my sons come of age to injoy the sd house & ground. 4. I giue & bequeath that which will be due to me from Isaack Williams at or after my decease, as by his mortgage to me doe appeere, which is eighty pounds: viz: to my Daughter Bethiah fiue pounds, & the reast I giue to all my six children, borne by my last wife viz: Samuell, Benjamin, Sarah, Mary, Hannah & the said Bethiah, to be equaly devided betweene them. 5. Alsoe I give & bequeath, to my said six children, viz. Samuell, Benjamin, Sarah, Mary, Hanna & Bethiah, my house & ground adjoyning in Salem, to haue each of them an equall part or the value of it, alsoe about four acres of ground caled Pigden's lot to be equally deuided. 6. I giue & bequeath to my fouer daughters, viz: Sara, Mary, Hanah & Bethiah, all my moueables & houshold stuff &c: to be equally deuided betweene them. 7. And my will is that what I haue giuen aboue said to all or either of my children, they shall haue & injoy it to them selues & theire heires foreuer, when they come to the age the sons at twenty one years & the daughters at eighteene yeares or marriage & in the meane time the rents & profits of the whole estate viz: houses & land & efects of whateuer is elce, to be for the breeding up of my sd children, soe far as it will goe, at ye ordering & discression of my executor & over seers (here after exsprest) 8. My will is that if God should see good to take by death any of my said children before they come to age or are marryed, as aforesaid, that then there pt to be equally deuided amongst the suriuers: that is to say respectiuely where they are all concerned, there all to share in ye deceased's pt: & the sons Joyntly, the suruier to haue ye whole of the deceased sons, but if both die before they com of age then the daughters to haue theire estate deuided amongst them, & where Sarah & Mary are concerned together in the twenty pound out of the house at Boston: the suruier to Injoy the whole, or if bother dy before she be of age or married her fiue pound to be deuided amongst the suruiuing children Lastly I doe desire & apount my Hond father John Gedney to be sold executor of this my last will & testament & my son Robert Potter & my brothers, Bartholmew Gidney & Elezaer Gidney to be ouerserrs. In witnes heare if U haue put to my hand & seale the day & yeare aboue written." Nicholas (his P mark) Potter (Seal) Witness: Hilliard Veren, Senr., Nathaniell Beadle. Proved 29:9:1677 by the witnesses."^[9] Inventory of the estate of Nicholas Potter, taken Oct. 25 1677, by Hilliark Veren, sr.: his dwelling house in Salem with about halfe an acre of Ground adjoyning, being most pt. an oarchard, £70; about 4 acres of ground called Pigdens Poynt, #20; about 5 acres of land in the north feild, £10; an old feather bed, bolster, 3 pillowes pt of a bolster, an old blandett & Ruff, £3; a smale old feather bead, 2 blanketts, old Rugg & old flock pillows, £2. 5s.; severall smale lumber in a chest, 5s.; wearing apparrell, £5; 1 ell cloath rash, an old child's blanket & old child's coar, 16s.; an old carraile bed, old curtaines & 2 or 3 old pillowes with an old blandett & covering, £1. 6s.; pewter, 18s.; brass pan & warming pas, 8s.; an Iron kettle, 2 potts, hake & fire pan, £1. 2s.; a chest with a small pr. Doggs, 2 old swords, with some Iron lumber, 12s.; earth ware, 2s.; a wooll & linen wheels, 8s.; 3 or four old hats & pr. shoes, 10s.; 7 old chaires at 7s.; a Joyne stoole & som old barrells, 2s.' linnen, 46s.; bookes, 10s.; swine, 16s.; a cow, 40s.; a cubbord & 3 bedsteeds, 30s, £4, 6s.; a chest 6s.; 13 B. aples, 10s.; wood, 7s.; a flock bed with feathers, with 2 Jarrs, 20s.; curtain rods & spitt, 5s.; due from Isaack Williams to be pd in 4 yeare, £30; one house & Land att boston apprised by Mathew Barnard & Edw. Grant, besids the house & land at linn formerly giuen to his son Robert Potter, £90; total £206 11s. Estate debtor to severall, £15 severall charges £4. Attested in Salem court 29:9:1677 by the executor.^[10] Nicholas Potter, Dr., to Capt. George Corwin, a boat, £1 8s.; John Milk, £2 12s Goodwife Bamfield, 10s; Tho. Rix, 9s.; Mr. Batter, 5s.; Mr. Wm. Brown, sr., £6, 7s. 6d.; Mr. Neale, 7s.; Philip Crumwell, £2 19s.; Walter Skinner, 2s. 6d.^[10,11] Agreement made between William Roch and Hannah his wife daughter of Nicholas Poter late of Salem, deceased, and Mary (her mark), Elson and Bethia (her mark) Witt the other daughters of said Potter as a final settlement and distribution of said estate: That Mary Ellson and Bethia Witt shall have for their part the house, land and appurtinances that was their father's being in Boston situate in the back Street in the north end of the Towne near the dwelling house of the Rev. Increase Mather, in equal parts; that William Roch and Hanah his wife shall have for their part the dwelling house, Land and appurtinances that was the said Potter's situated in Salem bounded on the south with the street or highway on the east with the land of Wiliam Bath and land that was formerly the widow Eastwick's, on the north with the land of Joseph Miles, deceased, an on the west with the land of Nathaniel Gedney & also a peice of land on the Neck in Salem called Picdens point being about four acres. Signed and sealed Aug. 14, 1697. Witness: Bethia Gedney, Debora Gedney. Acknowledged Aug. 14, 1697 before the Hon. Bartho. Gedney, Judge of probate, which is allowed and confirmed by him. [Essex County Probate Files, Docket 22, 582]^[12]
MARRIAGE	On 22 April 1628 when Nicholas was 24, he first married Emma/Eme CARTER or KNIGHT, in Newport-Pagnel, Buckinghamshire, England^{[1,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23]}. She was born circa 1608 in England -- probably in Newport-Pagnel, Buckinghamshire and died by June 1656, when Nicholas married his second wife.

CHILDREN	12.	i.	Elizabeth POTTER	Please see her own page.
	13.	ii.	Robert POTTER	Please see his own page.
	14.	iii.	Samuel POTTER	Samuel was born in 1632 in Newport-Pagnel, Buckinghamshire, England and baptized there on 26 December 1632. He died in Newport-Pagnel, Buckinghamshire, England in 1633 and was buried there on 4 February 1633; he was 1.

MARRIAGE #2 After June 1656 when Nicholas was 52, he second married Alice WEEKS, in Salem, Essex co., MA^{[1,24,15,22,25,18,26,27,28]}. Alice was born in 1630^[1] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA on 26d:11m(February):1658/9; she was 28^[1,29].

MARRIAGE #2 Before their oldest child, Mary, was born on 4 February 1659, when Nicholas was 55, he third married Mary GEDNEY, in Lynn or Salem, Essex co., MA^{[1,15,18,20,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37]}.

CHILDREN 15. i. Mary1 POTTER She was born on 4d:11m:1659 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA in 29:8m:1662; she was 3^[2].

16. ii. Hannah1 POTTER Hannah1 was born in 25d:1m:1661 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA in 28d:8m:1662; she was 1^[29].

17. iii. Sarah POTTER Sarah was born on 4 October 1662 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[80] and died in Lynn, Essex co., MA on 29 September 1688 as "Potter, Sarah, d. Nicolas, father of Robert"; she was 25^[66].

18. iv. Mary2 POTTER Mary2 was born on 10d:9m:1663 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and was still living at the time of her fatheršs will in 1677. She married [not known] ELLSON.

19. v. Samuel1 POTTER Samuel1 was born on 9d:11m:1664 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[80] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA in 11m:1665; he was 1^[2].

20. vi. Hannah2 POTTER Hannah2 was born on 27 March 1666 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and was still living at the time of her father's will in 1677. Before 1692 when Hannah2 was 25, she married William ROACHE/ROCH, in Salem, Essex co., MA^[81].

21. vii. Lydia1 POTTER Lydia1 was born on 26 February 1666/7 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA in 17d:7m:1668; she was 1^[29].

22. viii. Bethia POTTER Bethia was born on 23 May 1668 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and was still living at the time of her father's will in 1677. On 26 February 1685 when Bethia was 16, she married Thomas WITT, in Lynn, Essex co., MA^[45].

23. ix. Samuel2 POTTER Samuel2 was born on 22 April 1669 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[80] and was living, but still a minor (under 21) at the time of his father's will in 1677.

24. x. Lydia2 POTTER Lydia2 was born on 16 July 1670 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in April 1671 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[29].

25. xi. Benjamin POTTER Benjamin was born on 6 November 1671 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and was still living, but was a minor (under 21) at the time of his father's will in 1677.

26. xii. Joseph POTTER Joseph was born on 9 June 1673 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA before 1677; he was 3.

GENERATION	Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great (G8 Grandfather from Huldah to Samuel) Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great (G8 Grandfather from Marian to Samuel, via Joseph) Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great (G9 Grandfather from Michal to Joseph) Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great (G9 Grandfather from Robert Potter)
FAMILY NUMBER	(via Elizabeth) 1794/1818/3650 (via Robert) 3656
SOURCES	1. Edward Carroll Death Record, 19 October 1899, Lynn, Essex co., MA, 1866, 192, p. 186, #337.


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CHILDREN	15.	i.	Mary1 POTTER	She was born on 4d:11m:1659 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA in 29:8m:1662; she was 3^[2].
	16.	ii.	Hannah1 POTTER	Hannah1 was born in 25d:1m:1661 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA in 28d:8m:1662; she was 1^[29].
	17.	iii.	Sarah POTTER	Sarah was born on 4 October 1662 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[80] and died in Lynn, Essex co., MA on 29 September 1688 as "Potter, Sarah, d. Nicolas, father of Robert"; she was 25^[66].
	18.	iv.	Mary2 POTTER	Mary2 was born on 10d:9m:1663 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and was still living at the time of her fatheršs will in 1677. She married [not known] ELLSON.
	19.	v.	Samuel1 POTTER	Samuel1 was born on 9d:11m:1664 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[80] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA in 11m:1665; he was 1^[2].
	20.	vi.	Hannah2 POTTER	Hannah2 was born on 27 March 1666 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and was still living at the time of her father's will in 1677. Before 1692 when Hannah2 was 25, she married William ROACHE/ROCH, in Salem, Essex co., MA^[81].
	21.	vii.	Lydia1 POTTER	Lydia1 was born on 26 February 1666/7 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA in 17d:7m:1668; she was 1^[29].
	22.	viii.	Bethia POTTER	Bethia was born on 23 May 1668 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and was still living at the time of her father's will in 1677. On 26 February 1685 when Bethia was 16, she married Thomas WITT, in Lynn, Essex co., MA^[45].
	23.	ix.	Samuel2 POTTER	Samuel2 was born on 22 April 1669 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[80] and was living, but still a minor (under 21) at the time of his father's will in 1677.
	24.	x.	Lydia2 POTTER	Lydia2 was born on 16 July 1670 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in April 1671 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[29].
	25.	xi.	Benjamin POTTER	Benjamin was born on 6 November 1671 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and was still living, but was a minor (under 21) at the time of his father's will in 1677.
	26.	xii.	Joseph POTTER	Joseph was born on 9 June 1673 in Salem, Essex co., MA^[79] and died in Salem, Essex co., MA before 1677; he was 3.