arthur potter farm history pictures and centennial farm application

8/8/2019 Arthur Potter Farm History Pictures and Centennial Farm Application

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History of the Potter FarmElba Township, Lapeer County, Michigan1882-2007

When Arthur and Kate Potter purchased the Farm on Hadley Road in April of 1892, they were already thetenth generation of Potters in North America. Arthur Potter was descended from Nathanial Potter, born inLondon, England in 1622 who came to the Boston, Massachusetts area in 1634. Due to his dissentingbeliefs, he soon moved to Portsmouth, Rhode Island as a follower of Samuel Gorton, where he died. Whenland in the Dartmouth (New Bedford), MA area became available his son Nathanial and his family movedto Dartmouth, where three generations lived at Westport, MA. Around the time of the American

Revolution, Nathanial Potter (the third) moved to Washington County, New York near Saratoga, probablyas a result of the failing whaling industry in the Dartmouth/New Bedford area. There the family lived tillabout 1800 and then moved to Cortland County New York where Rev. John Burgoyne Potter, a Baptistminister lived and had a son, William D. Potter.

In 1837 Rev. William D. Potter moved to Michigan and tookup land in Elba Township, where he farmed and became thefirst pastor of the Hadley Baptist Church. His son Henry N.Potter took over the farm on Stewart Road, Section 32, ElbaTownship and had a son Arthur A. Potter. Arthur attended asmall one room school and later graduated from HadleyHigh School in 1885. On graduation he taught school forone year and then worked in a wagon factory in Elkhart,Indiana to raise money to purchase the farm on Hadley Road

in 1892. He raised a family of four boys and two girls andover the next thirty years was able to purchase a second farmadjoining the first.

In 1935, Robert D. Potter, the youngest son, purchased thehome farm with $10,000 saved working in the ChevroletPlant in Flint and continued farming with the help of his thenretired father, Arthur. Robert raised four children, despitethe tragic loss of his wife Beatrice in 1944 when theyoungest son was four years of age. On his death in 1972,the farm passed to the four children in joint ownership untilthe present owners, Susan and Steve Whitman purchased itfrom her aunts and uncle.

Kate and Arthur, Omer, Lottie and Harry 1897

The land on which the farm is located has a long history of human habitation. Based on surface finds ofstone artifacts, Native Americans occupied the area for nearly 10,000 years. During that time the landcover has probably changed from coniferous to partially open land to mixed coniferous and deciduousforests that were there when Michigan became a state. It is not known who originally cleared the farm oftimber, but by 1892 the land cover was nearly like that of today.

The farm was used for the production of livestock and grain, later specializing in dairy products andbecoming on of the States first tree farms. Maple syrup has been produced in the Sugar Bush for morethan 100 years. With the death of Robert Potter in 1972, the land was leased to a local farmer for grainproduction, and the original farm buildings and about 60 acres were sold. In 1988, Susan and SteveWhitman built their home near the sugar bush and they lived there until Susans untimely death in 2007.


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Map 1- Location of Land Parcels and Dates Acquired


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Centennial Farm Application 1


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Figure 1 Arthur and Harry Potter Families abt. 1915

Figure 2 - Robert Potter Home ca. 1970

Figure 3 - Tool Shed Built ca. 1920 Figure 4Barn Built Before 1892

(Hip Roof Added ca. 1920)


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Figure 5Tool Shed, Barn and Granary ca. 1970

Figure 6Sugar House ca. 1968


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Figure 7Farm Buildings and Jean and Ray Wildey Home ca. 1970

arthur potter farm history pictures and centennial farm application

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