Agriculture, or the art of cultivation of the soil, is so necessary in order to aid it in more prolifically producing its fruits and grains, so necessary for the sustenance of animal life, is probably co-existent with man himself, and its development form the days of primeval man until the present time has been continuous and uninterrupted until at last the climax of perfection has been reached with the aid of modern implements, machinery and steam and electric motors. However, this was not altogether the condition of farming operation in the early days of the gentleman whose name forms the caption to this article.

George W. Potts first saw the light of day near Laurel, Franklin county, Indiana, May 14, 1850. His paternal grandfather, William Potts, Sr., was born October 6, 1786, and on September 10, 1806, was united in marriage with Isabell Chance, who was born August 20, 1790. William Potts came from Kentucky to Indiana about the time his son, William, Jr., came and located in Franklin county. He made a farm in Brandywine township and there lived and died at more than eighty years of age. About 1853 his son William improved a claim entered by his father which was located in Section 7, Center township. He at first obtained eighty acres of wild land, with no improvements besides a small log cabin, and lived thereon until 1860, when he went to Jasper county, this state, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of prairie land. In 1870 he sold that and returning to Center township, this county, bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in sections 19 and 20. Of this land only about ten acres was cleared and on it was a small log cabin. He built the first house, made many improvements, and died on this place on the 17^th of October, 1896, having survived his wife, who died in 1894. He was born in Kentucky, March 21, 1825, while his wife, whose maiden name was Martha A. Hammond, was born October 31, 1825. They were married in Franklin county, Indiana; she formerly was the wife of James Alley.

George Potts’ maternal grandfather, Dr. Nathaniel Hammond, was born at Blue Hill, Maine, November 2, 1786. He was a prominent and successful physician in Jasper county, Indiana, where his death occurred. He was thrice married, first to Patty Ball, in Vermont, second to Hannah VanMater, who was born in Ohio county, Virginia, in June, 1798, and then to Hannah H. Serring, born in Warren county, Ohio, August 11, 1803. The subject’s father followed for several years the dual occupation of coopering and farming. Religiously he was a faithful and consistent member of the Greenfield Christian church. Politically he voted the Democratic ticket and was honored by election to the office of trustee of Center township. His children were as follows: James K., born March 11, 1848, died April 12, 1864; George W.; Mary E., born November 1, 1852, is the widow of Peter K. Boyd, of Center township; Edwin H., born December 17, 1854, died November 18, 1889, his life having been passed on the homestead; John W., born February 1, 1857, who is engaged in mining in Montana, married Miss Frances Rebecca Ellsbery; Isabell H., born July 9, 1869, became the wife of A. J. Reynolds, formerly superintendent of the Greenfield schools; Lizzie Alice, born January 2, 1862, is the wife of Johnson R. Abbott, of Greenfield; Lucy J., born March 5, 1864, makes her home with her brother George.

George W. Potts has lived on the parental homestead all his life and now owns seventy-three acres of the place, about sixty-three acres of which are in cultivation. He has successfully carried on general farming, devoting considerable attention to stock, mainly hogs and horses. He was united in the hold bonds of matrimony on the 4^th of August, 1894, with Miss Lulu B. Hayden. She is a native of Lafayette county, Missouri, and is the daughter of David and Hannah D. (Couch) Hayden, the latter a native of North Carolina. This union has been blessed with three children, namely: James B.., born December 27, 1895; Lulu Alice, born April 9, 1897, and Willliam Alfred, born December 19, 1898.

Fraternally Mr. Potts is a member of Greenfield Lodge No. 135, I.O.O.F., also of the encampment, and with his wife belongs to the Rebekahs. Politically he believes in the principles embodied in the platform of the Democratic party and is unswerving in his fealty to that organization. Having lived in this locality all his life and holding the most honorable relations with all classes of people, he has, by an upright mode of living, won the highest regard of the entire community. Practical industry wisely applied and sound judgment in his business dealings have brought him to a well-merited prosperity and today he is accounted one of the leading agriculturists of this section.

Transcribed from Biographical Memoirs of Hancock County B. F. Bowen, Publisher, Logansport, Indiana, 1902 Pages 258-260.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI July 8, 2002.

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