Jonas Potts (abt. 1662 - 1754)

Born about 1662 in Montgomery, Montgomeryshire, Wales

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Thomas) Potts — married 1700 (to 1705) in Philadelphia, Delaware, Pennsylvania

Husband of Mary (Thomaston) Potts — married about 1707 (to 1721) in Pennsylvania, British Colonial America

Descendants

Died 1754 at about age 92 in Loudoun, Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Lamar Ross [send private message], Reid Brodie [send private message], and Michelle Wiley [send private message]

Jonas Potts was born in Wales.

Jonas Potts was a Pennsylvanian.

Jonas was a Friend (Quaker)

Biography

(All records in Wales spell the name "Pott"; it wasn't until their arrival in the colonies that the "s" was added to the name of this Potts family of Wales).

“Historical Collections Relating to the Potts Family in Great Britain and America with a Historic Genealogy of the Descendants of David Potts, an early Anglo-Welsh settler of Pennsylvania, including contributions by the late William John Potts.” The compiler was Thomas Maxwell Potts of Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, and was published by the compiler in 1901. This history was found on the Family History File of the Latter Day Saints 0096253; (Part 1).:

“The parentage of Jonas Potts has not been proven. However, Thomas Maxwell Potts, following along the lines of an earlier researcher, William John Potts, gave careful study to the signing of marriage certificates, business transactions, and where the various Potts lived in relation to each other and came to the conclusion that the early Potts around Philadelphia were related, even though exact relationships were not established. They were convinced that Thomas Potts (the miller), Jonas Potts, and David Potts, all of Philadelphia County, were brothers; and that they also had a brother, John Potts of Wales whose orphan children were sent to PA in 1699. They figured the parents of these men were Thomas Potts, of Llangerrig, Wales, a Quaker who was persecuted, and his wife Elizabeth. Thomas died in Wales and his widow came to Pennsylvania with her children”. See Ancestor #440 for more details. (p. 282, 301, 302)……excerpted

From Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania:
“This record opens with Jonas Potts who, according to one family tradition, came to Pennsylvania from England in the seventeenth century. Another tradition, equally as well substantiated, claims that the first American member of the family came to Pennsylvania with William Penn, while a third alleges that the first Potts settlers in Pennsylvania came from Wales, emigrating thence because of religious persecution. All agree that the first settlers were members of the Society of Friends, and Jonas Potts is first noticed in Pennsylvania as a witness to a marriage certificate, that of John Austin and Jane Potts, 9th month 11, 1686. He was a resident of Germantown, Philadelphia county, and vicinity for a number of years, where he sometimes held local offices under the government. He was ranger for the county of Philadelphia, his term of office expiring in 1702, and he also held the office of court sheriff for Germantown at one time. He seems to have been a man of determination, and perhaps of an impetuous temperament, as upon one occasion, in making arrest, it is said that he handled the man so roughly as almost to have killed him. His name appears as a party to several transactions in the purchase and sale of lands in Philadelphia county. It is believed that Jonas Potts was twice married, and that he had children by both marriages, a belief given rise to by David Potts, one of his children, calling Jonas, another child, in a deed, his half brother. Both wives were named Mary, and Jonas Potts may have gone with some of his children to Virginia, and there died. Jonas was born about 1665. Jonas Potts ... He passed away in 1750.

Children of the first marriage of Jonas Potts (to Mary Thomas Burson):

1. David, b. 1700, died in 1768, had two wives (first)Elizabeth Jane, (second) Ann R.
2. Rachel, b. 1702, married in 1719, Joseph Burson
3. Elizabeth, b. 1703, married in 1719, William Heald
4. Hannah, b. 1705.

Children of his second marriage (to Mary Thomaston)):

1. Thomas, b. 1708
2. Deborah,b. 1712, died 7th month 24, 1718
3. Jonathan, b. 1714, died 1785
4. Jonas II , b. 1716, of whom further.

“Historical Collections Relating to the Potts Family in Great Britain and America with a Historic Genealogy of the Descendants of David Potts, an early Anglo-Welsh settler of Pennsylvania, including contributions by the late William John Potts.” The compiler was Thomas Maxwell Potts of Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, and was published by the compiler in 1901. This history was found on the Family History File of the Latter Day Saints 0096253. (Part 2):

“Jonas Potts is first found in Pennsylvania as a witness to the marriage certificate of John Austen and [his younger sister] Jane Potts on the 9th month, 11, 1686 (p. 198).

He was a resident of Germantown, Philadelphia County, and vicinity for a number of years, and he sometimes held local offices under the government. Later he settled in Gilbert’s Manor, not far from the present town of Royersford in Montgomery County. He was party to several transactions in the purchase and sale of lands in Philadelphia County. (p. 220)

1693. On 12 June 1693, Jonas purchased 133 and ⅓ acres of land in Cheltenham Township, Philadelphia, now Montgomery, County, from Jacob Tellner. This deed does not seem to be on record but is referred to in the deed of sale of the same property located in the Recorder’s Office of Norristown, Pennsylvania (Deed Book 80, p.54). A tax list of Philadelphia County for 1693, the earliest known to be in existence, contains an entry of “Thomas Whitton and Jonas Potts, assessed together in Cheltenham Township.”

1701. On 8 Dec. 1701 Jonas Potts sold this land in Cheltenham to James Williams of Darby, Chester County, for 60 pounds (Norristown Deed Book 80, p. 574). The author added that though this deed was made in 1701 it was not recorded until 1851, or 150 years afterwards.

Jonas Potts held the office of Ranger for the county of Philadelphia, his term of office expiring in 1702. At one time he also held the office of Court Sheriff for Germantown. He seemed to be a man of determination, and an impetuous temper, as upon one occasion in making an arrest, it was said that he handled the man so roughly as to have almost killed him.

He was a member of the Society of Friends, but did not appear to have been very active in meeting connections with the Quakers. He seemed to have been under the care of Abington MM but later in life may have been associated with Gwynedd or some meeting in that area.

1703. About this year, Jonas Potts seemed to have been in straitened circumstances, perhaps because his wife had suffered a long continued illness. In the minutes of the Radnor Monthly Meeting minutes of 2 month, 8, 1703, was this entry: “Gwyneadd Friends have laid before this meeting that Jonas Potts and his wife being poor, and having divers small children, want assistance to buy a cow, they formerly resorting or belonging to another Monthly Meeting, Friends of this meeting desire that they bring a Certificate from that monthly meeting to the next monthly meeting, and their Proposall is left to the further Consideration of the meeting.”

At the next MM held 3 months, 13 1703, Friend agreed to collec five pounds for Jonas Potts to lend him to buy a cow. The amount of 5 pounds was divided amongst Merion, Radnor, Haverford and Newtowne Meetings. Once again Jonas Potts was requested to bring a certificate from the Monthly meeting where he formerly resorted. The collectors appointed from the several meetings were requested to collect the money and bring it to the next MM.

On 3 month, 31, 1703, Abington MM granted a certificate to Jonas Potts’ wife, being removed to North Wales. It had been alleged that her parents lived in that place.

The minutes of the Radnor MM of 5 month, 8, 1703, stated that “Mary Potts Certificate from friends of Dublin MM was read in the meeting and ordered to be recorded.”

The minutes of same MM for 6 month, 12, 1703, had this entry: “Jonas Potts Certificate not brought to the meeting, and his wife being weakly and sickly, wanting present assistance, and five pounds being most collected as the meeting formerly appointed, are Lent to Women’s Meeting to be given to her assistance, they not having stock to assist them at present.”

(In these minutes the wife of Jonas Potts was referred to as Mary Potts)_.

1705. On 2 October, 1705, Jonas Potts, of Germantown, Pennsylvania, planter, purchased two tracts of land from Arnold Koster for 27 pounds (Deed Book B, 2, pg. 391, at Philadelphia). One of these tracts of land was described as containing 20 and ¾ acres in the inhabited part of Germantown; and the other as containing 29 and ¼ acres of side land. These were parts of a larger tract of land originally granted by the Proprietor to Benjamin Furley in 1682.

1708. On 28 Dec. 1708 Jonas Potts of Germantown, husbandman, sold the first mentioned lot “now in Tenure and occupation of the above said Jonas Potts,” containing 20 and ¾ acres to Herman Casdorp to 60 pounds. Jonas made his mark: IP (Deed Book E, 4, Vol. 7, p. 194, Philadelphia).

1709. On Dec. 13, 1709 Jonas sold the other lot for 37 pounds to Conrad Rutters. The witnesses were Thomas Potts and Francis Daniel Pastorius. (Deed Book 7, Vol. 2, p. 315, Philadelphia).

In the early part of 1709, Jonas Potts became one of the bondsmen for Jane (Potts) Austen, as the administratrix of John Austen, her late husband. It was the theory of Thomas Maxwell Potts that Jane was a sister to Jonas.

1710. 5 month, 31, 1710, Abington MM granted a certificate to Jonas Potts “in order for his removal to Perkiomon.”

1712 on 2 month, 10, 1712, Jonas Potts leased 200 acres in Gilbert’s Manor from the board of Preperty for a term of five years at a yearly rental of 8 pounds. He was to have the privilege of purchasing the property should it be put up for sale. On 10 month, 31, 1712, the Board of Preperty stated in their minutes that Jonas Potts,having obtained a grant of 300 acres in Gilbert’s Manor for seven years under a certain rent, now applied for the privilege of purchasing it. He was first ordered to pay the arrears due on his lease, and after an exact survey of the whole Manor had been made, he was to have the preference over all others in the purchase, by paying as good a price for it.

The Manor of Gilbert’s comprised the whole of the present township of Upper Providence, nearly all of Lower Providence, and parts of Perkiomen and Worcester townships, bisected by Perkiomen Creek, in Montgomery, formerly Philadelphia, County. (p. 224).

1713. 11 month, 20, 1713, the Minute Book H of the Board of Property contained these entries: (This has been typed as closely as possible to what was written in Mr. Potts history). “James Hamer, of the County of Philadelphia, desiring to purchase 300 Acres of Land in the Manor of Gilbert’s,next above that Part of it where Jonas Potts is settled upon a Lease granted him about the year 1708, agrees to pay Seventy-five pounds for the same (or 25 pounds per C) One moiety thereof in theree months and the other moiety in six months after with Int for s’d Six Months, and a Warr’t signed, dated this 20th, 1 1 month, 1713,4.”“……. Excerpted

Notations About Jonas Potts, Sr:
“He owned a farm in Gilberts Manor, which adjoined Pottsgrove. Moved to Germantown, PA. Jonas held the office of Ranger for the county of Philadelphia; his term expired in 1702. He was a man of determination & impetuous temperment. He held office of Court sheriff for Germantown, PA. He was a planter, by trade. he farmed in Montgomery Co., PA. He did quite well until his wife, Mary, fell ill & they became relatively poor.“…. Excerpted

Notations on Jonas Potts of Gilberts Manor: “The Potts family came to Pennsylvania from Wales - some allege, with William Penn. They lived at or about Pottsgrove, where their ancestor owned a plantation to which the Viriginia descendants were heirs. (NOTE: Jonas Potts owned and occupied a farm in Gilberts Manor, which adjoined Pottsgrove.”……excerpted, http://www.heritech.com/soil/genealogy/potts/shorthist.htm

Sources

• Jordan, John W. Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 (Lewis Historical Pub. Co., New York, 1915, p. 102-105)
• Find A Grave: Memorial #120843795
• Find A Grave: Memorial #33455532

See also:

• Source: The book, 'The Potts Family in Great Britain & America'.