Looking for Pennsylvania source, 1740s

Question

Looking for a source in an incomplete reference to a record in Pennsylvania, 1744. Could someone please help me track down and reply with a link to this Potts merchant record/ manuscript?

1. In a Pence genealogy, I find: "Lebanon and Lancaster counties who were customers of a Mr. Potts, a merchant of Pottsgrove. The records of these transactions were kept by Christian Lauer and Conrad Weiser, members of the Reformed Church at Tulpehoeken." 

Link @ “Guide to the Pence families of America, V. I” here, see p. 8: https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/137577/?offset=&return=1#page=21&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=

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2. At FS, I find a reference to this: Kellogg’s "Tulpehoekon - Virginia notes”:

“In the year 1744, John Potts, a merchant of eastern Pennsylvania, sent a venture of merchandise consisting of rum, tobacco, … to Christian Lauer on the Tulpehocken; … Lauer kept accounts for these transactions in a long narrow account book, which is now in the Pennsylvania Historical Society (Potts Manuscript Vol. 9).”

Link here, see p. 88: https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/556149/?offset=0#page=90&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=potts

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3. A wikiTree profile shows this:

“1744: George Zeh listed in Potts Account Books, maintained for Tulpehocken area by Christian Lauer. Original said to be in Historical Society of PA, Potts Mss. V9:17 Tulpehocken Accounts, 1744. At one time property of Judge Pennypacker. (Transcript only in Burgert, "A Research Guide..." p. 17.) 1744 merchant accounts of Christian Lauer on Tulpehocken (now Berks Co) include Jacob Simon, … (PA Historical Society Potts Manuscript Vol 9 given in Kellogg)”

Link here, search ‘potts’ to locate: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:A_DOCUMENTARY_HISTORY_OF_GEORGE_SEE%3B_by_Sara_Patton

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I can’t find this source at the PA Historical Society, or anywhere. Anybody want to take a stab at it?

Historical Society of Pennsylvania: https://www.portal.hsp.org/

Comments

I am also interested in locating this source.  Sara Patton was seeking it too, and she mentioned to me that my direct ancestor Martin Schell is mentioned in the 1744 John Potts account book.  Was this the Potts who owned a furnace?

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It's hard to say. I ran across references to that furnace business in my searches, but it seems that the family was involved in many different businesses. I didn't see a good way to contact the Pennsylvania Historical Society directly, but maybe that's what it will take to find this.

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Is this the same as the Historical Society of Pennsylvania? During the day, there is a live chat available on the Historical Society of Pennsylvania website or you can submit a question: https://www.portal.hsp.org/

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Way cool! I did not see that! Will have to try it.

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Just submitted the question to them. Will post whatever answer I get.

Answer 1

I found a collection of manuscripts at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania entitled Jonathan Potts Papers.  You can also find these papers at the Library of Congress MSS36699.

Comments

Thanks! I think this Jonathon was a later descendant whose records showed up later, though. His records don't start until the 1770s. By then, my people had moved on to Virginia.

Answer 2

In a book about 18th century Pennsylvania Iron Manufacturing, there are numerous references to (various) Potts Manuscripts. Once citation worth locating is "The Day Book of John Potts" , by George F Wanger (Wagner?) in "Pennsylvania German" vol. VIII, (1907), pp. 126-129.  

Indeed, this can be viewed for free on Google Books and it mentions the following:  a stove sold in 1755 to Christian Lower" [Lauer].  Also, on Oct 4, 1753, a payment to Dr Philip Gibhard (Gebhard?), who lives near Haines, "by the big spring."

Comments

That looks like a great lead. Thanks, I'll look for my people there.

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Unfortunately, it only covers July 1752 to mid-1754.  Clearly, somewhere, there are older Potts Manuscripts from the 1740s.

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Check the bibliography, though, starting MANUSCRIPT SOURCES, p. 185. These are on p. 187:

• Pine Forge .Account Books, 1720-1790 (Potts MSS.). A series of ledgers and day books. Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
• Potts Miscellaneous Collection. 1738-1840. Chiefly account books pertaining to milling, the sale of merchandise, and surveying. Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
• Potts Philadelphia .Account Books. 1737-1776. I.edgers, day books, and journals that record the commercial actirities of the Potts family in Philadelphia. Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
• Pottsgrove (Pottstown) MSS., 1755-1825. Ledgers and day books that record the commercial and milling activities of the Potts family. Pottstown. which became an early industrial center, was laid out in 1752 by John Potts, Sr. Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Answer 3

I requested a lead on this source from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and just got an answer.  Rather unspecific, if I want to learn more I'll have to go there or pay to have somebody look it up. Here's what I got back from them:

Thank you for reaching out. If you have not already, I would suggest taking a look at our online catalogue, Discover. I did a quick search for "Potts", and I got a considerable amount of manuscripts material from the 18th century: Search Results - potts (hsp.org). It seems to have been a popular name! 

If you are in the area, you can make a research appointment and view anything of interest in the Reading Room yourself. If you're not able to make it in, we do offer a Research by Mail service who can take a look at any of the materials for you.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!
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There are just a few manuscript files early enough (1740s) in those search results. Interestingly, one is the Conrad Weiser papers 1741-1783; he was one of the people who had a hand in settling those accounts.

There's also the Potts family papers 1683-1891, undated; bulk 1851-1880, another promising lead.

Does anybody live near Philadelphia who wants to dig around in some of these files?