Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/117

Rh land, and he was its professor of the theory and practice "f medicine until his death, and its dean in 1814. Dr. Potter was physician to the P.aln- more general dispensary in 1803. and secretary of the medical and chirurgical faculty in 1802-'9. He was a collaborator of the "American Journal of the Medical Sciences," in 1811 edited the "Bal- timore Medical and Philosophical Lyceum," a quarterly periodical, and in 1839-' 43 was co-editor of the "'Maryland Medical and Surgical Journal." Br-iiles numerous medical papers, he issued " Medi- cal Properties and Deleterious Qualities of Ar- senic" (Baltimore, 1805); "A Memoir on Conta- gion, more especially as it respects the Yellow Fever" (1818); and "On the Locusta Septentrio- nalis" (1839); and he edited, with notes, critical and explanatory, John Armstrong's "Practical Illustrations of" the Typhus Fever" (Baltimore. 1821), also, with Samuel Calhoun. two editions of George Gregory's " Elements of Theory and Prac- tice of Medicine" (3 vols., Philadelphia, 182(!-'9).

POTTER, Platt, jurist, b. in Galway, N. Y., 6 April, 1800; d. in Schenectady. 11 Aug., 1891. He was graduated at Schenectady academy, and. after studying law, was admitted in 1824 to the bar. Settling in Minorville, he followed his profession there until 1833, when he removed to Schenectady and entered into partnership with his former pre- ceptor. Meanwhile he had been elected to the assembly in 1830, and attracted attention by his speech in favor of the bill to abolish imprisonment for debt. From 1839 till 1847 he was district at- torney for Schenectady county, and at the same time master and examiner in chancery, having been appointed to those offices in 1828, and continuing to exercise their functions till the abolishment of the court in chancery about 1847. He was elected justice of the supreme court in 1857, and re-elected in 1805 without opposition, also serving as judge of the court of appeals. His judicial services dur- ing the civil war were of the utmost value to the government, and his written opinions and judg- ments bear testimony to his abundant legal knowl- edge. In 1870 he caused the arrest of Henry Ray, a member of the assembly, for refusing to answer a snlipciMiu, and for this action Judge Potter was brought before that body on an accusation of " high breach of privilege " : but he completely vindicated his course, and was discharged. His argument was issued by the bar in pamphlet-form (Albany, 1870), and he received numerous voluntary letters of con- gratulation from eminent jurists throughout the United States. During the same year he was chosen president of the State judicial convention in Rochester. Later in life he was president of the Mohawk national bank of Schenectady. In 1805 he was elected a trustee of Union college, which office he filled for twenty years, and in 1867 the degree of LL. D. was conferred on him by that inst itution. Judge Potter had published a general treatise on the construction of statutes, entitled " Potter's Dwarris " (Albany. 1871) ; " Equity Juris- prudence." compiled and enlarged from the work of John Villard (1875): and "Potter on Corporations" (3 vols., 1879). In 1886 he presented to the New York historical society six volumes of the "State Trials of England." published in 1742. that origi- nally belonged tn Sir William Johnson, bart. The books, when they were issued, were valued at i?(iOO.

POTTER, Samuel John, senator, b. in Kings- ton-, R. I., 29 June, 1739; d. in Washington, D. C.. 26 Sept., 1804. He was elected deputy governor of Rhode Island in May, 1790. serving until February, 1709, when the title of the office was changed to lieutenant-governor, and as such he remained until May. 1 709. He was again elected in May, 1800, and served for three years. GOT. Potter was also a presidential elector in 1792 and 1790, and in 1803 he was chosen to the U. S. senate, serving from 3 Oct., l*u::. until his death.

POTTER, Thomas J., railroad-manager, b. in Burlington, Iowa, 16 Aug., 1840; d. in Washing- ton, D. C., 9 March, 1888. He received a liberal education, and in 1862 entered the service of the Burlington and Missouri railroad as a lineman of the engineer corps. In 1866 he was appointed agent of the same corporation at Burlington, Iowa. In 1873 the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy com- pany secured his services. He was first agent, then assistant superintendent, afterward general mana- ger, and finally general manager and vice-presi- dent. He was chosen vice-president of the St. Louis and Keokuk, of the Chicago, Burlington, and Kansas City, of the Chicago and Iowa, of the Han- nibal and St. Joseph, and of the Burlington, and Missouri River roads, respectively. Great efforts were constantly made to induce him to leave the Chicago. Burlington, and Quincy and accept tempt- ing salaries on rival roads, but it was not until May, 1887, that he decided to accede to the request of its president, Charles Francis Adams, and be- come general manager and vice-president of the Union Pacific road. In this capacity he labored until he was compelled to stop from illness caused by overwork. On hearing of his early death, an official of the road said : " Mr. Potter was the leader of practical railroad-managers. His judg- ment was remarkable for its accuracy, and his will was indomitable."

POTTS, George, clergyman, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 15 March, 1802 ; d. in' New York city, 15 Sept., 1864. He was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1819. and at Princeton theological seminary in 1822. He was pastor of the Presby- terian church in Natchez, Miss., in 1823-'35. of the Duane street church. New York city, in 1836-'44, and of the University place church from its com- pletion in the latter year until his death. He en- gaged in a once celebrated controversy with Bishop Wainwright, of the Protestant Episcopal church, in 1844, on the subject of episcopal ordination, which was published under the title of "No Church without a Bishop'' (New York, 1845). He also published pamphlets and sermons. His daughter. MARY ENGLES. b. in Natchez, Miss., in 1827 ; d. in New York city in 1858, translated from the Swedish of Lewis F. 'Bungener "The Preacher and the King " (Boston, 1853) and " Priest and Huguenot " (1854). See her " Memorial " (New York, 1860).

POTTS, James Henry, clergyman, b. in Wood- house, Norfolk co., Ontario, Canada, 12 June, 1848. He was educated in the public schools of Canada and Michigan, and graduated at Mayhew's commercial college in 1866. He afterward studied theology, and was a pastor in the Methodist Episcopal church in 18G9-'77. He was associate editor of the " Michigan Christian Advocate " in 1877-'84, and has been editor-in-chief since the latter year. Mr. Potts received the degree of M. A. from Ni >rt h- western university in 1882, and that of D. D. from Albion college in 1885. He is the author of " Methodism in the Field, or Pastor and People " (New York. 1869): "Golden Dawn, or Li;ht on the Great Future" (Philadelphia. 1880); "Spiritual Life, its Nature and Excellence " (New York, iss-li: -Our Thorns and Crowns" (Philadelphia, 1884) ; " Perrine's Principles of Church Government." with additions (New York, 1887): and Faith made Easy, or what to Believe and Why" (Cincinnati, 1888).'