Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/118

Rh POTTS, John, Canadian clergyman, b. in Ma- guire's Bridge, County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1838. He emigrated to Canada at an early age. and engaged in mercantile pursuits in Kinu'-ton and Hamilton, but after a course in Victoria col- lege he was ordained as a Methodist minister in 1861. After being stationed at London and York- ville he was chosen, in 1866. as the first pastor of a church that had been erected in Hamilton to commemorate the centenary of American Method- ism. He afterward was pastor of churches at Montreal and Toronto. He is an eloquent preacher, and one of the best-known clergymen of his de- nomination in Canada. He is a member of the board and senate of Victoria university and the Montreal theological college. In 1878 the Wesleyan university of Ohio gave him the degree of D. D.

POTTS, Jonathan, surgeon, b. in Popodickon, Berks co., Pa.. 1 April. 174.5: d. in Reading, Pa., in October, 1781. He was a son of John Potts, the founder of Pottstown, Pa. After receiving a classical education, he went with Dr. Benjamin Rush to Edinburgh, Scotland, for medical study, and after his return he was graduated, in 1768, a liiu-hcliir of physical the College of Philadelphia, at the first granting of medical degrees in this country, and in 1771 received the degree of M. D. His Latin thesis on the latter occasion, " De Febri- bus Intermittentibus potentissimum Tertianis " was published (Philadelphia, 1771). From 1768 till his death he was a member of the American philo- sophical society. He began the practice of im<li- cine at Reading. Dr. Potts early identified him- self with the struggle for independence, and was secretary of the Berks county committee of safety, and a member of the Provincial convention at Philadelphia, 23 Jan., 1775. In 1776 he was ap- pointed surgeon for Canada and Lake George, and returned with Gen. Gates to Pennsylvania. In general orders, dated 12 Dec., 1776, Gen. Put- nam directed that all officers that were in charge of any sick soldiers should "make return to Dr. Jonathan Potts, at Mr. John Biddle's, in Market street." Soon after this order was issued Dr. Potts was in service at the battle of Princeton. Dr. Potts was appointed in April, 1777, medical director-general of the northern department, and as such joined the army at Albany, X. Y. In November, 1777, he returned to Reading, having been furloughed, and while there was appointed by congress director-general of the hospitals of the middle department. He was subsequently surgeon of the first city troop of Philadelphia. His brother, THOMAS, was one of the original members of the American philosophical society, and in 1776 was commissioned colonel of one of thr Pennsylvania battalions. Another brother, JOHN, studied law at the Temple. London, became
 * t judge in the city of Philadelphia, and, sympa-

thizing with the mother country, went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, but returned after the war. Another brother, ISAAC, is said to have been the person that discovered Washington at prayer in the woods at Valley Forge ; and the country-seat of DAVID, an- other brother, was Washington's headquarters at the latter place. See " Potts Memorial," by Mrs. Thomas Potts James.

POTTS, Richard, member of the Continental congress, b. in Upper Marlborough, Prince George co., Md., in July, 1753; d. in Frederick county, Md., 26 Nov., 1808. He studied law at Annapolis, and afterward removed to Frederick county, where he practised till his death. He was clerk of the county committee of observation in 1776, clerk of the county court in 1777, and member of the house of delegates in 1779-'80 and 1787-'8. He was a delegate to the Continental congress in 1781, lii'cMiin 1 state attorney for Frederick, Montgomery, and Washington counties. Md.. in 1784. was a mem- ber of the Maryland convention of 1788 that rati- fied the constitution of the United States, and in 1789 was commissioned by Gen. Washington U. S. attorney for Maryland. He became, chief justice of the county courts o* the 5th judicial district in 1791, and was U. S. senator in 1793-'6. From 1801 till 1804 he was associate justice of the Mary- land court of appeals. Princeton gave him the degree of LL. D. in 1805.

POTTS, Stacy Gardner, jurist, born in Harris- burg, Pa., 9 Nov.. 17!9: d. in Trenton, N. J.. 9 April, 1865. He became editor of the Empo- rium," a weekly newspaper, in Trenton, N. J., in 1821, was admitted to the bar in 1827, and was in the legislature in 1828-'9. He became clerk of the New Jersey chancery court in 1821, held office ten years, and" then retired on account of delicate health. He was a commissioner to revise the laws of New Jersey in 1845, became judge of the court of appeals in 1852, and retired in 1859. Princeton gave him the degree of LL. D. in 1844. He was active in the affairs of the Presbyterian church, and in 1851, was chairman of the finance com- mittee of that body. After leaving the bench he devoted himself to literary pursuits. His publica- tions include " Village Tales '' (Philadelphia, 1827) and " Precedents and Notes of Practice in the New Jersey Chancery Court " U841), and he left in manu- script a work entitled " The Christ of Revelation." His brother, William Stephens, clergyman, b. in Northumberland county. Pa., 13 Oct., 1802 : d. in St. Louis, Mo., 27 March, 1852, learned the printer's trade, subsequently studied under Rev. Ezra S. Ely in Philadelphia, and was a student at Princeton theological seminary in 1825-'7. He was pastor of the 1st Presbyterian church of St. Louis, Mo., in 1828-'35, president of Marion college for the sub- sequent four years, founded the 2d Presbyterian church of St. Louis in 1838. and was its pastor till his death. Marion gave him the degree of D. D. in 1845. He published several sermons.

POLTHOT, M. (poo-sho), soldier, b. in Greno- ble, France, in 1712 ; d. in Corsica, 8 May, 1769. He entered the engineer corps of the French army in 1733, and subsequently served in Corsica. Flan- ders, and Germany. He accompanied the Marquis de Montcalm to Canada, and assisted in the defence of Forts Niagara and Levis. He is the author of "Memoirs of the War of 1755-'60 in North America" (Paris. 3 vols., 1781). which has been translated into English, and edited by Franklin B. Hough (2 vols.. New York. 1866). In this work he speaks of observing oil-springs in northwestern Pennsylvania, probably the first mention of that petroleum field on record.

POULSON, Zachariah, publisher, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 5 Sept., 1761 ; d. there, 31 July, 1844. His father, of the same name, was brought from Denmark to Philadelphia in infancy, and became a printer. The son was a pupil of Christopher Sower, in whose printing establishment at Germantown, Pa., was printed, in German, the first edition of the Bible published in the United Stall's. For many years he was printer to the senate of Pennsylvania. On 1 Oct., 1800. he began the publication of the "American Daily Advertiser," the first daily in the United States, which he had purchased from David C. Claypoole, and he continued as its editor and proprietor till its di- 1 ntinuance, 28 Dec., 1839. He issuril " Poulson's Town and Country Almanac" (1789-1801), and