Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIII.djvu/800

 776 POTTAWATTAMIES POTTER At the beginning of the 17th century they oc- cupied the lower peninsula of Michigan, appa- rently in scattered bands, independent of each other, there being at no period of their history any trace of a general authority or govern- ment. They were hunters and fishers, culti- vating a little maize, but warlike and frequently in collision with neighboring tribes. They were finally driven west by tribes of the Iro- quois family, and settled on the islands and shores of Green bay, and the French estab- lished a mission among them. Perrot acquired great influence with the tribe, who soon took part with the French against the Iroquois. Onanguice, their chief, was one of the parties to the Montreal treaty of 1701 ; and they ac- tively aided the French in the subsequent wars. They gradually spread over what is now south- ern Michigan and upper Illinois and Indiana, a mission on the St. Joseph's being a sort of central point. The Pottawattamies joined Pon- tiac and surprised Fort St. Joseph, capturing Schlosser, the commandant, May 25, 1763. They were hostile to the Americans in the revolution and subsequently, but after Wayne's victory joined in the treaty of Greenville, Dec. 22, 1795. The tribe, comprising the families or clans of the Golden Carp, Frog, Crab, and Tortoise, was then composed of the St. Joseph's, W abash, and Huron river bands; with a large scattering population generally called the Pot- tawattamies of the Prairie, who were a mixture of many Algonquin tribes. From 1803 to 1809 the various bands sold to the government por- tions of lands claimed by them, receiving money and annuities. Yet in the war of 1812 they again joined the English, influenced by Tecum- seh. A new treaty of peace was made in 1815, followed rapidly by others by which their lands were almost entirely conveyed away. A large tract was assigned to them on the Missouri, and in 1838 the St. Joseph's band was carried off by troops, losing 150 out of 800 on the way by death and desertion. The whole tribe num- bered then about 4,000. The St. Joseph, Wa- bash, and Huron bands had made progress in civilization, and were Catholics; while the Pottawattamies of the Prairie were still roving and pagan. A part of the tribe was removed with some Chippewas and Ottawas, but they eventually joined the others or disappeared. In Kansas the civilized band, with the Jesuit mission founded by De Smet and Hoecken, advanced rapidly with good schools for both sexes. A Baptist mission and school was more than once undertaken among the less tractable Prairie band, but was finally abandoned. The Kansas troubles brought difficulties for the In- dians, made the Prairie band more restless, and the civilized anxious to settle. A treaty pro- claimed April 19, 1862, gave individual Indians a title to their several tracts of land under cer- tain conditions, and though delayed by the civil war, this policy was carried out in the treaty of Feb. 27, 1867. Out of the population of 2,180, 1,400 elected to become citizens and take lands in severalty, and 780 to hold lands as a tribe. Some of the Prairie band were then absent. The experiment met with varied suc- cess. Some did well and improved; others squandered their lands and their portion of the funds, and became paupers. Many of these scattered, one band even going to Mexico. In 1874 the Prairie band still under the Indian department numbered 467, on a reservation of 17,357 acres in Jackson co., Kansas, under the control of the society of Friends, who had es- tablished schools and reported some improve- ment. There were then 60 Pottawattamies of the Huron in Michigan on a little plot of 160 acres, with a school and log houses, 181 in Wis- consin, and 80 in Mexico or Indian territory. POTTER, a N. county of Pennsylvania, bor- dering on New York ; area, about 1,000 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 11,265. It has an elevated and mountainous surface, and is drained by head waters of the Alleghany, the Genesee, and the Susquehanna. Much of it is covered by pine forests, and lumber is largely export- ed. The chief productions in 1870 were 22,- 124 bushels of wheat, 32,098 of Indian corn, 245,763 of oats, 30,701 of buckwheat, 97,621 of potatoes, 27,130 tons of hay, 52,460 Ibs. of wool, 475,600 of butter, and 78,395 of maple sugar. There were 1,819 horses, 4,350 milch cows, 4,634 other cattle, 12,539 sheep, and 1,338 swine. Capital, Coudersport. POTTER. I. Alonzo, an American bishop, born in Beekman (now La Grange), Dutchess co., N. Y., July 6, 1800, died in San Francisco, Cal., July 4, 1865. He graduated at Union college in 1818, in 1820 became a tutor there, and in 1821 professor of mathematics and natural philosophy. He was ordained to the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal church, May 1, 1822, and soon afterward married a daughter of Dr. Nott, president of the col- lege. He was rector of St. Paul's church, Boston, from 1826 to 1831, when he became professor of moral philosophy in Union col- lege, and in 1838 vice president of the insti- tution. He received the degree of D. D. from Harvard and Gambier colleges, and in 1846 that of LL. D. from Union college. He was consecrated bishop of Pennsylvania, Sept. 23, 1845, and died when on a visit to the Pacific coast in search of health. His son, the Rev. Eliphalet Nott Potter, is now (1875) president of Union college. The principal publications of Bishop Potter are : " The Principles of Sci- ence applied to the Domestic and Mechanic Arts," &c. (12mo, New York, 1841); "Politi- cal Economy, its Objects, Uses, and Princi- ples considered" (18mo, 1841); "Handbook for Readers and Sklents" (18mo, 1847); " Discourses, Charges, Addresses," &c. (12mo, Philadelphia, 1858) ; and, in conjunction with George B. Emerson, " The School and School- master" (12mo, New York, 1844). See "Me- moirs of the Life and Services of Rt. Rev. A. Potter, D. D., LL. D.," by the Rev. Dr. M. A. De Wolfe Howe (2d ed., Philadelphia, 1871).