Clymer Weir Cox Genealogy » THOMAS BASET (THE MILLER) POTTS SR. (± 1660-1719)

Personal data THOMAS BASET (THE MILLER) POTTS SR. 

• He was born about 1660 in Llangirrig or Llanidloes, Montgomeryshire, Wales.
• Profession: Miller.
• He died on October 3, 1719 in Bristol Township, Philadelphia County?.
• A child of Thomas Pott Potts and ELIZABETH BYRDE (PA 1683) BASET
• This information was last updated on November 23, 2021.

Household of THOMAS BASET (THE MILLER) POTTS SR.

He is married to JUDITH SMITH.

They got married

Notes about THOMAS BASET (THE MILLER) POTTS SR.

Thomas —Miller“ Pott(s)
Birth: 1660 Llangurig, Powys, Wales
Death: Sep 1719 (aged 58œ59) Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA
Burial: Germantown Preparatory Meeting of Friends Cemetery, Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA
Memorial #: 206419509
Bio: Thomas Pott(s) was a miller by trade and was called such in the records at Philadelphia.

He was born about 1660 in Langurig, Montgomeryshire (now Powys), Wales. At that time there was a small farm called "Nant-y-gwenog" which is identified in the 1654 Will of his great-grandfather, Thomas Pott (d. 1658) and his grand-father John Pott (d. 1672). His father, Thomas Pott, was deceased by Dec 1685 in Wales, never having come to the colonies [purportedly, there are letters Thomas Pott wrote to his wife Elizabeth Potts after her arrival in PA and are on file with the Pennsylvania Historical Society.]

He was the second son born to Thomas Pott and his wife Elizabeth. The maiden name of his mother is unknown and unverified, as is the date and location of her birth although many have erroneously given her the maiden name of Basset. The "s" was added to the Pott name after arrival in the colonies as all records in Wales spell it "Pott".

His mother Elizabeth Potts and sister Jane received 50 acres each as "headright" lands on 7mo/Sept 12, 1684 the land to be "near the Welshmen" [Headrights were legal land grants to settlers provided by Wm Penn and varied from those granted earlier in other Royal Colonies and were a form of commodity]. This land was not laid out until 1703 in Tredyffrin (the Welsh Tract), Chester County when John Austin, with wife Jane and mother-in-law Elizabeth Potts-Bennet, sold their 100 acres to James David. [PA Deed Book E3-6-42]

Although it is most likely he came to the colonies by 1683 with his mother Elizabeth Potts and siblings Jane, Jonas, Margaret, Elizabeth and David Potts, (2 brothers, John & George, remained in Wales with their families) he first appears as a witness to the marriage of his sister Jane to John Austin on 9mo/Nov 11, 1686 at Middletown Mo Mtg in Bucks Co. This was the location of his mother who married 2nd Edmund Bennet on 22 Dec 1685, a wealthy tobacco cutter from England and land owner in Bucks County.

He was a resident of Germantown in 1692 when he purchased from John Blunston, attorney for William Sharlow a London merchant "all that tract of land upon the east side of Schuylkill, Beginning at the River side" and by the land formerly belonging to William Wood, containing 150 acres. Deed dated 10 mo. 5, 1692
[Deed-Book E, 7, Vol. 9, page 53, Philadelphia Records]

Thomas Potts was also a religious minister among the Quakers and although he resided in Bristol Twp, he belonged to Germantown Preparative Mtg (under care of Abington Monthly Meeting). He was a trustee to several continuing deeds relating to the lands of Germantown Mtg with his brother David Potts and others. He devoted himself largely to the duties of a public Friend or religious minister, traveling and visiting Friends in the service of Truth, in Maryland, Virginia, New England, the West Indies, England, Ireland, and other places, ministering to Friends.

On one of his religious sojourns in 1711, Thomas Potts first met Judith Smith of Flushing in Long Island whom he married the next year. Judith was the daughter of Jasper & Margery Smith of Flushing. The minutes of Abington Monthly Meeting for 5 mo/Jul 28, 1712, show that, " A Certificate was granted Thomas Potts in order to proceed on towards Marriage with Judith Smith of Long Island." The Friends records of marriages at Long Island reflect "The foreteenth day of the Sixth Month Ano One thousand seven hundred & twelve. At flushing - Thomas Potts of Bristol Township in ye county of Philadelphia in Pennsilvania and Judith Smith of flushing, &c." [New York Genealogical and Biographical Record,Vol. VI, page101.)

Thomas and his wife Judith had one son, Thomas Potts Jr, who was born in 1713 in Bristol Twp. Thomas Jr was admonished on 26 Mar 1733 by Abington Mo Mtg for his marriage to Susannah Unknown contrary to discipline; they produced a Certificate to the meeting for their "disorderly walking" which was accepted.

Thomas Potts, Miller, built two water corn mills or grist mills on a branch of Frankford Creek, not far from Germantown, that were long known as "Potts' Mills." On 4 mo/June 28, 1699, Thomas Potts, yeoman, purchased 100 acres of land in Bristol Township, from Jacob Shumaker (sic Shoemaker). It should be noted that on June 17, 1699, Jacob Shoemaker made a deed to John Moore for land in Bristol Township, which is partially described as "Bounded Easterly by former land of said John Moore, Southerly by the City Liberties, Westerly by the said Jacob's Land sold to his Brother-in-law Thomas Potts, and northerly by Land of Samuel Richardson, as the same is actually divided." Margaret Potts, one of the sisters of Thomas, married Jacob Shoemaker in 1690 in Germantown.

He was called "Senior" to differentiate him from his nephew, Thomas Potts (1680-1752 - ironmaster of Colebrookdale & son of his brother John Pott of Wales), who was called "Junior" and should not be confused with his actual son Thomas Potts Jr (1713-1751). He was also called "Thomas Potts, thrifty miller" and "Thomas Potts the Quaker Preacher"; William Penn called him "honest Thomas Potts".

Thomas Potts died about Sep 1719 in Bristol Twp leaving a will, dated 3 mo/May 6, 1719. It was proven October 3, 1719, and is recorded in the Register's office at Philadelphia in Will-Book D, p. 133. He named as Executors his wife Judith & brother-in-law Samuel Bowne of "Fleshing", Long Island, husbandman, Joseph Latham of New York, shipwright. Judith to have 1/3 of his estate and son Thomas to have the other 2/3 at age 21 yrs. [Samuel Bowne was married to Judith's sister Hannah] His Will was witnessed by Griffith Jones, Samuel Pastorius and Daniel Pastorius. [Wills were generally proved within 30 days of death of the testator]

In 1724 Judith Potts, the widow, married Thomas Sharp as her second husband. The minutes of Abington Monthly Meeting of 2 mo. 27, 1724, has a record of their passing meeting "Whereas Thomas Sharp of West Jersie & Judith Potts Weddow having Declared their Intentions to Marriage with Each Other before two Monthly Meetings, etc." Thomas Sharp was a widower with several grown children and died within a few years after this marriage. His will is recorded in New Jersey Will Bk 3, pg 55 at Trenton. He is therein described as "Thomas Sharp, of Newtown, Gloucester County, West Jersey, yeomen." The will is dated 8 mo/Oct 5, 1724. He mentions his wife Judith; his sons Thomas, John, Samuel and Joseph; and daughters Elizabeth Hallowell, Mary Smith and Sarah Pearce. Executors, friends, John Estaugh, and Joseph Cooper, Jr. Witnesses, Benjamin Thackera, Joseph Thackera and Mary Thackera.

Judith (Smith) Potts-Sharp died in 3mo/May, 1749 and was buried on the 23rd of same in Germantown. Her will is dated 2 mo/Apr 6, 1748, and was proven July 8, 1749. It is recorded at Philadelphia, in Will Book J, pg 137. She named her son Thomas Potts, daughter-in-Law Susanna Potts; Grandchildren Hannah, John, Rachel, Lydia, Rebecca and Jasper Potts. Executors: son Thomas Potts, Junr, Thomas Potts (her 1st husband's nephew), and John Roberts (her 1st husband's gr-nephew in law).
Family Members
Parents
Thomas Potts 1632-1684
Elizabeth Baset Potts 1636-1708
Spouse
Judith Smith Sharp Unknown-1749
Siblings
John Pott(s) 1658-1698
Jonas Potts 1662-1719
George Potts 1662-1690
Jane Potts Austin 1663-1734
Margaret Potts 1666-1723
Elizabeth Potts 1667-1690
David Potts 1670-1730
Created by: Claudia Davenport-Sullivan (47345651)
Added: 20 Jan 2020
URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/206419509/thomas-pott(s)
Citation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/206419509/thomas-pott(s) : accessed 23 November 2021), memorial page for Thomas —Miller“ Pott(s) (1660œSep 1719), Find a Grave Memorial ID 206419509, citing Germantown Preparatory Meeting of Friends Cemetery, Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Claudia Davenport-Sullivan (contributor 47345651) .

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