Notes for John Pottinger

Notes for John Pottinger

BAPTISM: 29 Nov 1661, Lambourne, Berkshire, England

A John Pottinger [sic] was "transported" to Maryland in 1665 {per "The Early Settlers of Maryland," Gust Skordas (Balt.: Gen.Pub.Co.,1968)} - is this John's father? John (ID72) emigrated from Berkshire, England per "Across the Years in Prince George's County," by E.G.Bowie (Richmond, VA, 1947, p.641-2). The family claims descent from Walter Le Potager of England, b. ca. 1270. The family seat is in Berkshire since the Norman Conquest. The name is also found in Scotland and Ireland. John, the immigrant, was a large landholder, owned numerous slaves and was a staunch Presbyterian. His home, Major Lot, was on Collington Branch of the Patuxent five miles above Upper Marlborough, Maryland; he was described as of the Mt. Calvert Hundred, gentleman and planter. He was in Annapolis in 1665. His birthplace in Berkshire, England is "Midel Throp Estate." His siblings are Sarah (b. 1654 at Midlethrop Estate, m. Edmund Aylar) and Richard (b. 1658, m. Jane Burrow).

!Reference: Colonial Families of the U.S. (Mackenzie, Vol VI, p. 278): John Pottinger of Sittingbourn, Co. Kent sailed from Bristol, Sept 24, 1684 in the "Maryland Merchant" for Maryland

!Ref. Bristol & America, p. 174: John's will states he was in sound mind & good health of body at the time he wrote it with perfect mind and memory. Dated 2 Aug 1734. He said, "I committ to the Earth to be decently buried at the discrestion of my sons Samuel & Robert Pottenger whom I leave and appoynt to be my Administrators over my whole personal esteat."
He left Sam'll & Robert all negros as their part of his personal estate if they "think good to keep them". They also received all wearing apparel, his house at Queen Ann Town, and his coopers & carpenter tools. He left to Samuel Pottenger 20 acres being on the north and east side of that 180 acres he some time ago conveyed to him by deed of gift (followed by metes & bounds description). There was a bequest to grandsons Samuel and Robert Pottenger, sons of Samuel Pottenger his son, 31 pounds ten shillings sterling to each of them. To his grandson Robert, son of Robert his son, his new dwelling plantation with 126 acres to him and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten in marriage forever. (Apparently they were taking no chances with ill begotten heirs). He leaves other gifts to his children and grandchildren, and then requests that his neighbors John Lamar and Francis Hall see over the performance of the will. They signed as witnesses. The remainder of his estate, after individual gifts, was divided into 7 equal parts for the inheritors. Apparently his daughter Mary Holmes predeceased him as only her children were mentioned, with a bequest they would receive at age 16.
!Register of Queen Anne's Parish of PG Co: The children of John and Mary Pottenger are: Sarah 1688, Mary 1689, John 1691, Samuel 1693, Robert 1694/5, Rachel 1700, Jemimah 1702, William 1704 and Verlinda 1706.
!Velma Meier of Kankakee, IL: John spelled his name Potenger and his children spelled it Pottenger.
Mary was the mother of his children, but he married a second time. Second wife was the daughter of Alexander Magruder.
The immigration via ship is recorded in a number of research books, so we know when John arrived. The Colonial Families of the United States provides the following: John Pottenger, b. circa 1642, d in P.G. Co, Md in 1735, is described as "of Mt. Calvert Hundred, gentleman and planter"; married (firstly) Mary, of whom nothing further is known except that she is named in the Queen Anne Parish records as the mother of all his children; m (secondly) Elizabeth Magruder, b circa 1664 (twenty two years younger!), d prior to 1736, dau. of Alexander Magruder, b Perthshire, Scotland, 1569 and his 3rd wife, Elizabeth Hawkins. Then it gives their issue and heirs. In the index of Maryland Wills are found the following, under "380" 1768, Ann Pottenger, P.G. 36,361
1738, Robert Pottenger, P.G. 21,325 1735, John Pottenger, P.G. 21, 886 1753, Robert Pottenger, P.G. 28, 460 1742, Samuel Pottenger, P.G. 22, 443. P.G. being Prince Georges Co. MARY: When Capt Ninian Beall was Captain of Lord Baltimore's yacht, he was able to bring over several hundred kinspeople, many of them named BEALL. (Originally BELL in Scotland; the "A" was added here.) Mary and her sister Sarah were specifically named with about 25 other people brought over at the time Ninian brought over Rev. Nathaniel Taylor to found the First Presbyterian Church, in Maryland. I am unsure where the information about the parentage of Mary Beall came from, and I am not sure it is accurate.

!"Pottenger-Pottinger Progeny" by Alice McCabe (1995) an appendix page states: "In July 1993, The American Genealogist published research by Neil D. Thompson, Ph.D., F.A.S.G., and Paul C. Reed, professional genealogist of Salt Lake City, entitled, 'Falsehood and Truth. The Ancestry of John Pottinger, Immigrant of Maryland in 1684.'" This article exposes what they deem a fraud perpetrated on Forrest Pottinger by researchers he had hired in England. Thompson and Reed poke holes in many of the earlier references and even claim items were invented to fit. I have corrected this database to reflect the ancestry provided in this article!

The John Pottenger who arrived in 1665 was possibly an uncle to the John Pottenger who arrived in 1664/65.