Biography of COLONEL CHANDLER EASTMAN POTTER of Manchester NH ----------------------------- Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com/Manchester On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN Please see the web site for my email contact. ---------------------------------- The original source of this information is in the public domain, however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is restricted without written permission from the transcriber (who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same). ======================================================== SOURCE: History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885 ------------------- page 136 COLONEL CHANDLER EASTMAN POTTER Colonel Chandler Eastman Potter was a native of East Concord, NH, born Mary 7, 1807, son of Joseph and Anna (Drake) Potter. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1831, taught high schools in Concord and Portsmouth several years, read law, and was admitted to the bar and practiced in Concord. In 1844 he moved to Manchester, where he owned and edited the "Manchester Democrat," until the fall of 1848, when he sold the paper. From 1852 to 1856 he was editor of the "Monthly Visitor," and "Granite Farmer." In Jun 1848 he was appointed justice of the Manchester Police Court, succeeding Hon. Samuel D. Bell, which office he filled seven years, with honor and credit to himself. He was an able and efficient member of the Historical Society in New Hampshire and other societies, and author of a very elaborate and correct history of Manchester. His ennobling views of man and nature, and of sound, true principles, were always heard with profound attention and delight. he had copiusness of ideas, and his writings were always filled with the thoughts of a comprehensive mind, instructing all who read what he wrote with a ready pen. He was interested in the study of the Indian language, and has written many sketches of Indian character and was a contributor to Schoolcraft's Indian work. "Colonel Potter was probably the best informed man and antiquarian in the State on all topics that related to the early settlement of New Hampshire." He was genial and social, with a keen relish for humor and anecdote, friendly with all classes. The rich and poor found in him a true friend in time of need. He was a devoted friend of the militia organizations of the State, and second commander of the Amoskeag Veterans, a company that adopted the uniform of the Continentals. They visited Washington during the administration of President Pierce, commanded by Colonel Potter, who entertained the veterans at his home, the McNeil (NH) mansion and birthplace of Franklin Pierce in 1865. A grand entertainment was given them in a large tent upon the grounds. Colonel Potter's last able work, "The Military History of New Hampshire," published in 1866, consists of two volumes, from the settlement in 1623 to the close of the War of 1812, with valuable biographical sketches. Judge Potter married, November 1, 1832, Clara A., daughter of JOhn Underwood, of Portsmouth by whom he had four children. She died March 19, 1854, and November 11, 1856, he married Frances Maria, daughter of General John McNeil, of Hillsborough. After this marriage he resided at the Governor Pierce homestead in Hillsborough during the remainder of his life. Colonel Potter loved the society of intelligent and worthy people, and welcomed all without distinction. His domestic relations gave a great charm to his existence. He died at Flint, Mich. whither he had gone with his wife on business, August 3, 1868. -------------- SOURCE: Manchester, A Brief Record of its Past and A Picture of Its Present, including an account of is settlement and its growth as town and city; a history of its schools, churches, societies, banks, post-offices, newspapers and manufactures; a description of its government, police and fire department, public buildings, library, water-works, cemeteries, streets, streams, railways and bridges; a complete list of the selectmen, moderators and clerks of the town and members of the councils, marshals and engineers of the city, with the state of the cote for mayor at each election; the story of its part in the war of the rebellion with a complete list of its soldiers who went ot the war; and sketches of its representative citizens; Manchester N.H.; John B. Clark; 1875 page 424 **** THE HON. C.E. POTTER **** Chandler Eastman Potter was born March 7, 1807, at Concord NH and was the youngest of the four sons of Joseph and Anna (Drake) Potter, of whom none now survive. His childhood and youth were spent at home upon his father's farm and in attending the district school until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to the academy at Pembroke NH, and was there fitted for college under Master John Vose. He entered Dartmouth College in 1827 and graduated in 1831. He taught in 1832, 1833 and 1834 select or high schools in Concord one year and in Portsmouth, NH and in 1835 was sent from the latter town a representative to the state legislature. He again taught in the high school in Porstmouth from 1835 to 1838 reading law while there with the Hon. Ichabod Bartlett and afterwards from 1841 to 1843 with Pierce & Flower at Concord. He then began practice at East Concord and in March 1844, came to Manchester [NH] and became the editor and proprietor of the Manchester Democrat, which position he continued to hold until the fall of 1848, when he sold the paper. He had already, in June 1848, been appointed justice of the police court of Manchester and retained that office until July 1855. In 1842 and 1853 he edited the Farmers' Monthly Visitor and in 1854 and 1855 the Granite Farmer & Visitor. Judge Potter married November 1, 1832, Miss Clara A., daughter of John Underwood of Portsmouth. She died at Manchester March 19, 1854. To them were born four children, of whom Joseph H., of Hillsborough NH and Treat of this city survive. His second marriage November 11, 1856 was with Miss Frances Maria, daughter of Gen. John McNeil of Hillsborough, a soldier of 1812. After this marriage Judge Potter took up his residence in Hillsborough upon the Gov. Pierce farm, in the cultivation of which he found employment. He died suddenly, August 3, 1868 at Flint, Michigan, whither he had gone in the previous July to look after some property. Judge Potter was an antiquarian in taste, was elected a member of the New Hampshire Historical Society in 1841, one of its vice-presidents in 1852 and its president in 1855, 1856 and 1857. He was elected in 1851 a corresponding member of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society. He was the author of a history of Manchester, which was published in 1856, and of the military history of New Hampshire from 1623 to the War of the Rebellion in 1861, partially revised Belknap's History of New Hampshire and was a voluminous writer otherwise. Judge Potter had much natural ability, but he was so constituted that he did not bring out the great powers of his mind except on compulsion. He needed the stimulus of friends or the inspiration of a great occasion to do himself full justice, and always put off the labor of preparation until the last minute. He had a vast store of information upon historical subjects and a great fund of personal anecdotes with which he felt he was wont to amuse and interest his friends. He was well informed upon all the topics of the day, political, educational and moral, talked ably and was remarkably entertaining in conversation, but disliked the talk of writing out his thoughts. With a short-hand reporter to take down his thoughts as he uttered them, he could have furnished daily enough matter for the leading articles in a good-sized newspaper. (end)