land, and he was its professor of the theory and practice "f medicine until his death, and its dean in 1814. Dr. Potter was physician to the P.aln- more general dispensary in 1803. and secretary of the medical and chirurgical faculty in 1802-'9. He was a collaborator of the "American Journal of the Medical Sciences," in 1811 edited the "Bal- timore Medical and Philosophical Lyceum," a quarterly periodical, and in 1839-' 43 was co-editor of the "'Maryland Medical and Surgical Journal." Br-iiles numerous medical papers, he issued " Medi- cal Properties and Deleterious Qualities of Ar- senic" (Baltimore, 1805); "A Memoir on Conta- gion, more especially as it respects the Yellow Fever" (1818); and "On the Locusta Septentrio- nalis" (1839); and he edited, with notes, critical and explanatory, John Armstrong's "Practical Illustrations of" the Typhus Fever" (Baltimore. 1821), also, with Samuel Calhoun. two editions of George Gregory's " Elements of Theory and Prac- tice of Medicine" (3 vols., Philadelphia, 182(!-'9).
POTTER, Platt, jurist, b. in Galway, N. Y., 6
April, 1800; d. in Schenectady. 11 Aug., 1891. He
was graduated at Schenectady academy, and. after
studying law, was admitted in 1824 to the bar.
Settling in Minorville, he followed his profession
there until 1833, when he removed to Schenectady
and entered into partnership with his former pre-
ceptor. Meanwhile he had been elected to the
assembly in 1830, and attracted attention by his
speech in favor of the bill to abolish imprisonment
for debt. From 1839 till 1847 he was district at-
torney for Schenectady county, and at the same
time master and examiner in chancery, having been
appointed to those offices in 1828, and continuing
to exercise their functions till the abolishment of
the court in chancery about 1847. He was elected
justice of the supreme court in 1857, and re-elected
in 1805 without opposition, also serving as judge
of the court of appeals. His judicial services dur-
ing the civil war were of the utmost value to the
government, and his written opinions and judg-
ments bear testimony to his abundant legal knowl-
edge. In 1870 he caused the arrest of Henry Ray,
a member of the assembly, for refusing to answer
a snlipciMiu, and for this action Judge Potter was
brought before that body on an accusation of " high
breach of privilege " : but he completely vindicated
his course, and was discharged. His argument was
issued by the bar in pamphlet-form (Albany, 1870),
and he received numerous voluntary letters of con-
gratulation from eminent jurists throughout the
United States. During the same year he was
chosen president of the State judicial convention
in Rochester. Later in life he was president of
the Mohawk national bank of Schenectady. In
1805 he was elected a trustee of Union college,
which office he filled for twenty years, and in 1867
the degree of LL. D. was conferred on him by that
inst itution. Judge Potter had published a general
treatise on the construction of statutes, entitled
" Potter's Dwarris " (Albany. 1871) ; " Equity Juris-
prudence." compiled and enlarged from the work of
John Villard (1875): and "Potter on Corporations"
(3 vols., 1879). In 1886 he presented to the New
York historical society six volumes of the "State
Trials of England." published in 1742. that origi-
nally belonged tn Sir William Johnson, bart. The
books, when they were issued, were valued at i?(iOO.
POTTER, Samuel John, senator, b. in Kings-
ton-, R. I., 29 June, 1739; d. in Washington, D. C..
26 Sept., 1804. He was elected deputy governor of
Rhode Island in May, 1790. serving until February,
1709, when the title of the office was changed to
lieutenant-governor, and as such he remained until
May. 1 709. He was again elected in May, 1800, and
served for three years. GOT. Potter was also a
presidential elector in 1792 and 1790, and in 1803
he was chosen to the U. S. senate, serving from 3
Oct., l*u::. until his death.
POTTER, Thomas J., railroad-manager, b. in
Burlington, Iowa, 16 Aug., 1840; d. in Washing-
ton, D. C., 9 March, 1888. He received a liberal
education, and in 1862 entered the service of the
Burlington and Missouri railroad as a lineman of
the engineer corps. In 1866 he was appointed
agent of the same corporation at Burlington, Iowa.
In 1873 the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy com-
pany secured his services. He was first agent, then
assistant superintendent, afterward general mana-
ger, and finally general manager and vice-presi-
dent. He was chosen vice-president of the St.
Louis and Keokuk, of the Chicago, Burlington, and
Kansas City, of the Chicago and Iowa, of the Han-
nibal and St. Joseph, and of the Burlington, and
Missouri River roads, respectively. Great efforts
were constantly made to induce him to leave the
Chicago. Burlington, and Quincy and accept tempt-
ing salaries on rival roads, but it was not until
May, 1887, that he decided to accede to the request
of its president, Charles Francis Adams, and be-
come general manager and vice-president of the
Union Pacific road. In this capacity he labored
until he was compelled to stop from illness caused
by overwork. On hearing of his early death, an
official of the road said : " Mr. Potter was the
leader of practical railroad-managers. His judg-
ment was remarkable for its accuracy, and his will
was indomitable."
POTTS, George, clergyman, b. in Philadelphia,
Pa., 15 March, 1802 ; d. in' New York city, 15 Sept.,
1864. He was graduated at the University of
Pennsylvania in 1819. and at Princeton theological
seminary in 1822. He was pastor of the Presby-
terian church in Natchez, Miss., in 1823-'35. of the
Duane street church. New York city, in 1836-'44,
and of the University place church from its com-
pletion in the latter year until his death. He en-
gaged in a once celebrated controversy with Bishop
Wainwright, of the Protestant Episcopal church, in
1844, on the subject of episcopal ordination, which
was published under the title of "No Church
without a Bishop (New York, 1845). He also
published pamphlets and sermons. His daughter.
MARY ENGLES. b. in Natchez, Miss., in 1827 ; d. in
New York city in 1858, translated from the Swedish
of Lewis F. 'Bungener "The Preacher and the
King " (Boston, 1853) and " Priest and Huguenot "
(1854). See her " Memorial " (New York, 1860).
POTTS, James Henry, clergyman, b. in Wood- house, Norfolk co., Ontario, Canada, 12 June, 1848. He was educated in the public schools of Canada and Michigan, and graduated at Mayhew's commercial college in 1866. He afterward studied theology, and was a pastor in the Methodist Episcopal church in 18G9-'77. He was associate editor of the " Michigan Christian Advocate " in 1877-'84, and has been editor-in-chief since the latter year. Mr. Potts received the degree of M. A. from Ni >rt h- western university in 1882, and that of D. D. from Albion college in 1885. He is the author of " Methodism in the Field, or Pastor and People " (New York. 1869): "Golden Dawn, or Li;ht on the Great Future" (Philadelphia. 1880); "Spiritual Life, its Nature and Excellence " (New York, iss-li: -Our Thorns and Crowns" (Philadelphia, 1884) ; " Perrine's Principles of Church Government." with additions (New York, 1887): and Faith made Easy, or what to Believe and Why" (Cincinnati, 1888).'
