Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Birth1755
Memo(age 21 in 1776)
Deathbefore 6 September 18332615
Memo(date will proved)
Father6G GF Lewis Puttee (-<1776)
Mother6G GM Sarah Meadows
Spouses
Birth1751
Memo(age 24 in 1776 Census)
Death19 October 1825, Baltimore, MD
Memo(Baltimore City Methodist Church record -- Mrs. Potee 19 Oct 1825 age 78)
Marriage11 February 17732616
Parent-Proof notes for 5G GF Peter Potee
In 1782, Peter Potee sold land (a tract called Birr) originally acquired by his father Lewis. In the lists of taxables in Harford County in 1774, we find Lewis with taxable Peter living with him; then in 1776 we find Sarah age 60 with Peter age 21 and Elizabeth age 24 and Sarah age 1.
I believe the older Sarah was Sarah Meadows who had married Lewis in 1754 and further I believe Lewis died in 1775 or so. We know it was between 1772 when he wrote his will and 1779 when it was proven -- and I can’t explain the delay -- but this all seems too consistent a picture to worry there is some other convoluted explanation of these facts.
I believe the older Sarah was Sarah Meadows who had married Lewis in 1754 and further I believe Lewis died in 1775 or so. We know it was between 1772 when he wrote his will and 1779 when it was proven -- and I can’t explain the delay -- but this all seems too consistent a picture to worry there is some other convoluted explanation of these facts.
Relocated notes for 5G GF Peter Potee
My whole theory on how my known ancestor Sarah related to other members of this family is just that -- a theory. My theory has some solid links that seem well proven from documents of the period and unfortunately it has some weak links.
Ordinarily I worry when a person moves that I have to find some way to prove that person in the new place is for sure the same person, of the same name, of the old place. I look for carry-throughs. In this case, I think the fact that both Peter of Baltimore and Peter of Harford had a wife named Elizabeth who was, it would seem, a few years older than he, is a carry-through. And while Peter was a common name in this family over the generations, I don’t think there was another left in Harford after that time, so I think it is is pretty clear that Peter Potee who sold his father’s land in Harford County in 1782 was the same man of that name who appeared in Baltimore City, a carter (hauler of goods by wagon) by trade, by around 1800.
His name was spelled Potee on that land conveyance, and for sure, from the time he arrived in Baltimore and until this day, he and his descendants almost exclusively went by the name Potee.
Ordinarily I worry when a person moves that I have to find some way to prove that person in the new place is for sure the same person, of the same name, of the old place. I look for carry-throughs. In this case, I think the fact that both Peter of Baltimore and Peter of Harford had a wife named Elizabeth who was, it would seem, a few years older than he, is a carry-through. And while Peter was a common name in this family over the generations, I don’t think there was another left in Harford after that time, so I think it is is pretty clear that Peter Potee who sold his father’s land in Harford County in 1782 was the same man of that name who appeared in Baltimore City, a carter (hauler of goods by wagon) by trade, by around 1800.
His name was spelled Potee on that land conveyance, and for sure, from the time he arrived in Baltimore and until this day, he and his descendants almost exclusively went by the name Potee.
Research notes for 5G GF Peter Potee
There is a biography of Zephaniah Poteet given in “Genealogical and Biographical Record of Baltimore City and County”. It says he was born in 1834, a son of Rev Thomas Poteet and that the Poteet family was originally from France and originally settled in this country in Harford County.
On 10 Sep 1834, Peter Potee (who had been appointed by the Orphan’s Court administrator of the estate of Peter Pottee who died in 1833) and Maria Potee who inherited the estate sell some land to a third party and their is mention in here of a leasehold right to some of the land by Isaac Potee.
So, this Peter was born approximately 1785. Elsewhere among our Slade ancestors is the name Ann Potee who married Abraham Whitaker and Ann’s pedigree is traced back to Francis Potee, a very early American. It seems clear that Sarah is in some way tied into Francis through some enumeration of his descendants but as of yet, we don’t know the connection.
James and Thomas Poteet Jr. took the 1778 Loyalty Oath, but no others. Why not Lewis and Peter?
On 10 Sep 1834, Peter Potee (who had been appointed by the Orphan’s Court administrator of the estate of Peter Pottee who died in 1833) and Maria Potee who inherited the estate sell some land to a third party and their is mention in here of a leasehold right to some of the land by Isaac Potee.
So, this Peter was born approximately 1785. Elsewhere among our Slade ancestors is the name Ann Potee who married Abraham Whitaker and Ann’s pedigree is traced back to Francis Potee, a very early American. It seems clear that Sarah is in some way tied into Francis through some enumeration of his descendants but as of yet, we don’t know the connection.
James and Thomas Poteet Jr. took the 1778 Loyalty Oath, but no others. Why not Lewis and Peter?
My Comments notes for 5G GF Peter Potee
It is clear from the 1820 Census and from an 1834 property deed associated with Peter Potee who died in 1833 and whose estate was administered by Peter Potee -- that there were two men named Peter Potee, presumably a father and son, living in Baltimore County around 1830. One of them was named Peter Potee Sr. on a couple of deeds.
Peter Potee wrote his will 23 Jan 1830 and it proved 31 Aug 1833. He left his great-granddaughter Angelina Potee his bed, bed clothing, chest and desk, his grandson Isaac Potee his tanning tools and Isaac's wife Maria the residue both real and personal of his estate. Isaac was to be sole Executor. However, Isaac died in 1832 and so Peter Jr. and Maria, Isaac’s widow, shared responsibility.
I can find Isaac and then later his wife Maria in Census and from their ages, I believe that Isaac had to be the son of an older son of Peter Sr., so I have picked Francis. I have no proof of that, but I’m pretty sure that Peter Jr. was too young and James also was too young.
Peter Potee wrote his will 23 Jan 1830 and it proved 31 Aug 1833. He left his great-granddaughter Angelina Potee his bed, bed clothing, chest and desk, his grandson Isaac Potee his tanning tools and Isaac's wife Maria the residue both real and personal of his estate. Isaac was to be sole Executor. However, Isaac died in 1832 and so Peter Jr. and Maria, Isaac’s widow, shared responsibility.
I can find Isaac and then later his wife Maria in Census and from their ages, I believe that Isaac had to be the son of an older son of Peter Sr., so I have picked Francis. I have no proof of that, but I’m pretty sure that Peter Jr. was too young and James also was too young.
Children Names notes for 5G GF Peter Potee
I don’t know with 100% certainty the names of Peter’s sons, but I believe he had at least four and possibly six. Two lists really are relevant. One is the persons named Potee who served from Baltimore City in the War of 1812 and that list includes: Francis, Isaac (probably the grandson), James, Peter, Sutton and Jesse.
The other list is persons named Potee listed in early Baltimore directories showing their occupation and address. From that list, we would again deduce that Francis, James, Peter and Sutton were sons. Isaac is also listed but again probably the grandson. And then there is Jesse. I know there was a Jesse, son of Jesse, in Harford and one of those had a brother named James. Either there were a lot of Jesse’s or Jesse of Baltimore was a Harford Countian who came to Baltimore independent of Peter and his sons.
Rev Biographies of Bal Co lists Richard Taylor whose daughter Ann married Jesse Poteet 16 Nov 1811
And a Jesse Potee died in Bal Co and left a will dated 23 Sep 1847, proved 20 Jan 1848 named Aunt (by marriage) Susan and then to her three children Mary Jane Poteet, Susan Pearce Poteet, Zepharia.
The other list is persons named Potee listed in early Baltimore directories showing their occupation and address. From that list, we would again deduce that Francis, James, Peter and Sutton were sons. Isaac is also listed but again probably the grandson. And then there is Jesse. I know there was a Jesse, son of Jesse, in Harford and one of those had a brother named James. Either there were a lot of Jesse’s or Jesse of Baltimore was a Harford Countian who came to Baltimore independent of Peter and his sons.
Rev Biographies of Bal Co lists Richard Taylor whose daughter Ann married Jesse Poteet 16 Nov 1811
And a Jesse Potee died in Bal Co and left a will dated 23 Sep 1847, proved 20 Jan 1848 named Aunt (by marriage) Susan and then to her three children Mary Jane Poteet, Susan Pearce Poteet, Zepharia.
Parent-Proof notes for Elizabeth Ann (Spouse 1)
I don’t know that her name was Sutton, but the fact that she named a son Sutton or Milton Sutton -- why else such a non-Potee sounding name? -- has led to the speculation by several people, including Bobbi Potee Gress, that her name was Sutton. If so, here is yet another name that randomly pops up in our family tree, the other Suttons were associated with our Hendrix ancestors. I have no idea whether or how Elizabeth Ann may have been related to those other Suttons, if at all.
My Comments notes for Elizabeth Ann (Spouse 1)
There is a documented marriage on 11 Feb 1773 that Peter Puttee married Elizabeth Hughes in Baltimore County (probably Harford, this was just before Harford was formed). In the household of Sarah Potee in the 1776 Census, we find her son Peter age 21, his wife Elizabeth 24 and their daughter Sarah 1. I am not aware of any other Peter of this family of the marrying age in the 1770’s and so this record simply has to pertain to our ancestor Peter. So how can I say she was possibly Elizabeth Ann Sutton if I know her name to be Elizabeth Hughes?
Because also present in Sarah’s household is John Howling Hughes age 6. My theory is this: Peter had married the widow Hughes who possibly was born Elizabeth Sutton. I believe the child’s name was John Rowland Hughes as there was a Hughes family in Harford County at the time in which Rowland was a common name.
In a book I found at Fort Wayne library -- Methodist Church Records of Baltimore City, there was an entry "buried Mrs. Potee 19 Oct 1825 age 78". I assume this was her. It implies a 1747 birth so it would make her a little older than Peter, but maybe they were off a couple of years.
So I think we have a consistent record here of Peter’s wife, always a couple of years older than he. I think he had but one wife, named Elizabeth at times, Elizabeth Ann at times and even Betsy Ann on occasion.
That Methodist Church book had many Potees listed and many were buried at the Mount Olivet Cemetery associated with Lovely Lane Methodist Church of downtown Baltimore. It is quite interesting to me that the Methodist Church was founded a few years before and very near the place where Peter Potee took up residence when he moved to Baltimore and the earliest Methodist Church building was in that neighborhood too. I think Peter Potee and his family can be counted as among the very earliest Methodists -- ever.
The Property on Eutaw Street. In 1804, Peter acquired the leasehold of a town lot on Eutaw Street in Baltimore -- about where Camden Yards (the baseball field) is today. (Then it was also near the brickyards, perhaps leading to the importance of the brickmaker occupation later among Peter’s descendants). In 1821 he acquired the leasehold to an adjoining property.
Then in Sep 1823, Peter Potee Sr. assigned his lease on Eutaw street to Isaac, I believe his grandson, who in addition to taking responsibility to pay the rent on the property agreed to cloathe and maintain Peter and his wife Betsy Ann for the remainder of their lives. We assume this was reference to his wife Elizabeth Ann (Sutton) who we believe died in 1825 but it raises some confusion because there was an 1806 marriage of Peter Potee to Betsy Ann Shanks that we have assumed was Peter Jr. How do we know if this was Elizabeth Ann going by the name Betsy Ann or the other woman known to have used the name Betsy Ann?
I believe the answer lies in the consistency of the age of Peter’s wife -- always a few years older than he and also that Sutton, their son, named a daughter Betsy Ann.
Because also present in Sarah’s household is John Howling Hughes age 6. My theory is this: Peter had married the widow Hughes who possibly was born Elizabeth Sutton. I believe the child’s name was John Rowland Hughes as there was a Hughes family in Harford County at the time in which Rowland was a common name.
In a book I found at Fort Wayne library -- Methodist Church Records of Baltimore City, there was an entry "buried Mrs. Potee 19 Oct 1825 age 78". I assume this was her. It implies a 1747 birth so it would make her a little older than Peter, but maybe they were off a couple of years.
So I think we have a consistent record here of Peter’s wife, always a couple of years older than he. I think he had but one wife, named Elizabeth at times, Elizabeth Ann at times and even Betsy Ann on occasion.
That Methodist Church book had many Potees listed and many were buried at the Mount Olivet Cemetery associated with Lovely Lane Methodist Church of downtown Baltimore. It is quite interesting to me that the Methodist Church was founded a few years before and very near the place where Peter Potee took up residence when he moved to Baltimore and the earliest Methodist Church building was in that neighborhood too. I think Peter Potee and his family can be counted as among the very earliest Methodists -- ever.
The Property on Eutaw Street. In 1804, Peter acquired the leasehold of a town lot on Eutaw Street in Baltimore -- about where Camden Yards (the baseball field) is today. (Then it was also near the brickyards, perhaps leading to the importance of the brickmaker occupation later among Peter’s descendants). In 1821 he acquired the leasehold to an adjoining property.
Then in Sep 1823, Peter Potee Sr. assigned his lease on Eutaw street to Isaac, I believe his grandson, who in addition to taking responsibility to pay the rent on the property agreed to cloathe and maintain Peter and his wife Betsy Ann for the remainder of their lives. We assume this was reference to his wife Elizabeth Ann (Sutton) who we believe died in 1825 but it raises some confusion because there was an 1806 marriage of Peter Potee to Betsy Ann Shanks that we have assumed was Peter Jr. How do we know if this was Elizabeth Ann going by the name Betsy Ann or the other woman known to have used the name Betsy Ann?
I believe the answer lies in the consistency of the age of Peter’s wife -- always a few years older than he and also that Sutton, their son, named a daughter Betsy Ann.