In John Potter was born at Kearsley, Lancashire, England on the 6th day of December, 1861, in the place called Slackey Brow, between Kearsley Moor and Ringley in the same row houses were his mother, Sarah Chatterton, and was born and where her only brother, John, was burned to death of while he was yet a child wearing dresses. His father, Sampson Edgar Potter, was born Nov. 9th, 1839 and his mother, born August 27, 1842, were born in the same village.

An early recollection of his childhood was a spanking at the age of two for not doing as he was told in which left a lasting impression on his memory. In early childhood he attended the public school and made quite a record as a speller, becoming champion speller in the school at the age of 9. About this time he started working half time in a cotton factory where he worked three days a week and earned 50 cents in American money. The other three days he attended school until he was 10 years of age. The first day after his 10th birthday, his father took them into a coal mine to work where he labored 10 hours today for which he was paid 25 cents in American money. While working in the mine his parents insisted that he attend night school which he did until he was 14 but he was not much interested in the school.

At the age of 14 he was confirmed a member of the Episcopal Church of England by the bishop of Manchester. He states:
"I well remember that he confirmed two of us at a time, which all we seem peculiar to me as the scripture states that confirmation is done by the laying on the hands, and as he only used one hand on my head, I have thought many times that I was only half confirmed."

After confirmation in the Church of England, a lady (Sister in Charity) by the name all of Ethel Grace Bennett commenced a night school for those who are members of the Church of England and partook of the Sacrament has administered by that Church. John attended her school which he enjoyed immensely and made rapid progress in the lessons she taught.

At the age of 15 he was asked by the parish priest if he would teach the Infant Class, as it was then call. Miss Bennett taught the class in the forenoon and John in the afternoon. This was the beginning of his career as a Sunday School teacher which lasted for 55 years, a teacher of young people which made his life very happy in the ministry to the youth of the land.

He attended the school taught by Sister Bennett until he was nearly 19 when she asked him to go to college and become a minister of the Church of England. Preparations were made, his father sanctioned the step when along came Mormonism and knocked the proposition flat, so that he never went to college, and also lost out in the school for accepting the Gospel as taught by the Latter Day Saints. He also lost the privilege of going to night school and even to go to the Dissenters class that was started by Sister Ethel, who would not allow anyone to go to the school without her consent.

After accepting the gospel, all his rights in the school were forfeited. The missionary that he first heard preach Mormon doctrine stated that if he accepted the Gospel that his best friends would become his worst enemies and that he should know whether the missionary taught truth, as God would give him that testimony. Both promises were fulfilled to the very letter for in a short time after baptism his boy and girl friends would not walk on the same side of the street with him, and if they were going to meet him they would cross over the street or dodge into some house. The Minister of the Parish warned his congregation not to associate with a "Mormons" for fear of been corrupted.

Father was baptized on the 29th day of Nov. 1879 by Elder Oscar F. Hunter and confirmed of the 30th day of November by Elder Nathan Groom, was ordained a deacon the same day he was confirmed and was appointed agent for the Millennial Star and Journal of Discourses. Since that time he has been ordained a Priest, Elder, Seventy, Bishop, and High Priest. He has labored as Stake Superintendent of Sunday Schools, President of the High Priest's Quorum, President of the Missouri Conference in the Central States' Mission for two years, class instruction in stake genealogical work, and a member of the High Council of Carbon Stake.

Sampson Potter emigrated to Utah in 1843. By the spring of 1884 John and his two younger brothers Noah and Sidney had saved enough money to pay their fair to America so they left England in May and landed in Salt Lake City June 4th 1884. He soon went to Winter Quarters and joined his father there, working in the coal mine during the winter. As work slacked down the following summer, he decided to try his hand at farm worker. He journeyed to Logan, then back to Kaysville where he worked for two different man, the first one didn't pay him at the end of the month so he moved to another farm but at the end of the second month he left and went up to Rexburg. All the farmers wanted helpers but none of them had cash to pay their salaries so, rather discouraged, John again returned to Winter Quarters and worked in the mine.

In 1886 when he heard that one Jeanie Brown was coming over from Scotland, he decided to meet the lass, probably girls were not very plentiful in the small mining camp. He had also heard their praises sung from Jeanie's father. And so they met and fate immediately stepped in -

How true are those words in the meeting of Jeanie and John.

The girl looked OK to John and he met her often, going to the Brown's house in the evening, and the way she treated him didn't please him at all. He would be sitting in the front room talking to Jean and her father and mother. Jeanie would leave the room and when he inquired as to her whereabouts, usually found that she had retired for the night, without even saying good night. He went to church one night to meet her and found another young chap lingering near the steps. "Who are you waiting here to meet?" asked John. "Why that Jeanie Brown" replied Andrew. "Well, you needn't bother because I've come to take her home." And Andrew left the scene. And so, no matter how she treated him, he asked the girl to be his bride.

The wedding was quite a success but one thing bothered John. His father was displease at the marriage, because he would lose his son's wages, and felt he needed him at home, and so he would not attend the ceremony. There was plenty of gayety and laughter at the wedding party with drinks served "for the Scotch guests" according to John - for the "English guests" according to Jeanie - but probably for everyone.

The couple lived in Winter Quarters until 1894, times were often hard and their tiny home was often shared by other relatives or friends who needed shelter. John worked in the Sunday School and often was scolded because his church work kept him away from home so much as his wife was usually too busy with her many children. She didn't get a chance to go with him so very many times.

In 1899 John purchased a farm in Cleveland and moved his little brood into a small cabin on it. Coal mining was all right in the winter but it wasn't an all year job and he had to have someplace where he could care for his family all the year round. He worked the farm in the summer, worked in sawmills, back at the mines, and did all that was in his power to make a living and provide the comforts of life for Jeanie and her small children.

His wife didn't like farm life which was so lonely and difficult for her and so in 1899 the two again moved to the coal mining country, this time to Sunnyside. The work was better there and they made some progress. The Bishop's office which John held kept him busy during all his time away from work but he so enjoyed helping people that it was with thankful heart that he kept going at all times. They saved their money so carefully during these years always with the hope of leaving this type of work - the death of Jeanie's father in the coal min having a lot to do with their desire to change occupations.

At last they decided to invest their savings in a grocery store with Mr. Sewell in Driggs, Idaho. They made the arrangements and moved to Driggs in 1906, but alas, Mr. Sewell and his store didn't pan out and soon John found himself minus his savings and with nothing to look forward to but more hard work in the mines.

Upon leaving Sunnyside he was presented with a ring containing three opals which he still wears and which is to be given to Sarah when he leaves this earth.

The family returned to Carbon County but decided to settle in Price and so they did although Father had to work in Kenilworth during this first period. Then he was offered an office job with the Consolidated Wagon and Machine Company by Frank Olsen. The salary first offered was $40.00 a month, he refused and they raised it to $60.00. He accepted this but before the first month was over it was raised to $75.00. This wasn't so much but it kept the family in much better circumstances then heretofore.

They moved into what is known as the "old house" on North 1st East, up near the canal. Land was cheap and they saved carefully and bought the upper portion of the block together with a block above the canal, which is known as "Potter's Addition."

The family now numbered six and the older girls were getting to the age when they wanted a bedroom of their own - the old house was not large enough, there weren't many houses in the town and so, after much thought, the couple decided to build a home. They borrowed the money and the house was started just north of the old house. Bedrooms were put in so that each one could enjoy the privacy of their own room and it was with much joy that they moved into a house large enough to hold them all and visitors besides - no more sleeping on floors when company came. Sarah and Henry were already wed and Grace had been born in the old house - so there was room for them when they should come home to visit.

Dad worked in the Con. Wagon for five years and then took a job with the Smoot Nixon Lumber Company where he worked until he was called on a mission in 1919. He was so glad to be able to fill this mission - his son (David) was now old enough to take the responsibility of looking after Mother and his two baby sisters and he felt that all would help to make his mission a success.

And so it was. John was assigned to St. Louis as headquarters where he was soon made conference president with many younger missionaries in his care. He traveled over the country preaching and singing the praises of the Gospel, he made many friends and converts. They lived in the basement of the church, cooking their meals and keeping their clothes and rooms in order. It was hard work, the meals were substantial but not luxurious, they had stew many many times and gravy made with lard, water, and flour - he has never like gravy since.

He had trouble with writer's cramp as the did much writing at this time. A bite on the leg from a _____ (chigger?) caused him quite a bit of grief. The heat in summer was terrific and the dampness of the winter was anything but comfortable but through it all he came back with a smile and a felling of contentment for a job well done. The missionaries he left sent him a silver loving cup (in the possession of David John Potter, his great grandson) inscribed with all their names after his return to Unit in 1921. (Note from David John Potter: "One of his missionaries did the medical exams for my wife, Kathy, and I before we were married. He remembered serving under John and his name is on the cup).

After his return from St. Louis things weren't so good, he was not given back his job at the lumber yard and things looked rather dark for awhile. Then he was appointed Justice of the Peace in Price. He was the Juvenile Officer for the entire county and he spent many hours with boys, trying to help them out of their difficulties, keep them from further ones and doing all he could for the youth of Carbon County. He also was appointed Secretary of the Eastern Utah Credit Association and with these various jobs they lived and prospered.

Losing their savings was one of their failings - they decided to buy a home in Provo and invested much money in it. High hopes of moving to Provo were entertained by the family but after the house was purchased, there was no work to go to in Provo and so they rented the house. They paid on it for many years, until they were unable to pay further and then lost everything they had put into it. Another blow which was hard for them. Much of their money had been invested with the Western Loan and Building Company and when these people closed their doors the couple were again without their hard earned savings.

But through it all they've kept bravely on - it has been so hard for John - to have been so well and strong and capable of doing such good work, to get to that point where men would say

He did have a short job in the summer of 1935, with the State Road, weighing gravel at the construction camp at Colton. He lived in a tent and mingled with rather hard boiled men who are always on construction jobs but he like it. Often he would ride home at night and then in early morning we would take him back to work before I went to the office and those rides were enjoyed by all of us.

In 1929 he took his wife for a short jaunt through the Yellowstone Park, and he also took her on a trip to California in the car. For many years he refused to drive a car at all but hen he decided he might as well learn. They bought a Ford and Dad found that driving a car was most enjoyable and it was with a great deal of regret he had to give it up at the family's insistence after his sickness in 1937.

John did so many things in his life that one short history could never cover them all. During the time of disaster and grief in Scofield in 1900 when the mine exploded he helped with the sick and the dead. Again in 1925 when the Castle Gate mine exploded and killed nearly 200 men, he was on the job helping to dress and fix the dead. Both times gas fumes from the bodies caused illness for him.

While unloading a machine at the Con. Wagon he was hit in the jaw, breaking it and knocking out his teeth which caused him much pain and discomfort. In 1931 he was operated on for a strangulated hernia which almost took his life. He was up in Spring Canyon doing some work when the pain started, he drove the car down to Price, go in the house and into the bathroom when he collapsed and an emergency operation had to be performed as soon as they could get him to a hospital.

He received his first Patriarchal blessing on Nov. 27, 1889 while engaged in writing blessings given by John Smith in the home of Bishop T. J. Parmley at Winter Quarters, Utah. He enjoyed this work very much and the patriarch promised him that he should someday write his name as Patriarch John Potter, and also that he should go on a mission. The latter promise was not fulfilled for 30 years and the first one has not yet been fulfilled.

His second patriarchal blessing was given by Patriarch Hiram G. Smith before he left on his mission and this was marvelously fulfilled. He has received his second endowments or higher blessings as they are sometimes called.

One of his joys in life has been doing Temple work and he has spent many hours at this, also in searching out his genealogy. Since the death of Jeanie, his wife, he has been like a lost child. At present he is here in Salt Lake and going to the temple every afternoon and visiting with his friends and relatives. He plans on visiting each of his children for a short while and then maybe able to decide where he wants to settle.

The old gray house is empty and still, closed on such a beautiful chapter of family life. Almost thirty years the Potter family resided there and though it may pass into other hands in the future, it will always be home to them.

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After a siege of influenza his health began to slowly fail -- it was later diagnosed as Parkinson's disease which is a slowly creeping paralysis. He kept going as long as he could, through the final illness and death of his beloved Jeanie. He lived with his daughters for various periods of time, his body getting slowly weaker but his humor and faith never failing. Other illnesses further weakened the body and in June 1943 he suffered a stroke and shortly after 1 p.m. on June 24, he left this earth to be joined again with his beloved Jeanie for all time and eternity and see again the three children who died in infancy. What a reunion it must have been. We took him back to Price where he was laid to rest beside his wife of 53 years of wedded bliss.

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