Henry Potter and his wife were charter members of First
Presbyterian Church. Mr. Potter was elected an Elder in 1831.
Judge Potter was born January 5, 1766 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Little is known about his schooling. In his early twenties he went to Philadelphia, possibly to complete his education as
a lawyer. He was there two and a half years. His youthful interest
in public affairs was keen. He attended sessions of the Congress and
heard President Washington's message to Congress in 1791. He
became personally acquainted with Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams,
Madison and other public leaders.
As a young lawyer, he arrived in Raleigh in the early days of
the city. In 1799 he was Grand Master of Hiram Masonic Lodge. He
was a trustee of the State University for over fifty years. He con- tributed to the erection of Main South Building.
He must have been a man of substantial means even in his youth.
Shortly after he arrived in Raleigh he purchased two acres of land on the north side of Hargett Street from Salisbury to McDowell
Streets. On this land he built his home. Some of this land is now
owned by First Church for a parking lot.
On April 2, 1802 he was appointed a Federal Judge by President Jefferson. He remained a Federal Judge for 55 years.
He was an original trustee of the Raleigh Academy which
opened July 1, 1804.
It has been said that the organizational plan of the First
Presbyterian Church was the handiwork of Judge Potter. He,
William Peace, and Dr. Calvin Jones deeded the property to First
Presbyterian Church on the corner of Morgan and Salisbury Streets.
The legal title was held by a quasi-joint stock company in which each
pew owner had one vote for each $50 worth of pew or pews he or she owned. At the time Judge Potter had pew #7, which cost more
than $500.
Judge Potter was married to Sylvania Williams Easton. They
had ten children, six reached maturity. Mrs. William A. White
(Margaret Ayers White), a member of First Church, is a direct
descendant of Judge and Mrs. Potter.
The last thirty years of Judge Potter's life was spent in Fayetteville. When he left Raleigh he sold his pew to Dr. McPheeters
for $50.
Judge Potter died December 20, 1858 at the age of 91. His wife
had predeceased him October 25, 1853.
https://archive.org/details/historyoffirstpr00mcph
