For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 227
JAMES D. POTTER. At nineteen years of age James D. Potter came to Muscatine county and for forty-four years he has been a resident of West Liberty, attaining a position as one of its energetic and successful business men. He was born at Toronto, Canada, May 16, 1848, a son of John and Rebecca (Dixon) Potter, who were natives of England and Canada respectively. They were married in Canada and lived there until 1867, when they came to the United States, locating in West Liberty, Iowa. They both passed away about fourteen years ago. The father learned the tailor's trade in England and continued to follow that occupation after arriving in America. There were eleven children in the family, eight of whom are now living, five sisters of our subject now making their home in Muscatine county.James D. Potter received his education in the schools of Canada and came with his parents to West Liberty after the close of the Civil war. He began work for farmers of the township, but not feeling inclined to devote his life to agricultural pursuits, he entered the ice and transfer business at West Liberty in 1872, later adding the coal business. He now deals exclusively in coal and ice. He owns the only ice plant in the city and also a comfortable residence in town, eighty acres of good land in Harrison county, and is a stockholder in several corporations. Being a man of genial manner and good business qualifications, he has met with a gratifying measure of success financially.
In 1874 Mr. Potter was united in marriage to Miss Abbie Palmer, who died in 1900, leaving three children: Minnie, now the wife of Dr. L. L. Posten, of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Anna, the wife of Frank Weber, cashier for the United States Express Company at New Orleans, Louisiana; and Ethel, the wife of Clyde Martin, an express agent at West Liberty.
Politically Mr. Potter is identified with the republican party, being of the insurgent element. He has taken a great interest in the success of his party and the confidence of his fellow citizens in his integrity and ability has been evidenced by his election to the city council, in which he occupied a chair for ten years. He became a Master Mason in 1872 and is connected with the lodge at West Liberty. He has many friends in this fraternal organization and by a useful and upright life has gained and earned the respect of all who know him.
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