Graham Potter - Just A Farmer

History books are filled with stories of great men and women.  But to learn about the average person, one has to dig around or listen to the stories that has been passed down from generation to generation. 

One story of an average person on Goose Creek Island is about my great-great grandfather Graham Potter who died 106 years ago on June 19, 1912. 

I thought it would be good to document his story, as the descendants of Graham Potter gathered together two weeks ago to celebrate family.  And also the weather we have been having was very much like the weather over 100 years ago.

On June 19, 1912, Graham Potter and his family were working on the family farm, located at the end of Middle Prong Rd.  The weather was much like the days we have been having recently.  The weather was hot, humid and with the normal late afternoon thunderstorms building up to the west of the Island, and roaring down the Pamlico River, before exiting into Pamlico Sound.

Graham, along with his wife Ella Dean and the children were in the fields working.  A thunderstorm was building up to the west of Lowland.  Sensing the need to protect his family from harms way, Graham told everyone to "go on to the house".  Everyone did as they were told and headed to the house.  Graham stayed behind, trying to squeeze in a few more minutes of work before the storm set in. 

The thunderstorm roared upon Lowland with heavy rain, thunder and lightening. Graham had not made it back to the house in time.  Within minutes, a hard clap of thunder roared across the Potter field and Graham, with hoe in hand, had been struck by lightening. 

When the weather cleared, Ella Dean and children went out into the field to find Graham, only to find him dead.  Graham Potter had been killed by lightening at the age of 60 years.  He was laid to rest within the Potter Family farm in the McGowen Cemetery.

But Graham's story does not end with his tragic death.  Through the stories and research, I found many things that were intriguing about my great-great grandfather. 

Born in Beaufort County, February 27, 1852 to Samuel Potter and Mary Sawyer, Graham was born an illegitimate child carrying the last name Sawyer.  At some point after Graham was born, Samuel learned his son was not being cared for properly.  Samuel went by boat, "over the river" and brought Graham home to the Potter Homestead on Middle Prong Rd. Lowland. 

Upon arrival at the Potter Homestead, Graham was cared for by his father and with help of a black slave woman.  During Graham's younger years, he went by the name Graham Sawyer.  He is recorded as Graham Sawyer in the 1860 census.  In January 1862, the siblings of Graham's father Samuel conveyed to them a tract of land at the end of Middle Prong Rd. 

This day and time, it sounds very unusual for a child of the age of 10 to be listed in a deed.  But one must understand, in 1862, illegitimate children were not afforded the same right to inherit property from a father unless there was a special provision.  It is my belief that Graham's uncle's and aunt's cared for their brother Samuel and his son, as in the deed it states " for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which we bear to our dearest brother Samuel Potter".   Regardless of the taboo's of secrecy and shame that shadow the illegitimacy of Graham's birth, family is family and with the stroke of signatures, the Potter family had embraced Graham as a Potter.

By 1870, Graham Sawyer's name was changed to Graham Potter.  With my research, I believe Samuel Potter swore an acknowledgement of paternity or an oral admission, which allowed Graham to legally change his name to Potter.  With this validity, Graham was now entitled to the same rights and protections of legitimacy. 

Photo of Graham Potter, circa 1878.

Through the years, Graham continued farming beside his father on Middle Prong Rd.  In 1878, Graham married Angeline Voliva. Angeline bore a son, Samuel Graham Potter in 1879 but she succumbed to complications of childbirth.  Graham then married Jane Potter, with whom they bore Nancy and Warden.  Jane passed away and Graham married Ella Dean Bridgeman.  With Ella Dean, their children were Thurman, Mary Jane, Tildon, Charlie Warren, Joshua, Alfred, Gentry and Preston Gold.

When Graham died that hot day in June, he left 5 children under the age of 18.  His son Thurman assisted his mother in settling the estate.  When going through the estate papers, I found it interesting that over he had over $6500.00 in "cash found upon his premises" and an $8000.00 insurance bond, that was paid to the heirs.   Today, those amounts are small but in 1912, that was a considerable sum of money. 

Looking into the past, Graham's father and family saw fit that his well-being be delivered a right and responsible upbringing, despite his circumstances and those taboos of secrecy. Those values set the tone for the family foundation and those of acceptance. Those same values we all should embrace today.