Notes
THE NEW HAVEN (CONN.) POTTERS, 1639.
by James Shepard, of New Britain, Conn.
[from "Genealogies of Connecticut Families from The New England
Historical Genealogical Register" vol III Painter--Wyllys, selected
and introduced by Gary Boyd Roberts, Genealogical Publishing Co.,
Inc.,
Baltimore, 1983, p 150-151.
1. Hannah [Potter] Beecher was the mother of the New Haven Potters,
who appeared early in New Haven as a widow with sons: i. John, ii.
William and iii. Isaac Beecher, the ancestor of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher.
Her first husband, Potter, died in England, where she married a Mr.
Beecher.
It is generally supposed that her husband was John Beecher, one
of the seven whom Eaton sent to New Haven in advance of the colony and
who died before the colony arrived. She has been considered to be the
mother of Isaac Beecher, for she calls him her son in her will and gave
him one third of her property; but recent investigations, it is claimed,
show conclusively that Isaac was only a step-son, the son of her second
husband by a former wife. [see infra]
There was in New Haven, says G. F. Tuttle, as early as 1641, a
widow Hannah Potter, known as widow Potter the midwife. In 1643 she had
two persons in the family, thirty pounds estate and twenty and one
quarter acres of land. She is called "sister Potter the midwife," in
seating the meeting house in 1646. She is supposed to have been akin to
the other Potters, but there is no record to show it. She has often been
confounded with the widow Hannah Beecher, but the records clearly show
that they were two different persons.
The will of Hannah Beecher was proved April 5, 1659, and is
recorded in first part, vol. i., p. 80, of New Haven Probate Records, as
follows:
"I Hannah Beecher of New Haven, expectying my great change do
make this my last will and testament, I bequeath my soul unto the hands
of my Lord Jesus Christ by whose meritt I hope to be saaved and my body
to be burried at the discretion of my Son William Potter my Executor.
And for my worldly goods I give unto John Potter my Grand child twenty
shillings and to Hannah Blackly, my Grand child, wife to Samuel Balckly,
twenty shillings, And to Samuel Potter my Grand child twenty shillings to
be paid to them within three months after my decease. And for the rest
of my estate I give one third part to my son Isaac Beecher and two thirds
to my eldest son William Potter, making him my Executor, desiring him to
be as a father to his younger brother and his children. And in dividing
my goods my will is that my son William should have my feather bed with
that belongeth to it, unto his part and that the rest be divided at the
discretion of my Overseers with the assistance of Sister Wakeman and
sister Rutherford and I desire my loving freinds [sic] Mr. Mathew Gilbert
and John Wakeman to be overseers of this my last will whereunto I have
set my hand this 13th day of June, Anno 1657.
Witnesses. the mark of
Mathew Gilbert, Hannah Becher.
John Wakeman,
Sarah Rutherford."
Her children were: John Potter, died 1643. William Potter, born
about 1608; died 1662."
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