Memorial Record of Western Kentucky, Lewis Publishing Company, 1904, pp 444-445 [McCracken]

James Thomas Potter, one of the substantial and representative citizens of McCracken county, Kentucky, a large landowner and a successful farmer, was born November 11, 1837, in McCracken county. He is a son of James and Mary Anna (Curby) Potter, the former of whom was born in Warren county and was a son of William Potter. William Potter was a native of North Carolina, who, in 1829, settled in McCracken county, Kentucky, near Gum Springs, where he became a well known farmer. James Potter died in 1882. In politics he was a Whig in early life, but later became a Democrat. Both he and wife were consistent members of the Baptist church. She died in 1887. The children born to James Potter and wife were: William, of McCracken county; Nancy Mary, Lizzie Jane, Susan Emma, Virginia Anna and Pauline are all deceased; Samuel is a farmer of McCracken county; John H. is a resident of Tennessee; Joseph D. resides in Paducah; Laura is the wife of O. H. Oldham, a farmer of Ballard county, Kentucky; and Monroe A. is a well known farmer of McCracken county. James Thomas Potter, who completes the family, was reared and educated in his native county. In 1861 he enlisted for service during the Civil war, and continued to serve until 1865. After its close he engaged in farming for five years in Warren county, and then returned to McCracken county, where he has become one of the largest farmers and most prominent citizens. Mr. Potter owns a fine estate of five hundred acres. When he started out in life it was as a poor man, and he has accumulated a large property through his own efforts, being a self-made man in every sense of the term. In 1861 Mr. Potter married Sarah Jane Keith, who was born in Tennessee. The children born to this union are: Lee D., who is the present very efficient sheriff of McCracken county; Mary Duke, who is the wife of Edgar Sublette, a farmer in Hickman county, Kentucky; and James J. and Lena T., who reside in McCracken county. In politics our subject is Democrat. He is a member of the Baptist church at Olivet.