Pottstown in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Potts Family Burial Ground
Historic Pottstown Walking Tour
From our earliest times, the cemeteries of Pottstown have been for the most part associated with churches. The original Sprogell burying ground was an exception, as was that of the Potts, Rutter and Hobart families (although this cemetery was in a sense a “church yard” of the Friends' Meeting House which once stood next to it). Part of John Potts' plans for Pottstown included promoting the community's religious needs; and to that end he donated the land to the Society of Friends, who built the first place of worship in our town, a one story brick building on King Street between Chestnut and Penn Streets. The Sprogell interments of 1776 and 1718 are the oldest, and with those at St. Gabriel's Church in Douglassville, pre-date the ones here.
This is is [sic] the resting place of John Potts, Thomas Rutter, III, Dr. Jonathan Potts, Nathaniel Potts Hobart, and other members of the family. Thomas Rutter, III, was co-owner with Samuel Potts of Warwick Furnace, one of the most productive and important forges in the state. As early as March 1778, they engaged with the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia to cast canon [sic] for the army and throughout the struggle were a chief source of ordinance [sic] for the army. Dr. Jonathan Potts, a friend of Benjamin Franklin and an early proponent of innoculation for smallpox, died at the age of 36 due to an illness contracted as a result of the arduous task of tending the wounded at Valley Forge. John Potts was laid to rest not at Pottsgrove Manor, but in the cemetery he himself had selected on Chestnut Street, in the heart of the town of which he had dreamed.
Erected 2002 by Pottstown 250th Anniversary Committee.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Colonial Era. In addition, it is included in the Quakerism series list. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1778.
Location. 40° 14.854′ N, 75° 38.937′ W. Marker is in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, in Montgomery County. Marker is on Chestnut Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is about 100 feet west of Penn Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pottstown PA 19464, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Philadelphia Steam Engine Fire Co. #1 (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of Old Burial Ground (within shouting distance of this marker); The Old Brick Church (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Pottstown News (about 600 feet away); St. Clair Mansion (approx. 0.2 miles away); Weitzenkorn's Clothiers (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Security Trust Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bahr Arcade (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pottstown.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 23, 2018. It was originally submitted on October 30, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,752 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 30, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.