Samuel Yates Potts was born in Derbyshire, England on 2 March 1821. His parents were Francis and Henry Potts, the Yates in Samuel’s name coming from his mother’s maiden name.
At the age of 20 years Samuel emigrated to Australia on board the “Posthumous” arriving in Sydney on 1 February 1841. Samuel paid his own way to Australia which cost him £12. On 13 December 1954 he married Margaret McKinnon at St Mary’s Church of England in the parish of West Maitland.
His first wife Margaret died on 2 June 1856 at Gresford during childbirth. Both his wife and first child are buried at Gresford.
Samuel left Gresford and went to the mine fields at the Peel River where he met and married Sarah Hardy on 18 October 1858. They moved to the Upper Manning settling at Cedar Party where they had 14 children, 3 of which died early in life.
Both Samuel and Sarah are buried at Bungay Cemetery, Wingham.
Samuel and Sarah’s 6th child John Potts (born 22/4/1873; died 20/9/1945) married Alice Ada Turner in 1889. The couple moved to the Upper Lansdowne valley around 1900. They had 13 children:
Harold died in infancy
Harriet Amelia
Oliver John Clyde
Agness
Victor Samuel
Ruby Pearl
Earnest Raymond
Gilbert
Alice Irene
Beatrice Gwendoline
Leonard Morris
Ivy Doris
Walter Reginald
born 1889 died 1891
born 17 Jan 1891 died 16 Oct 1979 m Victor Atkins
born 16 Jun 1892 died 14 Jan 1968 m Annis Vera Minett
born 13 Jul 1894 died 27 Aug 1966 m Lloyd Mitchell
born 16 Jan 1896 died 5 Dec 1970 m Elizabeth Ellen Salter
born 27 Jul 1897 died 25 Sep 1985 m John Cassie Minett
born 14 Jul 1899 died 6 Mar 1955 – never married
born 29 Mar 1903 died 26 Apr 1969 m Mary Rose Smith
born 17 Nov 1904 died 28 Jul 1965 m Kenneth Gilkison
born 29 Jul 1906 died 6 May 1969 m Eric Hawkins
born 21 Apr 1908 died 27 Dec 1999 m Marjorie Phillips
born 20 Nov 1909 died 2 Jul 1994 m Walter Eric Smith
born 9 Mar 1912 died 24 Jun 1973 m Florence Alma Hardes
0 children
7 children
5 children
6 children
8 children
3 children
0 children
3 children
5 children
1 child
5 children
4 children
2 children
John was engaged in farming pursuits, with short periods as a timber getter. He took a keen interest in the old School of Arts and was also a warden of the Church of England. At the time of John’s death there were 36 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Alice was the daughter of Mr and Mrs James Turner of Wingham and was born at Chichester Creek. Alice and John retired to Taree. Both are buried in Dawson River Cemetery.
Local family names belonging to the Potts family tree are Atkins, McLaughlin, Drury, Minett, Crittenden and Hardes to name a few.
Compiled by Gloria Crittenden – August 2024