Memorable Manitobans: Joseph Armour Potter (1871-?)

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Joseph Armour Potter
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Merchant, municipal official.

Born in Bruce County, Ontario on 16 September 1871, he was educated at Walkerton and Owen Sound High School. After initially working as a school teacher, he earned a business diploma at Owen Sound Business College and worked as a bookkeeper in Chicago, Illinois. He moved to Winnipeg in 1894 and began work as a general store merchant, a venture he continued until transitioning to real estate in 1903, during which he owned the Potter Block / Potter’s Hall (built in 1896, demolished then rebuilt in 1910, an early home to the St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church) on Nairn Avenue.

On 3 April 1901, he married Clementine Rebecca “Clementina” Crawford (1885-1930, daughter of William Crawford) at Kildonan. The couple had one daughter, Irene Yeta “Zetta” Potter (1904-?). He served as a Councillor of Kildonan (1900), City of Winnipeg Alderman (1908-1912), and Secretary-Treasurer of the East Winnipeg Conservative Club (1908). In 1912, after initially declaring his intent to run in the Elmwood neighbourhood (Ward 7), he backed out due to pressing business demands on his time in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. He later left Winnipeg, taking up residence at Seattle, Washington around 1918. Following the August 1930 death of his wife in Seattle, and her return for burial in Elmwood Cemetery, his whereabouts are unknown.

Sources:

Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 & 1911 Canada censes, Automated Genealogy.

“J. A. Potter,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 December 1907, page 5.

“At the annual meeting of the East Winnipeg Conservative club [...],” Manitoba Free Press, 21 January 1908, page 24.

“Branch office,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 December 1909, page 5.

“The work of tearing down the western part of the old Potter block [...],” Winnipeg Tribune, 2 July 1910, page 16.

“Birthday congratulations to,” Manitoba Free Press, 16 September 1910, page 4.

“Joseph Armour Potter,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 December 1910, page 11.

“Will be candidate,” Manitoba Free Press, 3 December 1912, page 16.

“Former Winnipeg woman passes at Seattle, Wash.,” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 August 1930, page 3.

“Mrs. Clementina Potter,” Winnipeg Tribune, 12 August 1930, page 2.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 26 December 2015

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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