Biography of John S. Potts, pages 799/800.  History of 
DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 
Indianapolis, 1914.



From remote antiquity agriculture has been considered an 
honorable vocation, and in all ages men of sterling worth 
and humane impulses, as well as those of energy and thrift, 
have been tillers of the soil. The free, out-door life of 
the farm besides inspiring new life and hope, has a 
tendency to develop virile manhood, and no greater blessing 
can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with 
nature amid the healthful labors of the field.  From this 
country, and the majority of America’s great warriors, wise 
statesmen, renowned scholars and distinguished men of 
letters, as well as the great captains of industry and 
leaders in the domain of thought, were born and reared on 
the farm, and to this fact is largely due the eminence to 
which they have attained. The well-known subject of this 
review is one of DeKalb county’s representative 
agriculturists an as such has met with deserved success. He 
stands high in the esteem of his fellow men and as a broad-
minded, progressive citizen, fully abreast with the times, 
exercises an wholesome influence in the community, besides 
being a factor of no little weight in the public affairs of 
this township and county.  John S. Potts, of Fairfield 
township, DeKalb county, Indiana, was born in Lawrence 
county, Illinois, on January 31, 1864, and is the son of 
Wilson and Louisa (Pitman) Potts, both of whom were natives 
of the state of Ohio. Wilson Potts went to Illinois in a 
very early day, settling in Lawrence county, where he 
followed farming and where he became a prominent and 
respected man in the community. To him and his wife were 
born four children, Priscilla, Ella, John S. and Anna. John 
S. Potts secured his education in the public schools of 
Lawrence county, Illinois, and at the age of twelve years 
came to DeKalb county, Indiana, making his home with John 
Potts. He was reared to the life of a farmer and has 
followed this vocation during all of his active years, in 
which he has been very successful and is now the owner of 
one hundred acres of land in Fairfield township, to the 
cultivation of which he is devoting himself assiduously and 
with practical ideas and up-to-date methods.  He carries on 
mixed farming, raising all the crops common to this section 
of the country and also gives some attention to the 
breeding and raising of live stock, which he has found to 
be a very important and profitable adjunct to farming. In 
1885 Mr. Potts was married to Barbara A. Ziegler, the 
daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Melton) Ziegler, who were 
old and prominent families in DeKalb county. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Potts have been born the following children: Grover 
C., Cora M., Bessie E., Flossie M., Louisa E., John E., 
Samuel W., Vesta E. and Charley F.  Politically, Mr. Potts 
has been a life-long supporter of the Democratic party, in 
the success of which he has been an important factor, 
especially in local elections, and he is at present a 
member of the county council, in which position he is 
rendering efficient service to the county. He has succeeded 
in life because he possesses to a notable degree those 
qualities which will insure success in any undertaking, 
persistency in action, a clearly defined purpose and 
correct business methods, and because of these qualities 
and his high personal worth he has won an enviable standing 
in the community with which he has been identified for so 
many years. 

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com