Isaiah Luna Potts (1784?-after 1843) was infamous in legend and lore for having run a 19th-century Illinois tavern known as "Potts Inn" where numerous crimes including robbery and murder were committed.
Early life
Isaiah Luna Potts was born in
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County () is in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. In 2020, the census returned a population of 420,959, making it Virginia's third-most populous county. Loudoun County's seat is Leesburg. Loudoun C ...
, and lived in
Union County, Kentucky
Union County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 13,668. Its county seat is Morganfield. The county was created effective January 15, 1811.
The county is located on the left (east) ...
and Potts Hill, in
Hardin County, Illinois
Hardin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 3,649, making it the least populous county in Illinois. Its county seat is Elizabethtown. Hardin County is located in the p ...
, which was formerly a part of
Pope County, Illinois
Pope County is the southeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 3,763, making it the second-least populous county in Illinois. Its county seat is Golconda. The county was organize ...
.
In legend and folklore
In legend and folklore, he was known by many names and aliases including "Billy Potts, Sr." Potts was an
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
tavern keeper and
salt maker who, allegedly, co-led a gang of
highwaymen
A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to fo ...
and
murderers
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the ...
, known as the "Potts Hill Gang", out of his tavern. They preyed along the frontier crossroad highways, and the Ford's Ferry Road, near
Cave-In-Rock. Isaiah Potts was also alleged to be the criminal partner of
James Ford, a pillar of the local community, and secretly, the criminal leader of the Ford's Ferry Gang.
Notable Potts Hill Gang members
*Dr. King (first name unknown)
[
*Nysonger (first name unknown)][
*Billy Potts Jr. (possible gang member)][
]
References
* Allen, John W. ''It Happened in Southern Illinois''. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2010.
* Allen, John W. ''Legends and Lore of Southern Illinois''. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2010.
* Botkin, B.A. ''A Treasury of Mississippi River Folklore''. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1955.
* Carr, William R.
Isaiah L. Potts (Billy Potts, Sr.) and Polly Blue of Potts Hill (Potts Inn)
* Lewicki, James, ed. ''The Life Treasury of American Folklore''. New York: Time, Incorporated, 1961.
* Musgrave, Jon. ''Slaves, Salt, Sex & Mr. Crenshaw: The Real Story of the Old Slave House and America's Reverse Underground R.R.''. www.illinoishistory.com, 2005.
* Musgrave, Jon
* Musgrave, Jon.
Springfield, IL: The Illinois Gen Web Project, 2018.
* Rothert, Otto A. ''The Outlaws of Cave-In-Rock''. 1924 (1996).
* Sniveley Jr., W. D. and Louanna Furbee. ''Satan's Ferryman: A True Tale of the Old Frontier''. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1968.
* Warren, William Penn. Poem, "Ballad of Billie Potts."
* Wellman, Paul I. ''Spawn of evil: the invisible empire of soulless men which for a generation held the Nation in a spell of terror''. Doubleday, 1964.
* Federal Writers' Project
The Federal Writers' Project (FWP) was a federal government project in the United States created to provide jobs for out-of-work writers during the Great Depression. It was part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal program. It ...
. ''The WPA Guide to Illinois: The Prairie State''. San Antonio, TX: Trinity University Press, (1930-1940) 2013.
* ''History of Union County, Kentucky''. Buffalo, NY: Courier Company, Printers, 1886 (1967).
External links
Potts Hill Gang, Sturdivant Gang, and Ford's Ferry Gang Rogue's Gallery, Hardin County in IllinoisGenWeb
{{DEFAULTSORT:Potts, Isaiah
Drinking establishment owners
Crime families
American outlaws
19th-century American criminals
Outlaw gangs in the United States
People from Loudoun County, Virginia
People from Hardin County, Illinois
People from Union County, Kentucky