William Knight Potter (December 27, 1844 – August 13, 1914) was a businessman and the 17th Mayor of
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...
, 1892-1894.
Early life
William was born December 27, 1844, in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and spent his early years there.
His father was Arthur M. Potter, a jewelry manufacturer.
[ The Potters moved to Providence and William graduated from Providence High School in 1862.][
At age 18, Potter got his first job working as a bookkeeper for the Archibald B. Rice Lumber Company;][ In 1881 he became a partner in the business, which was renamed A.B. Rice & Company.][
]
Political life
Potter was a lifelong Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
. Between 1887 and 1891 he was elected four times to the State House of Representatives and worked his way up to the chairmanship of the House Finance Committee. On November 24, 1891, he defeated incumbent Charles Sydney Smith
Charles Sydney Smith (26 January 1879 – 6 April 1951) was born in Wigan, the ninth of eleven children born to Thomas Smith and Elizabeth née Sayer. He was a British water polo player who competed as goalkeeper for the England Wa ...
in a tightly contested four-way race for Mayor of Providence.[ He was the first Democrat elected to the mayor's office since the Civil War.][ After retirement, he lived in Cranston for a time.]
Accomplishments
During Potter's two terms as mayor, the landscaped boulevards of Elmwood Avenue and Blackstone Boulevard were constructed.[ He also embarked on a major project paving city streets in 1892.][
]
Personal life
On October 23, 1872, he married Anna Rice, daughter of the owner of the Archibald B. Rice Lumber Company (and Potter's employer). They had four sons.[
Potter died on August 13, 1914, at his home in Edgewood, Providence, of paralytic shock.]
References
External links
William Knight Potter
informational display next to his portrait at Providence City Hall
Providence City Hall website
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Potter, William Knight
1844 births
1914 deaths
Mayors of Providence, Rhode Island
Rhode Island Democrats
Politicians from Cranston, Rhode Island
19th-century American politicians