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Joel Martin Potter and
Eliza Frances Reynolds

L-R - Creed Flannery Potter - Virgie Potter and Unknnown
L-R: Creed Flannery Potter,  Virgie Potter and Unknown
Our Granny Eliza Frances Reynolds in Her 70s
Eliza Frances Reynolds
L-R- Unknown - Granny Eliza Frances Reynolds Potter and Sarah Sallie Potter
L-R: Unknown, Eliza Frances Reynolds Potter and Daughter, Sarah Sallie Potter
L-R - Ida Fuller Potter - Sarah Sallie Potter Brown and Unknown
L-R:  Ida Fuller Potter,  Sarah Sallie Potter Brown and Unknown

Joel Martin "Mart" Potter (aka J Mart) b 4 Mar 1875 Letcher Co KY d 20 Apr 1949, buried Potter Family Cemetery, Payne Gap, KY,  s/o Abraham Potter and Sarah "Sallie" Wright. Joel Martin "Mart" Potter m. 6 Oct 1894 Whitesburg, Letcher, KY (see Letcher Marriages 1892-1895. Mart and Eliza are listed as J. W. Potter and Eliza Reynolds) to 1st Eliza Frances Reynolds b 16 Dec 1877 d 23 Apr 1975, buried Reynolds Cemetery, Seco, KY, d/o William Henry Reynolds and Matilda Frances Baker. Her marker reads; Eliza Davis "Grannie" 1877 - 1975. Eliza Francis Reynolds lived to be 98 years of age. She was a wonderful, sweet, spunky, loving, precious, tiny little person and everyone who knew her loved her. She was always thin and was small in stature. She was under 5' tall. She loved her children and her grandchildren and often cared for the children of Creed Flannery Potter when we were small. I (Annette Potter) loved to stay with my Granny. She was just so kind to me and I'll never forget how good she was to me when I was with her and how much love I always felt for her and from her. When daddy's children moved away from Kentucky, she would write letters to us and did so her whole life. She would enclose a stamped envelope with her precious letters. Her letters were filled with love and I miss her so much and loved her dearly. Joel Martin "Mart" Potter m. (2) Mary Callie Potter. Joel Martin "Mart" Potter m. (3) to Leona Smith. Eliza Frances Reynolds m. (2) Thomas Davis. Leona Smith m. (2) Green Fuller. Leona Smith m. (1) James "Jim" Hale.

Joel Martin "Mart" Potter was a Deputy US Marshall in 1910. In 1910, he had been a Marshall for 7 years and one story about one of his ventures as Marshall can be found on the George Tackett and Martha Casebolt page on our site. Children of Joel Martin "Mart" Potter and Eliza Frances Reynolds;

1. Sarah Sallie Potter b 28 Jan 1899 Letcher Co., KY d 16 Jan 1944, from complications from surgery, buried Reynolds Cemetery, Seco, Letcher Co KY, m. (1st) Samuel Washington "Washie" Wright, b 22 May 1896 d 9 Jun 1970 age 74 years, buried Reynolds Cemetery, Seco, Letcher Co KY, s/o Samuel J "Kinky Haired Sam" Wright and Martha Jane Reynolds. Samuel Washington "Washie" Wright m. 2nd Dixie Rose and 3rd Dorothy Killen.  Sarah Sally Potter m. 2nd to Roy Brown. Sally and Roy had no children? Carved on her tombstone is Sallie Brown daughter of J M and Eliza Potter.  Picture of Sallie Potter Tombstone. Children of Sarah Sally Potter Wright Brown and Samuel Washington "Washie" Wright;

  Dave Wright m. Carnella Unknown

  Don Wright

2. Virgie Potter b 3 Feb 1897 d Dec 1977, buried Reynolds Cemetery, Seco, KY m. Henry Vanover b 28 Dec 1892 d May, 1977 Letcher Co., KY, buried Reynolds Cemetery, Seco, Letcher Co, KY. Children of Virgie and Henry Vanover;

  George Vanover

  Joel Vanover b 22 Aug 1919 d 5 Nov 1956 in a tragic mining accident, buried Reynolds Cemetery, Seco, Letcher Co, KY.

3. Creed Flannery Potter b 2 Sept 1902 d 26 Jan 1959 buried Reynolds Cemetery, Seco, Letcher Co, KY m. about 1920 Letcher Co KY to (1st) Sarah Rose Robinson b about 1902 (divorced 1933).  Creed Flannery Potter m. about 1936 to (2nd) Elizabeth "Betty" Brown (divorced) no children.  Creed Flannery Potter m. about 1944 Letcher Co KY to 3rd, our Mom, Ida Fuller b 27 Jun 1912 d 1 Jul 2007, buried Pearland, TX, d/o  Elijah "Green" Fuller and Leona Smith.

4. Jonah Potter (Jonas in the
1910 Millstone, Letcher,  KY Census) after age 14, buried Reynolds Family Cemetery, Seco, Letcher Co KY. During and after Jonah's birth his Mother Eliza Frances Reynolds Potter was very ill and Jonah was born ill. Jonah never got well and his Mother nearly died after giving birth to him. She remained ill for several months after his birth.

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Eliza Frances Reynolds
and Thomas Davis

Eliza Frances Reynolds b 16 Dec 1877 d 23 Apr 1975, buried Reynolds Cemetery, Seco, KY, d/o William Henry Reynolds and Matilda Frances Baker.   Eliza Frances Reynolds m. 2nd to Thomas Davis. Thanks to Kristie Reynolds for submitting the 1910 Millstone, Letcher,  KY Census excerpt. (I don't know anything about 2nd husband of Eliza Frances Reynolds. Neither Granny, Eliza Frances Reynolds nor our Dad, Creed Flannery Potter or any of the family ever spoke of this man or this marriage).


Joel Martin "Mart" Potter
and Caroline "Callie" Potter

Our Grand father Joel Martin Potter and 2nd wife Callie Potter with unknown child

Joel Martin "Mart" Potter, Callie Potter and Unknown Child

L-R - Essie Potter Hollyfield and Beulah Potter Flannery
L-R: Essie Potter Hollyfield and Beulah Potter Flannery
Jeff Hollyfield and Gladys Potter
Jeff Hollyfield and Gladys Potter
Essie Potter Hollyfield
Essie Potter Hollyfield

Joel Martin "Mart" Potter b 4 Mar 1875 Letcher Co., KY d 20 April 1949; buried Potter Family Cemetery, Payne Gap, KY s/o Abraham Potter and Sarah "Sallie" Wright. Joel Mart Potter married (1) to Eliza Frances Reynolds, d/o William Henry Reynolds and Matilda Francis Baker. Joel Martin "Mart" Potter m. ? to (2) Mary Callie Potter b 14 Nov 1889 d 21 Aug 1958 buried Potter Family Cemetery, Payne Gap, KY, d/o Abraham Potter and Selena Phillips. (thanks to Linda Potter Whitt for finding this information for this family). Visit Family Photo Gallery. Joel Martin "Mart" Potter m. (3) to Leona Smith d/o Hilliard Jackson Smith and Armelda "Melda" Combs. Leona Smith m. (2) to Green Fuller. Leona Smith m. (1) James "Jim" Hale. Eliza Frances Reynolds m. (2) Thomas Davis. Children of Joel Martin "Mart" Potter Mary Callie Potter;

 Essie Potter 1908 married Jeff Hollyfield 1904. Essie was a school teacher. I remember Aunt Essie Hollyfield very well and visited with her from time to time when I (Annette Potter) was a girl. She lived in McRoberts, KY. Picture of Essie Potter. Essie and Jeff are buried in the Potter Family Cemetery, Payne Gap, KY. Picture of Essie and Jeff's tombstone.

 John Potter was the superintendent of schools in Warsaw County, KY near Louisville, KY. John came to our Father's (Creed Flannery Potter) funeral. John had several degrees and also was a teacher.

 Gladys Potter was a school teacher. She taught our brother, Joel Martin "Marty" Potter in Fleming Elementary School. "Marty" spoke of Gladys from time to time and related to us that she was very strict with him in school. He often stated that she really didn't like him when he was age 7 or 8 and that she would often belittle him in front of his school mates.  Picture of Gladys

 Beulah Naomi Potter was a school teacher. Beulah married Sam Chester Flannery (s/o Nathaniel "Hop" Flannery and ?)  According to Sam Michael Flannery, Beulah Naomi Potter was youngest child of Joel Martin "Mart" Potter and Callie Potter. Children of Beulah Naomi Potter and Sam Chester Flannery;

1. Sam Michael Flannery

 Lloyd Potter m. 30 may 1928 to Rachel (Bentley) Ludwick d/o John H Bentley and Mary Mullins. Lloyd Potter was a school teacher.

 Lena Mae Potter m. 14 Sept 1929 Wise Co VA to Dewey G Holbrook b 1906 Letcher Co KY, s/o Jason Lewis Holbrook and America Morgan.

 Sarah Potter was a school teacher.

 Evangeline Ruth Potter Feb 17 1925 - Feb 17 1925 (died as an infant or at birth) Picture of Tombstone of Evangeline.


Leona Smith Fuller
and Joel Martin Potter

Joel Martin Potter and Leona Smith Fuller
Joel Mart Potter and Leona Smith Fuller

Leona Smith Fuller b 1884 d 1966; buried Isom Cemetery, Isom, KY (behind the Presbyterian Church, Isom, KY); d/o Hilliard J Smith and Armelda "Melda" Combs. Leona Smith m. (3) Joel Martin "Mart" Potter b 4 Mar 1875 Letcher Co KY d 20 Apr 1949; buried Potter Family Cemetery, Payne Gap, KY; s/o Abraham Potter and Sarah "Sallie" Wright  Joel Martin "Mart" Potter m. (2) Mary Callie Potter. Joel Martin "Mart" Potter m. (1) Eliza Frances Reynolds. Leona Smith m. (1) James "Jim" Hale. Leona Smith m. (2) Green Fuller. Joel Martin "Mart" Potter and Leona Smith married late in life and had no children from their marriage.

Although Mart is not buried with our Mammaw, Leona Smith, and is buried by his 2nd wife in the Potter Family Cemetery, he was married to our Mammaw, Leona Smith Hale Fuller Potter, when he died. Mart died at home in bed. Mammaw said that he woke up and told her "I think I'll just lay here a while. I don't feel too well this morning."  She went and got breakfast ready and came back to get him up and found him dead. She was devastated.

Mart is buried in the Potter Family Cemetery in Payne Gap KY. Here is a picture of "Mart" Potter's Tombstone. Mart's parents Abraham Potter 1837  and Sarah "Sallie" Wright are also buried in the Potter Family Cemetery near him. Mart's personal possessions were claimed by his children by his 2nd wife after his death. Family stories passed down through the years shed light on some of Mart's personality traits. He was most noted for being very frugal; often turning out the lights to save money. Our Mammaw would laugh and tell a story about him turning out the lights in the middle of supper and leaving everyone in the dark to feel around for their plates and serving dishes. Mammaw and her children always got a big laugh out of him getting up after he had finished his meal and as if he were the only one in the house, he'd turn out the light. Mart was a real character.

Mart served as US Marshall for some time and often came to get our dad, Creed Potter to aid him in arrests. Once when Mart was out to make an arrest, he was shot numerous times and when he went to the nearest house to ask for help, the lady who lived there was so disturbed by all the blood and his injuries that she slammed the door in his face. She eventually helped him, but his appearance was very shocking to her.

Mammaw Leona Fuller was an extraordinary woman. She raised her own food, made clothing for her family and for other families. She made featherbeds and even the ticking that holds the feathers. She was the best cook ever and made huge meals for her large family.

She was the hardest working woman I've ever known and the happiest. Mammaw ran a boarding house where she fed all the workers that built the roads and railroads and that worked in the mines. She did everything she could do to raise her family. She was also a skilled seamstress and made what our mom recalled as very high quality clothing and sold them to people in the area.

The family did their laundry on the banks of a nearby stream where they built fires, heated water for the wash tubs and used home made lye soap to wash the clothes on wash boards. She lived in a log cabin that was up on a hill and behind her house was her garden, her animals (cows, chickens and pigs and such), her fruit trees (I remember climbing up in her cherry tree and eating cherries), her ice cold spring, and her "root cellar" for keeping things cool.

She canned vegetables and fruits and anytime of the year she always had plenty to eat because of all the foods she "put up". One of the best things was her home made butter. I've never found any butter anywhere like hers. Her butter was white, very mild, sweet and very delicious.  She served it with her home made biscuits or cornbread at every meal. That was good eating!

She entertained us by telling us great scary stories, family stories, reading coffee grounds in the bottom of teacups, mysteriously raising knocking spirits and by singing and playing music on her hand made dulcimer. I loved her very much and there's not another like her.  When we were at her home, we would sit out on the big front porch in the good country air, watch the lightening bugs, and listen to stories and tales while the night sounds of the beautiful mountains enveloped us.

She didn't have an indoor bathroom for many years, but we never noticed the difference. When we were at her home, we loved every minute of it. She was a great woman and I can't tell you how much we miss her. Mart Potter died in 1949 and Mammaw died in 1966. Mammaw is buried in the Isom Cemetery, Isom, KY.  See Mammaw's Tombstone in Isom, KY behind the Presbyterian Church.

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