Legislative library home page
Legislative Reference Library of Texas
your partner in legislative research
Legislative Reference Library of Texas
your partner in legislative research
Mark Milton Potter

Mark Milton Potter

Full Name: Mark Milton Potter
Date of birth: May 2, 1819
Date of death: October 18, 1863

Terms of Service

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
H 34 Nov 4, 1861 - Oct 18, 1863 9th (1)     Galveston / Galveston   Galveston
S 17 Nov 7, 1859 - Nov 4, 1861 8th (2)     Galveston / Galveston   Galveston
S 17 Nov 2, 1857 - Nov 7, 1859 7th (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)     Galveston / Galveston   Galveston
S 17 Nov 8, 1853 - Nov 2, 1857 6th (8) (9)   5th (10) (11) (12)     Galveston / Galveston   Galveston
S 18 Jan 12, 1853 - Nov 7, 1853 4th (13) (14) (15)     Galveston / Galveston   Brazoria, Galveston
H Galveston Dec 13, 1847 - Nov 5, 1849 2nd (16)     Galveston / Galveston   Galveston

Terms of service footnotes


(1) Potter died 10/18/1863. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005. ↩
(2) 8th Legislature, Regular Session - Not present at the organization of the Senate. First mentioned in appointments to Senate committees, 11/9/1859, p. 10. Senate Journal. ↩
(3) Members of the Seventh Legislature, Biographical Notes - Members, April 1937 issue. Southern Historical Research Magazine, 1937. ↩
(4) 7th Legislature - "Members of Legislature elect," The Southern Intelligencer (Austin, Texas), 8/12/1857, p. 3, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩
(5) Listed in "New Senators elected: Democrats." Roster of 7th Legislature, "Texas Legislature Complete for 1857-8," Civilian and Gazette. Weekly. (Galveston, Texas), 9/8/1857, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩
(6) 7th Legislature - Roll of Senators elected since the last adjournment called by Districts, oath of office administered, 11/2/1857, p. 1. Senate Journal. ↩
(7) 7th Legislature - Listed in "large cadre of returning senators," p. 276. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990. ↩
(8) 6th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll of Senators (holdover Senator), 11/5/1855, p. 4. Senate Journal. ↩
(9) 6th Legislature - Listed in the "19 members of the Senate [who] retained their seats from the 5th Legislature," p. 258. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990. ↩
(10) Democrat - Listed as delegate to Democratic State Convention in Austin, 1/9/1854. Tri-Weekly State Times (Austin, Texas), 1/17/1854, p. 1, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩
(11) Roster of members elect of the 5th Legislature, state elections, 1853. Texas State Gazette (Austin, Texas), 8/20/1853, p. 3, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩
(12) 5th Legislature - Senators elect M.M. Potter, Isaac L. Hill, William T. Scott, and James H. Durst "came forward, presented their credentials, were qualified and took their seats," 11/8/1853, p. 6. Senate Journal. ↩
(13) Entire Senate went up for reelection due to Senatorial redistricting. Act passed Feb. 2, 1853, 4th Legislature, 1st C.S., ch. 4, Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950, 1950. ↩
(14) Mark Potter, sworn 1/12/1853, succeeded Franklin H. Merriman, resigned 8/31/1852. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005. ↩
(15) 4th Legislature, 1st C.S. - Oath of office, 1/12/1853, p. 5. Senate Journal. ↩
(16) Roster of members of the 2nd Legislature, The Texas Democrat (Austin, Texas), 12/15/1847, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩

Terms of Service

Legislatures:
9th (1)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district:
Galveston

Legislatures:
8th (2)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district:
Galveston

Legislatures:
7th (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district:
Galveston

Legislatures:
6th (8) (9)   5th (10) (11) (12)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district:
Galveston

Legislatures:
4th (13) (14) (15)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district:
Brazoria, Galveston

Legislatures:
2nd (16)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district:
Galveston

Terms of service notes


(1) Potter died 10/18/1863. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005. ↩
(2) 8th Legislature, Regular Session - Not present at the organization of the Senate. First mentioned in appointments to Senate committees, 11/9/1859, p. 10. Senate Journal. ↩
(3) Members of the Seventh Legislature, Biographical Notes - Members, April 1937 issue. Southern Historical Research Magazine, 1937. ↩
(4) 7th Legislature - "Members of Legislature elect," The Southern Intelligencer (Austin, Texas), 8/12/1857, p. 3, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩
(5) Listed in "New Senators elected: Democrats." Roster of 7th Legislature, "Texas Legislature Complete for 1857-8," Civilian and Gazette. Weekly. (Galveston, Texas), 9/8/1857, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩
(6) 7th Legislature - Roll of Senators elected since the last adjournment called by Districts, oath of office administered, 11/2/1857, p. 1. Senate Journal. ↩
(7) 7th Legislature - Listed in "large cadre of returning senators," p. 276. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990. ↩
(8) 6th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll of Senators (holdover Senator), 11/5/1855, p. 4. Senate Journal. ↩
(9) 6th Legislature - Listed in the "19 members of the Senate [who] retained their seats from the 5th Legislature," p. 258. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990. ↩
(10) Democrat - Listed as delegate to Democratic State Convention in Austin, 1/9/1854. Tri-Weekly State Times (Austin, Texas), 1/17/1854, p. 1, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩
(11) Roster of members elect of the 5th Legislature, state elections, 1853. Texas State Gazette (Austin, Texas), 8/20/1853, p. 3, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩
(12) 5th Legislature - Senators elect M.M. Potter, Isaac L. Hill, William T. Scott, and James H. Durst "came forward, presented their credentials, were qualified and took their seats," 11/8/1853, p. 6. Senate Journal. ↩
(13) Entire Senate went up for reelection due to Senatorial redistricting. Act passed Feb. 2, 1853, 4th Legislature, 1st C.S., ch. 4, Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950, 1950. ↩
(14) Mark Potter, sworn 1/12/1853, succeeded Franklin H. Merriman, resigned 8/31/1852. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005. ↩
(15) 4th Legislature, 1st C.S. - Oath of office, 1/12/1853, p. 5. Senate Journal. ↩
(16) Roster of members of the 2nd Legislature, The Texas Democrat (Austin, Texas), 12/15/1847, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). ↩

Biographical Information

  • 5th Legislature - Roll of Members, Milton M. Potter, age 34, native state Connecticut, emigrated in 1840 from New York, lawyer, postoffice Galveston, Galveston County. House Journal.

  • Mark Milton Potter, birth date 5/2/1819 in Connecticut, death date 10/18/1863, burial in Old City Cemetery, Galveston, Galveston County. BillionGraves.
  • Obituary, Hon. M.M. Potter, 10/28/1863, p. 1. "We noticed in our edition of yesterday morning the death of Hon. M.M. Potter, of Galveston. . .," Potter died "Sunday morning the 18th instant" (10/18/1863). Galveston Weekly News.
  • Mentioned in Ralph A. Wooster, "Membership in the Early Texas Legislatures, 1850-1860," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 69, Number 2. October 1965, pp. 163-173, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
  • Biographical note, p. 244 - attorney, born in Connecticut. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990.

Committee Information

Senate Committees

Joint Committees

Senate Committees

Senate Committees

House Committees

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.