Texas Legislators: Past & Present

Mark Milton Potter

Full Name: Mark Milton Potter
Birth date: May 2, 1819
Death date: October 18, 1863

Terms of Service

House, 9th ⁽²⁾ Legislature
11/4/1861 - 10/18/1863
Senate, 8th ⁽¹²⁾ Legislature
11/7/1859 - 11/4/1861
Senate, 7th ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁹⁾ ⁽¹⁴⁾ Legislature
11/2/1857 - 11/7/1859
Senate, 6th ⁽¹¹⁾ ⁽¹³⁾ & 5th ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁸⁾ Legislatures
11/8/1853 - 11/2/1857
Senate, 4th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽¹⁰⁾ Legislature
1/12/1853 - 11/7/1853
House, 2nd ⁽⁷⁾ Legislature
12/13/1847 - 11/5/1849

(1) 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.
(2) Potter died 10/18/1863. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(3) 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.
(4) Listed in "New Senators elected: Democrats." 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) .
(5) 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) .
(6) 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) .
(7) 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) .
(8) 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 .
(9) 7th Legislature - Roll of Senators elected since the last adjournment called by Districts, oath of office administered, 11/2/1857, p. 1. Senate Journal .
(10) 4th Legislature, 1st C.S. - Oath of office, 1/12/1853, p. 5. Senate Journal .
(11) 6th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll of Senators (holdover Senator), 11/5/1855, p. 4. Senate Journal .
(12) 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 .
(13) 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.
(14) 7th Legislature - Listed in "large cadre of returning senators," p. 276. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861 1990.

Biographical Notes and Resources

Resolutions and Journal entries

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 .

Photographs

Photograph. Mark Milton Potter, Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature

Other Resources

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 .
POTTER, MARK MILTON (1819-1863). Death date 10/10/1863. Handbook of Texas Online .
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.