BIOGRAPHIES

Source:
History of Berks County, Pennsylvania
 in the Revolution from 1774 to 1783,
by Morton L. Montgomery,
Vols. I & II,
publ. Reading, PA: Chas. F. Haage, Printer, Seventh and Court Streets,
1894

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JOHN A. PATTON.  In the transfer of real estate in Berks County, John Patton is described as residing at Reading in 1764, and in 1782.  In the campaign beginning with the Battle of Long Island, he commanded a regiment, but the only mention of it was found in connection with the march of the company of Capt. John Lesher from Womelsdorf by way of Kutztown and the East Penn Valley, to Perth Amboy in 1776.  The regimental officers were from Tulpehocken and Heidelberg townships.      In 1774, John Patton was assessed in Heidelberg township.  By the amount of the assessment, he was evidently a rich property owner.  He was married to the widow of William Bird, and was interested in the manufacture of iron.  By the Colonial Records, it appears that he supplied the Continental Army with cannon balls.      He officiated as a Judge of the county courts from 1770 to 1777, excepting 1776, when he was absent in the Long Island campaign; and he represented the county in the General Assembly for the years 1780 and 1782.      I think he came from Philadelphia and was an elderly man at the time, judging from his marriage to the widow of William Bird, but where he went to after 1782. I have not been able to ascertain.      A Col. John Patton is mentioned in the Pennsylvania Archives, but from the sketch given there it would seem that he was a different man from the John Patton who lived in Berks County. Source:  History of Berks County, Pennsylvania in the Revolution from 1774 to 1783, by Morton L. Montgomery, Vols. I & II, publ. Reading, PA: Chas. F. Haage, Printer, Seventh and Court Streets, 1894 - Page 262

Jon'n Potts

JONATHAN POTTS was born in the lower part of Berks County, Apr. 11, 1745.  After obtaining a good education at Ephrata and Philadelphia, he went to Edinburg, 1766.  He was accompanied by Benjamin Rush.  They carried letters of introduction from Benjamin Franklin.  Potts returned in 1767, and graduated at the Medical Institute of Philadelphia, at its first commencement in 1768.  He delivered the valedictory oration, and was highly complimented.  He began the practice of medicine at Reading and became a noted practitioner.  He wrote an article on "Utility of Vaccination" in 1771, which was published in Pennsylvania Staatsbote.  He mentioned the time small-pox visited Reading, and that 106 children died - one in three who had the disease.      He exhibited great patriotism during the Revolution, and represented Berks County at Philadelphia on several important occasions during 1776 and 1776.  In the beginning, he was Secretary of the Committee on Correspondence, and after the movement in behalf of the Revolution was thoroughly started, he became prominently identified with the surgical department of the army.  In June, 1776, he was appointed Surgeon for the Continental Army in Canada and at Lake George.  In December, 1776, he was stationed at Philadelphia, and in April, 1777, at Albany.  While there, he was Director-General of the hospitals of the Northern Department.  Through his zeal in public service, he was prostrated by illness.  He died at Reading in Oct., 1781, and left to survive  him a widow and five children:  three sons, Benjamin, Francis and Edward; and two daughters, Mary and Deborah.  He was a brother of Samuel Potts, Esq., of Pottsgrove, Montgomery County. Source:  History of Berks County, Pennsylvania in the Revolution from 1774 to 1783, by Morton L. Montgomery, Vols. I & II, publ. Reading, PA: Chas. F. Haage, Printer, Seventh and Court Streets, 1894 - Page 263