The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-26

change for the better, and hope was re-
yived that he might recover from his
sinking condition, but that hope was soon
abandoned. Respiration became weaker
and weaker, and at the hour named above
the life of him who had strlven against
fate so long, exhibiting most remarkas
BILE degree of courage, and indomitable
will power, went out as calmly as the sun
sinks TO rest below the horizon. Al
though it was known that Mr.. Potter was
very weak, the end came sooner than was
expected. Only the day before he had
been out riding. as had been his practice
on ordinarily fair days for several weeks.
On Friday he remarked to gentleman
whom he met that he was feeling partic-
ularly well for him. He remained out
little longer than usual and was in excel>
lent spirits. The immediate' cause of
death was thought to have been anaemla,
a rush of blood from the brain.
THE DISEASE
from which Mr.. Potter suffered, DR.. Cald.
well, his physician, said, was cancer of
the stomach, and in this opinion several
other physicians, among whom was an
eminent practitioner of Chicago, con-
CURED, and what surprised them all was
that he lived so long, he having first been
taken seriously i'll in October, 1888. In
spite of all that medical skill could do he
continued to fail; his body wasted away
to mere shadow.
He was In very critical condition in
the winter of 1SS3>S4, but rallied with
the approach of spring, and during the
summer and early fall had been able to
attend to his usual avocations. When
winter set in he suffered relapse and
continued to fail steadily until, about the
middle of February, he was at deaths
door for several days. When his vital
powers were apparently at their lowest
ebb, another change occurred and he
again rallied. He appeared to improve
during the spring and little over two
weeks ago became able to ride out. From
these favorable indications his friends
hoped and believed that the experience of
the previous year would be repeated and
that in the course of month or two he
would again be able to personally super
wise his affairs.
During his entire illness, up to the very
last day, his active mind was as vigorous
as ever and not one whit of his ambition
and indomitable resolution was abated.
He exercised nearly constant supervi>
sion of his affairs and up to the very day
of his death he was occupied with plans
for the future. In fact, his fortitude un-
der the intense suffering and the hopefuls
ness with which he nearly always regards
ed his condition were truly remarkable
and ELECTED the wonder and admiration of
all who were brought into contact with
him.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
John W. Potter was born at Skibbe..
reen. county of Cork, Ireland, and was in
his tifty-third year He was a practical
printer. having served an apprenticeship
at the trade in large book publishing
house in London. Having completed his
time, " while quite young man, he babe
adieu to his boyhood scenes and sailed
for the United States. Reaching the
western hemisphere he set out to find en-
ployment as printer. which he did with
out difficulty in the cities of Baltimore,
and Buffalo, N. Y At Buffalo he lived
several years, being,employed in the Courier
and Express offices.
There on Sept. 16, 1856, he was mar
ried to Miss Josephine Ryan, a sister of
Thomas Ryan, Mrs. o. B. Potter and
Mrs F. ]. Middleditch. no W all of Free
port. Not long afterward Mr.. Potter re-
turned to his old home in the Emerald
Isle, where he remained for seven years.
Soon after reaching Ireland again, the
subject of this sketch, in company with
his father and brother Frederick, who is
now the only one of the Potter brothers
living, founded the Cork Eagle, which is
at present one of the largest papers on the
island, and is still published by the latter.
Having become pretty thoroughly Ameri>
caniZed during his previous residence, Mr.
Potter longed to breathe the free air of the
United States, and with his family set sail
for this country in the latter part of April;
1865.
They lived at Buffalo for time and in
the fall of 1866, moved to Freeport. Mr..
Potter found employment as a printer
here for couple of years In what was
then the Northwest Office, on the south>
west corner of Chicago and Exchange
streets. From Froeport he went to St.
Louis and was for some time foreman in
the composing room of the St. Louis
Times Office. Later on he spent some time
at Springfield, Missouri, and later still, in
April, 1871, he established the Bolivar
Herald, in southwestern Missouri, and
edited it for several years. The paper is
still prosperous and one of the leading
journals of that section.
HIS CONNECTION WITH THE BULLETIN.
In January. 1878. Mr.. Potter and c. G.
Shuler. a lawyer, now of Grundy Center,
Iowa, bought the Freeport Bulletin and
the partnership thus formed continued
until the latter part of October, 1874,
when Mr.. Shulers interest was purchased
and Mr.. Potter became the sole editor and
proprietor of the Bulletin, and so contin>
ued ever since. The Bolivar Herald had
been sold in the spring of 1873, after he
had come to Freeport. As Freeport grew
there was field here for greater news
paper enterprise and in September, 1877,
Mr.. Potter met the requirements of the
case and issued the first Daily BaoLEetin,
the demand for which has continued to
increase year after year.
THE ARGUS PURCHASED.
In July, 1882, the Rock Island ARGUS
was offered for sale, and Mr.. Potter
bought it, considering Rock Island good
field for journalistic enterprise.
In politics Mr.. Potter was a sincere
democrat. Indeed, with his convictions
and modes of thought it was impossible
that he could be otherwise. He believed
in the greatest possible amount rof indi.
vidual liberty consistent with the preser>
walton of order and the rights of all, and
one of his strongest ayersions was to,
wards the interference of government
with the personal habits or tastes of its
subjects.
In 1880 Mr.. Potter had the honor to be
delegate to the national democratic
convention at Cincinnati, when General