Close up of the cover of Richard Potter, America’s First Black Celebrity, a biography of an African American who resided in Andover in the early 1800’s.If you did not grow up in Andover, or maybe if you did, you might wonder why the northern section of Andover, with the historic railway station, is referred to as Potter Place. It is not unusual for small towns to have names for various parts of town. In my hometown of Marlborough, NH we had “Finn Town,” where the quarry workers from Finland lived, “Little Canada” over towards Keene where the people who immigrated from Quebec lived and at least one other I remember my father referring to over the years. Potter Place, however, has a very unique and interesting origin, which is detailed in a new biography written by Andover resident John Hodgson, entitled Richard Potter, America’s First Black Celebrity.

Hodgson, a retired Dean of Forbes College at Princeton, first heard about Richard Potter over 40 years ago, when spending time with his wife’s parents at their home at the Ragged Mountain Fish and Game Club. His interest was piqued, and over the years whenever he could find time he would do research on Potter.

Why was he interested in Potter? There are several things that make Potter a very interesting subject. First of all, Potter was the son of an African American woman (who was a slave), which would make him an unlikely resident of Andover in the early 1800’s. Second, Potter was a showman who became, according to Hodgson, “the most famous performer of his time.” The third aspect that intrigued Hodgson was that Potter was one of the very first to learn the art of ventriloquism, which was just being developed when Potter was a young man.

Researching Potter was not an easy task. Some details were found in the town records, old newspapers and other sources, but much of that information turned out to be incorrect. Sifting through what information was available to find the facts was a challenge.

So how did Potter end up in Andover? Potter grew up on an estate in Massachusetts and as a young man found employ in the Samuel Dillaway family on the waterfront in Boston. He traveled to Europe with family members and began apprenticing with a tightrope walker there. He then returned and began performing in Boston and throughout New England. He went on to New York City and then throughout the entire country.

Potter had become acquainted with an Andover native, Benjamin Thompson, Jr., who became his assistant, accompanying him on his extensive travels as a performer. It was through Thompson that Potter purchased property in Andover and built a home near where the Potter Place Train Station is today. In fact, Potter and his wife were both buried on their property. When the railroad bed was laid, the graves were relocated to their present location near the tracks.

Built around 1814, the house that Potter built was not a typical Andover home. It had windows that had festooned blind arches above them and other architectural features that were more typical of homes in a large city. The second floor was open and was used for rehearsing acts for the show and probably for gatherings of friends and those involved with the show. Over the years, Potter bought more land and established a sort of gentleman’s farm.

Potter hired on workers to run the farm and the home. Hodgson feels that the home was a statement about Richard Potter and his status. The farm was probably reminiscent of his early life in Massachusetts, only this time he was the master of the farm.

Not much is known about how the Potters interacted with the folks in Andover. There are some records of an event involving Potter’s daughter and a local tavern owner. The legal proceedings seemed to be more concerned with the morality of the perpetrator and showed little concern for the victim. It appears that the Potters kept to themselves, mostly. Hodgson’s research indicates that Potter was a very ingratiating person and had a very personable manner. Benjamin Thompson, his assistant was the outspoken front man and Potter was the gracious performer who could charm his audience.

One of the things that sets Richard Potter apart from other celebrities of his time is that he traveled extensively, taking his show all over the United States. In 1819 Potter took his show on the road, travelling throughout the entire country. He did not return to Andover until 1823.  With the difficulties of travel, people did not go very far in those days. While newspapers might make people aware of famous people, only those living relatively close to them had an opportunity to see them. Richard Potter became the most famous entertainer of his time because of his abilities as a showman, and because he was seen by more people than any other famous person of his time.

Without Hodgson’s efforts, the story of Richard Potter and how remarkable he was would likely be lost. It is the remarkable story of an African American who not only became extremely successful during the heyday of slavery, but became the most famous entertainer of his day. And, on top of that he was a pioneer of the art of ventriloquism.

Hodgson worked on the project during summer breaks and whenever he could until his retirement a few years ago. Since then he has been able to put an earnest effort into the research and writing, culminating in a 318 page book that has been published by the University of Virginia Press.  

Hodgson has written other books during his time as a professor of English Literature. He is the author of books on Wordsworth and Shelley, and the editor of Sherlock Holmes: The Major Stories with Contemporary Essays. A summer visitor to Andover since 1969, he and his wife, Sooze, became full time residents in 2014.

The Andover Historical Society will be holding a special meet and greet with John Hodgson on March 18 at the Stone Chapel at Proctor Academy. Hodgson will talk about researching and writing the book and will present an illustrated summary of Potter’s life. Copies of the book will be available for sale with the proceeds going to the society. The event is open to the public at no charge.

Hodgson will be making a presentation on Richard Potter in Portsmouth on March 4, sponsored by the Black Heritage Trail of NH. This will be in conjunction with a performance by Bob Olson, a regional magician and performer who presents a show based on the magic of Richard Potter.

The Black Heritage Trail of NH is planning to place a marker and designate the Potter’s gravesite in Potter Place as an official “Site” on the Black Heritage Trail of NH.  

Richard Potter, America’s First Black Celebrity can be purchased from University of Virginia Press by visiting www.upress.virginia.edu/5105. It is also available through Amazon. Copies will also be available at the Andover Public and Batchelder Libraries.