A Guide to the Reuben Marmaduke Potter Papers, 1825-1887.

Biographical Note

Born in New Jersey, Reuben Marmaduke Potter (1802-1890) was a solider, author, and customs officer. His long, varied military career in the Texas Army spanned from 1827, when he was captured in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, during the Texas Revolution, until his retirement on June 30, 1882. During his service, Potter was secretary to Maj. Gen. Thomas S. Jessup and interpreter for José Antonio Navarro during the first Texas State Senate; captured by Confederate forces in San Antonio in 1861, and appointed captain in 1866. Potter extensively published poems and articles that often dealt with Texas history and was considered an expert on the history of the Alamo.

Sources:

Bowen, Beryl V.Potter, Reuben Marmaduke. Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed Feb. 21, 2011. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fpo30.

Return to the Table of Contents

Scope and Contents

The Reuben Marmaduke Potter Papers, 1825-1887, contain Potter’s 1836 reminiscences of his capture in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico; his book of poems, The Vision of Charles XI and Other Poems written between 1825 and 1884; and a scrapbook containing newspaper clippings and other personal memorabilia. His papers also contain correspondence, including one letter to Swante Palm.

Return to the Table of Contents

Return to the Table of Contents

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Reuben Marmaduke Potter Papers,1825-1887. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s “History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project,” 2009-2011.

Return to the Table of Contents

Detailed Description of the Papers

Return to the Table of Contents