The John Fox Potter Papers include letters, certificates of appointment, business papers, and an expense and cash book of the late famous Congressman from Wisconsin, popularly known as “Bowie Knife” Potter. These papers have been filed in 5 manuscript boxes, and range in date from 1767-1925. An index to significant correspondence is in a catalog drawer in the Archives Research Room.
Although a diploma from Yale College granted to D. Isaian Potter in 1767 and letters dated 1810, 1816, and 1838 are in the collection, the main interest is centered around the years when Potter was a member of the State Legislature and later Congressman from the First District. In 1856 he was one of a committee to investigate charges of bribery against State officials. He almost got himself involved in the biggest case uncovered by the investigation, the La Crosse Railroad Company affair, but was cleared, although many of his colleagues were not so lucky. Governor Choles Bashford, for example, who in a letter of October 3, 1856, had warned Potter of the corruption in the railroad grants, was found guilty of having received $50,000.
The years 1857-1863 contain many items of interest. Potter's advice and support were sought by many people and about many issues. At an early date he took a decided stand against slavery and was interested in the Kansas question. His brother Edward, too, was interested in this matter and letters were exchanged between them. As an orator and fighter, Potter was much in evidence, preferring to be in the thick of the fight rather than on the side lines. On one occasion he plunged in and grabbed the hair of his opponent (Representative William Barksdale of Mississippi), amazed to find he had taken the wig the man was wearing so he was accused of “scalping” Barksdale. Much merriment resulted from this episode and many of his friends and colleagues, including Governor Randall, wrote congratulatory letters about the “scalping” asking why he did not tomahawk him as well.
The high point of the Civil War preliminaries came in the spring of 1860 when Potter was challenged by Roger Pryor, a Southern gentleman, to fight a duel. Since he had never fought with pistols and his opponent was skilled in the art, Potter knew he would be killed; but he also knew that the rules of dueling gave the person challenged the right to select the weapons used. He chose bowie knives and accepted the challenge. The Southerner refused to fight on the grounds that the weapons were “too vulgar” and he became the laughing stock of the country. The original challenge note dated April 12, 1860 and the later replies are to be found in the collection. The congratulatory letters in connection with this matter lead one to think that “Bowie Knife” Potter did much toward ending dueling in this country.
During the troublesome years before the Civil War many letters containing names of people employed in government service who were supposedly disloyal to the North were sent to Mr. Potter. The question of the Postmastership of Milwaukee was of great importance in Wisconsin at that time as well as other political positions. In 1864, after he was defeated in the last election, Potter was appointed Consul General by Abraham Lincoln, a post which he held for three years.
Although mentioned for other positions including Commissioner of Indian Affairs and United States Senator in 1868, he was no longer anxious to be connected with politics but returned to his home in East Troy where he operated his farm and continued the practice of law.
