Matthew Potan

Matthew Potan probably was born before 1750. He later stated that he had emigrated from Brest in 1776.

His wife's name was Mary. The marriage may have been childless.

He served in the Revolutionary army and was identified as an ensign in the third regiment of the Continenal Line. In 1780, he was called a lieutenant in Colonel John Harpur's regiment of Levies. In July 1782, his service was noted in a report submitted to the Confederation Congress.

In October 1781, he was in Albany and took exception to being branded an "alien" and barred from voting. At that time, he stated that he was born in Brest and came to New York in October 1776. He was not naturalized and thus was deprived of a vote. However, he later received a land bounty right in association with the Albany militia regiment.

In 1779, his second ward property was valued on two assessment rolls. In 1788, his house and lot were located in the first ward. However, by 1790, his name no longer appeared on Albany rolls.

Matthew Potan filed a will in May 1794. It stated that he was "late of Albany" and "presently living in New York." It named his wife as executor and sole beneficiary "of all my lands, tenements, and hereditaments within New York State or elsewhere, also the remainder of my personal estate "once debts had been paid. The will passed probate on June 19.

Sources: The life of Matthew Potan has not yet been assigned a CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.