March 3, 1843, Senator Robert Potter, a signer of the Texas Declaration
of Independence and first secretary of the Navy of the Republic, was
murdered at his home on Caddo Lake.
He was born in Gainesville, North Carolina, in 1800. Served in the U. S.
Navy from 1815 to 1817, then he returned home and studied law and in
1826 he moved to Halifax and practiced law. He served in the legislature
in North Carolina; was elected to the House of Representatives of the
21st United States Congress as a Jackson Democrat. His course was
brilliant and improving.
His brilliancy, connected with the fact that he had been a midshipman,
led to his appointment in the Cabinet of President Burnett as the first
secretary of the Navy of the Republic. He was expelled from the House of
Representatives of the Legislature of North Carolina for cheating at
cards.
Potter later moved to a place twenty-five miles northeast of Jefferson,
Texas, now known as Potter’s Point.
A feud arose between Potter and a Captain William Pickney Rose, who was
known as the “Lion of the Lakes.” The feud arising from the claims that
Potter had prevailed upon President Lamar to offer a reward for Rose.
The widow of Rose’s brother settled on a league of land claimed by
Potter. This was intensified when Rose espoused the candidacy of John B.
Denton, who was defeated for a seat in the Senate by Potter.
Potter, who lived on a bluff overlooking Caddo Lake organized a posse of
about twenty-five men, surrounded the home of Rose with the intention of
capturing, chastising and probably killing Rose.
Rose was near by with some slaves clearing a woodland and when he saw
Potter’s men, he lay upon the ground while one of his slaves, “Uncle
Jerry,” piled brush over him and effectually concealed him from view.
Foiled in their purpose, the posse returned and were followed, at a safe
distance, by Preston Rose, a son of Captain Rose, who saw them disband;
most of them going to Smithland, while nine went with Potter to his
home. That night Rose secured “warrant for trespass” against Potter.
This was placed in the hands of a Constable, who summoned a posse,
consisting of Rose, Preston Rose, J. W. Scott and thirteen others to
execute the warrant, as if a warrant for trespass required “the body to
be taken.” They reached Potter’s home at midnight and surrounded it. At
daybreak the bodyguard of Potter began to reconnoiter the premises, when
Hesekiah George came suddenly upon Captain Rose. Upon being commanded to
surrender he turned for flight and gave the alarm. Rose fired both
barrels of his shotgun at him and although he survived the wounds he was
ever afterwards known as “Old Rose’s Lead Mine.” Potter became alarmed
and ran about a hundred yards to the lake. Being an excellent diver, he
plunged into the water and disappeared from sight, but when he came up
for air, John W. Scott killed him. He was buried on Potter’s Point.