James C. Potter was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 engineer, inventor, businessman and civic leader in Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...

. A native of Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, he was schooled at the Mechanics' Institutes

Mechanics' Institutes

Historically, Mechanics' Institutes were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working men...

 in Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

 and was also a member of the 5th Battalion of the Royal Rifles

King's Royal Rifle Corps

The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...

. Potter came to the United States in 1874 and later became a citizen on October 31, 1892.

Potter, also known as J.C. Potter, thrived in Pawtucket, helping to found two successful companies. In 1887 he started the Potter and Atherton Machine Company in Pawtucket. In 1893 he organized and was later President of the Howard & Bullough American Machine Company., also in Pawtucket, which went on to employ up to 1000 people.

Also a successful inventor, Potter was granted several patents, including a Stripping Mechanism for Carding-Machines (filed Feb 27, 1885), the Turret Lathe (filed March 27, 1905) and the Automatic Turret Lathe (filed Mar 11, 1919).

In 1879 he was married in Baltimore, Md., to Charlotte Holland and had six children: Wallace and Clara born in Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...

, and Charlotte, Elizabeth, James and Mary born in Pawtucket.

In 1917, Potter served as the chairman of the Pawtucket Park Commission.

Numerous buildings in Pawtucket are named after Potter, including the Potter-Burns Elementary School (formerly J.C. Potter Elementary), and the Potter Casino building in Slater Park

Slater Park

Slater Park is the oldest and largest public park in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The park is named after Samuel Slater, a famous American industrialist who constructed America's first water-powered mill in Pawtucket. The park lies on the banks of the beautiful Ten Mile River and features the 1685...

.