John Potts (American frontiersman)

John Potts (born about 1776 in Dillenburg[1] † 1809 at the banks of the Jefferson River) was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.[2]

Subsequent to the Expedition, Potts frequently teamed up with John Colter, another former Expedition member, to explore Montana. In 1808, he and Potts were both injured fighting the Blackfoot tribe as they led a party of the Crow Tribe to Fort Raymond. In 1809, another altercation with the Blackfoot resulted in John Potts' death and Colter's capture. While going by canoe up the Jefferson River, Potts and Colter encountered several hundred Blackfoot who demanded they come ashore. Colter went ashore and was disarmed and stripped naked. When Potts then refused to come ashore he was hit by an arrow and wounded. Potts in his turn shot one of the Blackfoot and died riddled with arrows fired from the shore. His body was brought ashore and hacked to pieces.[2]

A rock on the Martian Endeavour Crater was named for Potts.[3]

References
  1. "The Men of the Lewis & Clark Expedition". Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  2. "John Potts". lewis-clark.org. 11 April 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  3. "Mars Rover Opportunity at Rock Abrasion Target 'Potts'". jpl.nasa.gov. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2021. "Private John Potts." … The target's informal name refers to a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition's Corps of Discovery.
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