Platt Potter, jurist, was born in Galway, New York, April 6, 1800, son of Restcome and Lucinda (Strong) Potter. After acquiring a rudimentary education in the common schools of his neighborhood, he entered the Schenectady Academy, graduating therefrom in 1820, after which he studied law under the preceptorship of Alonzo C. Paige. He was admitted to the bar in 1824, and practiced his profession in Minorville, New York, from 1824 to 1833, and in 1834 was engaged in practice in Schenectady with Alonzo C. Paige, his preceptor. Aside from the practice of his profession, he filled satisfactorily various offices of public trust, serving as master and examiner in chancery from 1828 to 1847; as member of the assembly from Montgomery and Hamilton counties in 1830; as district attorney of Schenectady county from 1839 to 1847; as justice of the supreme court of New York and of the court of appeals from 1857 to 1865, re-elected in the latter named year, and in 1870 caused the arrest of Henry Ray, a member of the New York assembly, for ignoring his court summons, and in consequence was himself tried for "high breach of privilege," but was vindicated on his own argument.
He was one of the trustees of Union College from 1865 to 1885, receiving the degree of LL. D. from there in 1867; was president of the state judicial convention in Rochester, New York, in 1870, and served as president of the Mohawk National Bank at Schenectady for several years. In 1886 he presented the New York Historical Society with six volumes of the "State Trials of England," published in 1742, and of great value, being originally the property of Sir William Johnson, Bart. He was the author of: "Potter's Dwarris," 1871; "Equity Jurisprudence," compiled and enlarged from the work of John Willard, 1875; "Potter on Corporations," 1879, and several pamphlets. His death occurred in Schenectady, New York, August 11, 1891. Mr. Potter married, in 1836, Antoinette, daughter of the Rev. Winslow Paige, D. D.