Grace Potter

Birth Name: Grace Evelyn Potter

Place of Birth: Randolph, Vermont, United States

Date of Birth: June 20, 1983

Ethnicity: Dutch, English, French, Irish, German, Scots-Irish (Northern Irish), Scottish, Swiss-German, Welsh, as well as distant Belgian (Walloon), Cornish, Danish, Mohawk Native American, Norwegian, and Swedish

Grace Potter is an American musician and actress. She best known as the frontwoman of the American rock band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

Her father, Richard Lynn Potter, was born in Hartford, Connecticut. Her mother, Margaret Ellen (Sparks), was born in Summit, New Jersey.

Grace’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her fourth great-grandfather, Nicolaus Pötter.

Grace’s paternal grandfather was Hobart Lee Potter, Jr. (the son of Hobart Lee Potter, Sr. and Lenna Lucille Robertson). Grace’s great-grandfather Hobart was the son of John H. Potter and English immigrant Jennie M. Studley, of Somerset. Lenna was the daughter of Charles George “Charley” Robertson and Mary Effie Garroutte.

Grace’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth M. “Betty” Willsey (the daughter of Warren Gilbert Willsey and Charlotte Willcox). Warren was the son of Leon Julius Willsey and Alta Amelia Smith. Charlotte was the daughter of Lynn Dee Wilcox and May Velma Newell.

Grace’s maternal grandfather was Morgan Sparks (the son of Harry Lysinger Sparks and Sophia Pearl Morgan). Morgan was an American scientist and engineer, who helped develop the microwatt bipolar junction transistor in 1951, which was a critical step in making transistors usable for every-day electronics. Harry was the son John Ecker Naill Sparks and Anna Elizabeth Barber. Sophia was the daughter of Josiah Turner Morgan and Anna Eliza Alger.

Grace’s maternal grandmother was Rae Elizabeth “Bette” MacEvoy (the daughter of Warren Joseph MacEvoy and Nellie Rae Smith). Warren was the son of John Thadeus MacEvoy and Viola Adaline van Houten. Grace’s great-grandmother Nellie Rae was the daughter of James Davies Smith and Elizabeth Tonks.

Grace’s matrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her fourth great-grandmother, Sarah Botterill (c. 1802, Birmingham, England – November 6, 1866, Birmingham, England).

Sources: Grace’s birth record – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Grace’s parents – https://familysearch.org

Grace’s paternal great-grandfather, Hobart Lee Potter, Sr., on the 1940 United States census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Grace’s paternal grandmother, Elizabeth M. (Willsey) Potter – http://www.legacy.com

Grace’s maternal grandmother, Rae Elizabeth MacEvoy, on the 1930 United States census – https://familysearch.org

Baptismal record of Grace’s maternal great-grandfather, Warren Joseph MacEvoy – https://familysearch.org

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