Gilbert Potter

The name Gilbert Potter in Huntington, New York refers to an important 18th-century local figure—Dr. Gilbert Potter (1725–1786)—who played a significant role in the community before and during the American Revolution.

Who he was

• Born: January 8, 1725, in Huntington

• Profession: Physician and military officer

• He trained in medicine and became one of the most respected doctors in the area.

Early career and military service

• As a young man, Potter served as a surgeon on a privateer during King George’s War (1740s).

• During the French and Indian War, he served as a captain and later managed a military hospital in Schenectady.

• After the war, he returned to Huntington and resumed his medical practice.

Role in Huntington community

• Potter was a leading civic figure:

  • Authorized (along with another doctor) to administer smallpox inoculations in 1771.

  • Operated a quarantine hospital in nearby Cold Spring Harbor.

Revolutionary War involvement

• Potter became a prominent Patriot leader in Suffolk County:

  • Served on Huntington’s committee of war.

  • Wrote reports to New York’s Provincial Congress warning about Loyalist activity and lack of military readiness.

• He strongly supported independence, famously declaring he was “determined to live and die free.”

During the war

• Helped organize local militia defenses as British forces approached Long Island.

• After the British occupied Huntington in 1776, most residents swore loyalty to the Crown—but Potter refused.

• He later served with the American forces and returned after the war.

Later life and legacy

• Continued practicing medicine in Huntington until his death in 1786.

• Remembered as:

  • A Revolutionary War patriot

  • A community leader

  • A pioneer physician in early Long Island

Modern recognition

• In 2026, Huntington unveiled a historical marker honoring Dr. Gilbert Potter, highlighting his importance to the town’s Revolutionary history.

Why the name matters locally

• Potter’s name appears in local history, cemeteries, and heritage organizations (like DAR chapters) because he was one of Huntington’s most influential early residents.

• He represents the town’s role in the broader story of the American Revolution.