The Historic Potts Family Cemetery
The staff at the Atlantic Coast Conservancy has restored the gravestones in the historic Potts family cemetery located on the Potts Mountain conservation property. The graves here date back to the first child of landowner Young Potts, a son named Augustus who died as an infant in 1843.
Young Potts was born in 1801 in South Carolina, and moved to north Georgia in 1829 shortly after gold was discovered. By his late twenties, he had developed a reputation as an eccentric loner. In 1836 Potts initially purchased 160 acres in the area called Wolfscratch, and later he added additional acres aimed at preventing others from moving too close. In 1839 he married Teresa Smith, and the couple built their home on the property, now known as Potts Mountain. The couple had 7 children: Augustus, Christianna, James, John, Elizabeth, Young, and Alfred. When their son Augustus died as an infant, Young Potts set aside a small plot of land for the family cemetery.
Potts Family Gravsites
Young Potts
B. June 8, 1801
D. December 6, 1856
Teresa Smith Potts
B. June 30, 1818
D. April 27, 1890
Augustus Potts
B. May 12, 1842
D. July 29, 1843
James E Potts
B. February 18, 1846
D. January 18, 1863
Elizabeth A Potts Smith
B. May 14, 1851
D. June 1, 1883
Alfred E Potts
B. May 16, 1855
D. August 19, 1857
Ghosts Stories from Potts Mountain
Over time, rumors began to spread about the Potts family, including stories of a ghostly figure seen on Potts Mountain, believed to be the spirit of a murdered slave. The restless ghost was said to be the source of eerie sounds and strange occurrences along the nearby road, causing travelers to hurry their horses when passing the Potts Cemetery. The exact details of the slave’s death remain unclear, but reports of another haunting figure persisted. Some settlers claimed to have seen an Indian walking along the slope of Potts Mountain. The figure would stop, gaze at them, and then vanish behind a ridge. A few brave souls tried to follow, but once they crossed the ridge, the figure was gone. These sightings added to the mountain's eerie reputation, with many locals avoiding the area, especially at night, as it became increasingly associated with the Potts family's mysterious legacy.
When Young Potts died in 1856 he left most of his property to Teresa with specific conditions: she couldn’t remarry, and she couldn’t sell land until their youngest child came of age. Teresa faced a difficult life after his death, raising six children, and enduring multiple losses, including the deaths of two more children. She died in 1890 at the age of 72, and was remembered for her resilience despite the hardships she faced.
Visitors to the Potts Mountain Burial Ground are welcome to explore the historic cemetery, located just a short distance from our iconic old oak tree and sunflower fields.
