1. Cimetière BLANCHARD | Privé
Caché parmi les sapins, ce cimetière se trouve du côté Est de la route 243, face au chemin du Muguet. Il contient les tombes d'une des plus anciennes familles de Potton, les Blanchard. Capitaine dans l’armée américaine durant la révolution, David Blanchard (1755-1845) arrive de Canterbury, au New Hampshire, vers 1800. Il marie Azuba Heath (1761-1838), une des filles de Jonathan Heath, un autre pionnier de Potton. Azuba Heath et d'autres membres de la famille Blanchard sont enterrés ici.
David Blanchard et son épouse s’installent à l’est des terres de Jonathan Heath, probablement situées sur l’actuel chemin White. Quatre garçons et sept filles naissent de leur union. Une des filles marie Joseph Manson, dont la famille a donné son nom à Mansonville. Un des fils, le capitaine David Blanchard junior, s’établit près des terres de son père. Magistrat de la Commissioners Court durant 25 ans, il est aussi capitaine, puis lieutenant-colonel de la milice. Diacre de l’Église baptiste, il décède le 5 mars 1859, à l’âge de 72 ans. Nous retrouvons des Blanchard dans plusieurs cimetières de Potton. Toutefois, ce nom n’est plus courant à Potton.
1. BLANCHARD Cemetery | Private
Located on the East side of Route 243, and all but hidden from view by overgrown brush, lie tombstones of one of Potton's oldest families: that of the Blanchard family, who arrived here around 1800. David Blanchard, Sr. (1755-1845), a Captain in the American Revolutionary war, came from Canterbury, New Hampshire. He married one Azuba Heath (1761-1838), daughter of Jonathan Heath. Heath was also one of the very first families to settle in the region. Captain Blanchard Sr. and his wife are buried here, along with others of their family.
David Blanchard homesteaded with his wife to the east of his father-in-law’s land, which was likely located on what we now call Chemin White. They raised four sons and seven daughters. One of the Blanchard daughters married Joseph Manson, after whose family Mansonville receives its name. Captain David Blanchard, Jr. settled near his father, and was a magistrate for 25 years, a Commissioner of the Commissioners Court, also a Captain and later Lieutenant Colonel of Potton’s militia. He was a Deacon of the Baptist Church and died March 5, 1859 at the age of 72. It seems this was a prolific family since several cemeteries throughout Potton have graves bearing the Blanchard name.
Jean-François Boulet, 2010