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Lake City, Florida: A Sesquicentennial Tribute (2009) H. Morris Williams, Dr. Kevin M. McCarthy

Chapter Eight: 1880 - 1889

The decade of the 1880s began in a tragic way when
Gottschalk “Gus” Potsdamer, the Lake City Chief of Police, had a
loud argument with Columbia County Sheriff, John C. Henry. The
argument led to a fistfight, which led to the fatal wounding of Henry
by Potsdamer, who was later tried for murder, convicted, and
sentenced to life in prison at the state prison near Live Oak.
Potsdamer’s conviction was very controversial, especially after some
people stated that Sheriff Henry began the dispute and beat Potsdamer
over the head with a pistol, at which time Potsdamer freed himself and
killed Henry. The popular Potsdamer had the reputation of being a
fair person who always enforced the law justly. After his friends

appealed the conviction through the legal system and won, they secured
Potsdamer’s release from prison after two months of incarceration.
Potsdamer later moved to Live Oak, where he became a trustworthy
businessman and was elected Suwannee County Sheriff in 1889.

Churches and pastors of Lake City

In the 1880s, Reverend
Charles Pierce founded
A.M.E. churches in
Jacksonville,
Tallahassee, Quincy,
Waukeenan, Madison
and Lake City, Florida.

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