Talk:William Potts

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

AT A GLANCE: Police Officer William L. Potts of Detroit, Michigan, decided to do something about the problem caused by the ever increasing number of automobiles on the streets. What he had in mind was figuring out a way to adapt railroad signals for street use. Potts used red, amber, and green railroad lights and about thirty-seven dollars worth of wire and electrical controls to make the world’s first 4-way three color traffic light. It was installed in 1920 on the corner of Woodward and Michigan Avenues in Detroit. Within a year, Detroit had installed a total of fifteen of the new automatic lights.

 THE STORY

RELATED INFO BOOKS WEB SITES DID YOU KNOW? Invention: Traffic Light

Function: noun / trsffic signal / stoplight Definition: A road signal for directing vehicular traffic by means of colored lights, typically red for stop, green for go, and yellow for proceed with caution. Patent: As a government emplyee Potts could not patent his invention.

Inventor: William L. Potts

Criteria: First practical. Modern prototype. Birth: Unknown Death: Unknown Nationality: Unknown

Milestones:

http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/trafficlight.htm

An issue is finding primary-source material. Although this link correctly identifies Mr. Potts as inventing the modern traffic signal, it also includes the Garret Morgan myth. Clearly the 'everybody invented it' approach is a compromise.Ryoung122 23:43, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Biographical Detail

I'm going to try to identify Mr. Pott's birth and death dates. One such possibility is 1886-1967 (candidate from the SSDI): Name: William Potts SSN: 377-09-6569 Last Residence: 48215 Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States of America Born: 28 May 1885 Died: 1 Jul 1967 State (Year) SSN issued: Michigan (Before 1951 )


Save This Record

Attach this record to a person in your tree as a source record, or save for later evaluation. Save

Source Citation: Number: 377-09-6569;Issue State: Michigan;Issue Date: Before 1951.

I noticed that several sources cite his name as William L. Potts.

There is only one William L. Potts listed in the Detroit area in the 1920 census; his age is given as '36' (suggesting birth around 1884).Ryoung122 00:25, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

The 1920 census lists William L. Potts, superintendent of the signal person police:

Name: William L Potts [William K Potto] Home in 1920: Detroit Ward 16, Wayne, Michigan Age: 36 years Estimated birth year: abt 1884 Birthplace: Michigan Relation to Head of House: Head Spouse's name: Grace M Father's Birth Place: Michigan Mother's Birth Place: Michigan Marital Status: Married Race: White Sex: Male Home owned: Own Able to read: Yes Able to Write: Yes Image: 1112 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age William L Potts 36 Grace M Potts 30 Edna M Potts 10 Eleanor D Potts 6 William B Potts 5 Robert H Potts 1 11/12 Harry W Pinches 30


View

Original Record

View original image

View blank form  

Save This Record

Attach this record to a person in your tree as a source record, or save for later evaluation. Save

Source Citation: Year: 1920;Census Place: Detroit Ward 16, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: T625_815; Page: 20B; Enumeration District: 514; Image: 1112. Ryoung122 00:33, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

1900 census lists him as born May 1883:

Name: William L Potts Home in 1900: Detroit Ward 7, Wayne, Michigan Age: 17 Estimated birth year: abt 1883 Birthplace: Michigan Relationship to head-of-house: Son Father's name: Thomas Mother's name: Charlotte Race: White Occupation: View image Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Thomas Potts 66 Charlotte Potts 58 Adalaide Potts 27 Uretta Potts 26 Charlotte Potts 23 William L Potts 17


View

Original Record

View original image

View blank form  

Save This Record

Attach this record to a person in your tree as a source record, or save for later evaluation. Save

Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Detroit Ward 7, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: T623 749; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 77. Ryoung122 00:43, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Category: American Inventors

I was wondering if someone could change Mr. William Potts from the "W" to the "P" section (alphabetical order) in the "category: American inventors" listing?

[edit] Source problem

Portions of this article rely on this website. However, this appears to fail Wikipedia's standard for reliable sources. Specifically, this appears to be some sort of self-published website. If anyone can find a better source, that would be great! Rklawton 19:43, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Actually, the above comment appears to be a misinterpretation of reliable sources. The source both cites information and is cited by multiple sources itself.Ryoung122 21:40, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Checking again, we see:

A reliable source is a published work regarded as trustworthy or authoritative in relation to the subject at hand. Evaluation of reliability will depend on the credibility of the author and the publication, along with consideration of the context. Reliable publications are those with an established structure for fact-checking and editorial oversight

The affore-mentioned article appears to meet these requirements, including multiple, multiple citations, including from museums, historical documents, and the like.Ryoung122 21:49, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

Great, so it shouldn't be a problem to remove the self-published source as redundant. Rklawton 22:56, 10 November 2007 (UTC)
That doesn't make sense. Wikipedia forbids 'original research,' NOT 'self-published material.' Self-published material may be used if it appears to be reliable. This appears to be THE definitive article on the subject. Why waste everyone's time expecting to go through and re-list all the references he cited, only without the coherent arguments? That doesn't make sense.Ryoung122 22:59, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] POV issues and like of citation with 'historical revisionism' paragraph

The 'historical revisionism' paragraph needs reworking, because it's actually just an opinion as to why Garrett Morgan is often cited, versus William Potts. Reading the one citation in the paragraph, it's clear to me that there are many people who the invention could be attributed to -- and picking William Potts seems no less arbitrary than picking Garret Morgan, which this article does by using the passive voice in the first sentence ('is credited with'). Based on reading the article for Garrett Morgan it seems to me one could say that his system was the first that could be operated "at a distance."

There are many different things about Morgan and Potts, as well as their inventions, and the claim that it's somehow related to affirmative action is an opinion, and not a fact. Bugg42 (talk) 17:43, 5 January 2008 (UTC)