Sheila,
sorry to take so long. I just got back from three weeks out of the country. here is the emails from the lady I mentioned….my reply to here is sandwiched in the middle. she seems to really believe the Giovanni stuff….I remain skeptical. notice no one is forthcoming with documents…..
Carole Poteat-Levitz
—– Original Message —–
From: Mary
To: ‘Stan & Carole Levitz’
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 2:43 PM
Subject: RE: patitte
A genealogist here in the states was the one who rec’d info from England and that was years ago. I can’t help you there.
You are assuming that the spelling is the same as now.
I used to be in touch with an Italian genealogist and she said spellings don’t hold….just as we know about many of the immigrants. People NEVER verified spellings until in the 1900’s.
I’ve been researching the family along with others and we can’t verify any one before England. During the time of Giovanni’s arrival and before, we looked up the history of what was going on in Italy and how the young men were leaving that country and the conditions in Italy.
All of the info I sent you was verified and I am totally satisfied as well as all my family. The Crabtree-Poteet connection helped. The line I am in was from Md to VA, to NC to GA and TX.
My spelling is Poteet.
My mother who was born in 1893 and researched her family and for my Dad.
I sent you the info that I trust and whether you do, is up to you.
From: Stan & Carole Levitz
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 9:44 AM
To: Mary
Subject: Re: patitteHi Mary,
I appreciate your prompt reply to my email. This is all very, very interesting. I would be most interested in contacting the English genealogist who has researched Giovanni Patitte. I have seen a photocopy of the entry on the bill of land sale in Maryland but I felt that it wasn’t enough info to take the leap. The closest Italian name I can find is Patito from an area of Sicily. It would be most helpful to connect with someone “across the pond” who is researching the Poteet name. I have never found anyone outside the US with any knowledge of that name. It has been a lifetime of frustration for me not to be able to connect and document my maiden name anywhere outside the US.
You didn’t mention how your name is spelled. My father is related to those who left Baltimore and ended up in north western North Carolina.
If you could send me information on how to contact the English research I will do so. Thanks so much for your time, I sincerely appreciate it!
Carole Poteat-Levitz
—– Original Message —–
From: Mary
To: Stan & Carole Levitz
Sent: Saturday, June 13, 2009 5:59 PM
Subject: patitte
There have been 3 professional genealogists in the family and one of them made contact in England with one who did research on the family and the Crabtrees. They were intermarried because we found they had plantations near each other.
The man from London said Giovanni was known as “little Lord John Poteet”. He was known in England to sponsor people interested in settling in America and he received free acreage in VA from England.
A bill of land sale in Maryland states – KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT I, JOHN POTEET ITALIAN, FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY IN THE PROVINCE OF MARYLAND. He received 9 shillings for the land.
In a book about the Crabtrees, there is info about land holdings, the purchase of an Irish servant and was visited by Royale Crabtree who examined grants held by William from Charles II, King of England. In this neighborhood also lived the Italian family of Poteet. They were all from England and settled near Deer Creek and Stout Bottle Creek. This statement is word for word from the info.
I don’t have time to look it up, but his son John was also Identified as Italian.
Because of land shortage in MD, all of the 2 families (Crabtree-Poteet) moved from Baltimore.
The spelling Poteete probably originated because of the 3 verbal sounds of the Italian name. Even some people back east don’t spell it the same as my family, but they use the 3 verbal sounds.
Metcalf Family Mews 
October 15, 2010 at 1:24 am
My Poteet line is as follows:
Elizabeth Poteet 1710
Peter Poteet 1668
Francis Poteet 1643
Giovanni Patitte (Poteet) 1617
Checked the internet for any info on the Patitte family of Italy with no results. Also, wife of Giovanni is unknown at this time. I checked submitters of rootsweb, familysearch and gencircles for Giovanni. All the checking I did with no results. Will post on genforum. No place else to check. At a stand still. Any suggestions? Thank you for your time,
Steven
January 9, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Good afternoon fellow Poteet researchers!
A little late to this thread, but I’ve begun to continue the research of my Poteet ancestry that migrated to the Pittsburgh PA area in the late 1700’s, and I’m looking for some information.
I’m interested in the suspected Italian origins of the Poteet family. The lore on my line is that they were of French descent. I was hoping to gain some information from the Poteet researching veterans:
I understand that contact was made by 3 Poteet genealogy researchers in America with a genealogist in London, who gathered further concrete information regarding the Italian origin of the Poteet’s. Does anyone have the name of the male genealogist in London who provided these findings?
If not, does anyone have any of the names of the 3 professional genealogists in the family in America that made contact with this genealogist in London?
I’m looking for contact information for these individuals, and/or some of the documents these researchers obtained further strengthening Italy as the origin of the Poteet’s.
I’ve also read that a book on the Crabtree’s provides further insight on the Italian origin of the Poteet’s. Does anyone happen to know what book that was?
I’ve reviewed the land deed citing “John Poteet, Itallion”, and it has me curious. I’ve never seen the ethnicity of a grantor or grantee on an American land deed in my research, even with immigrating ancestors, much native-born American descendents of immigrating ancestors. The citation of Itallion, especially being not only at the beginning of the land deed, but included in his signature section of the deed, makes me wonder if the Itallion citation has more to do with an alternate name for this John Poteet? Not necessarily ethnicity. Especially with the perceived capital “I” for his signature, rather than J or P, further implies the Itallion citation might be more indicative of a name rather than origin.
Appreciate any help! I’m still sifting through what’s online, and my sentiment on the land deed makes me very curious, and I’m interested to know more. Thanks!
Happy hunting!
Freeman Bartek
April 11, 2019 at 12:02 pm
I have been doing my family tree and on my tree I was raised to spell my name Poteat but came to find that the spelling was Poteet and then when I done my tree it took me to Crabtree and the Poteet then shows me that my father’s side of the family came from Italy as the same person you are talking about. My father side was not close so that’s the reason I done my DNA to find where my family came from, but on the wikitree they do not have his DNA. I’m glad I came across your info. Oh by the way there are Patitte on my DNA match .and a Potate as well
May 20, 2020 at 9:58 pm
Interesting . My last name is spelled Poteet & my nuclear family is from Tennessee/Georgia. I always thought the name was French Huguenot & the Poteet’s escaped persecution from King Louis XIV the Sun King and landed in the Carolinas . In the 80s I bought one of those kiosk researches at the mall & it said name Latin and of occupational origin . Wherever it came from I am convinced the name Poteet is of the Romance languages & not Germanic or Celtic . Whether it is Italian and not French needs more research . If there was a Giovanni I can see him Anglicizing his name . Many people who came here did . Latest thing I have come across is a young man doing a web page for his daughter & going into & claiming Italian Ancestry but claimed Giovanni was from Venice. Also I wonder if this Giovanni Patitte , Patitto whatever was Catholic or Protestant and if there are any Church records . I grew up Methodist but my Grandfather was Presbyterian which of course is not Catholic but not Huguenot/Calvinist either. Anyway Au Revoir or Ciao for now .