POTTER United Families

BRUGES
(Dixmude, Keyem, Vladslo, Tourhout...)
The “de Potter” family, to which journalist and politician Louis de
Potter belonged to, as leader of the 1830 Government of Belgium,
called herself “de Droogenwalle” as of the 18th century. The greatgrandfather
of Louis, Jean-Guillaume de Potter, first counselor of
Dixmude and Nieuport, Counsellor of the High Council of Malines
as of 1726, was, by virtue of this position, enrolled in nobility, with
patent letters of 17 June of that year.
Droogenwalle was a small lordship, of about 3 hectares, acquired by
Jean-Guillaume at the beginning of the 18th century to the family of
the counts de Merode. Located near the church in Keyem, a village
north of Dixmude, it belonged to the county of Middelburg in
Flanders, itself depending of the “Free State of Bruges” (part of the
Duchy of Mortaigne before 1300).
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