Ivan Alekseevich Potapov, chief commandant of the fortress of Saint Dmitry and governor of the Voronezh province, was born in 1722. He was the son of Alexei Semyonovich Potapov, who came from a merchant family in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. Alexei Semyonovich joined the Vyatka Infantry Regiment in 1703, participated in the battle of Poltava, and rose to the rank of major, retiring in 1706. He died in 1740 at his estate in Smolensk province.

Ivan Alekseevich began his service at the age of 15 in the General Staff as a non-commissioned officer in 1737. In 1745, he was appointed auditor, and two years later he became a lieutenant. In 1755, he was promoted to captain, and in 1756 he became a general-auditor-lieutenant. In 1758, Potapov was appointed general-provision-master-lieutenant and participated in the campaign against the Prussians, fighting in Poland and abroad, including the battles of Palzig and Frankfurt. For his merits, he was awarded the rank of colonel in 1761 and two years later became a major-general.

In 1763, the Military Collegium tasked Potapov with investigating the affairs of the ataman of the Yaik Cossack Army, Borodin, and resolving conflicts between the elders and Cossacks. Potapov replaced General Brahtvild, who was accused of being friendly with the Cossacks, and was to check the supplies of gunpowder and lead, as well as financial documentation. He was allowed to call in a military team from Orenburg if necessary. Potapov arrived at the Yaik and began an investigation that dragged on, but ultimately he concluded the guilt of the atamans and elders, replacing many of them. He appointed Roman Novokreshcheny as ataman and sent a report to the Military Collegium, after which he returned to St. Petersburg. The Cossacks were satisfied with the results of the investigation.

Potapov was then transferred as chief commandant to Kazan, and later to the fortress of Saint Dmitry in Rostov-on-Don, where he prepared for the occupation of Azov. Under his leadership, Azov and Taganrog were fortified. In 1771, Potapov conducted reconnaissance in Crimea, gathering information about the state of the cities and persuading some Tatar tribes to side with us. In 1772, he faced unrest on the Don but managed to arrest Ataman Efremov and send him to St. Petersburg. Potapov also received orders not to allow Pugachev to cross into the Don, but his garrison was too small to carry out this task. However, in 1774, the Don Cossacks assured Potapov of their loyalty. At the beginning of that year, Potapov reported that Pugachev's family had been found and his house destroyed.

For his activities, Potapov attracted the attention of the Empress and in 1775 was appointed governor of Voronezh province. In this position, he calmed the peasants and restrained the arbitrariness of the landlords. In 1776, he exposed the impostor Sergeyev, who was posing as an envoy of Peter III, and was promoted to general-lieutenant in 1777. Potapov also dealt with the deployment of troops in the Voronezh division. He was known for his kindness and was friends with N. M. Maria and Prince F. A. Kurakin.

In 1791, Potapov fell ill and passed away on April 3.