MOTT, Ebenezer ¹

  General Notes:

Evidently a strong Quaker, his origins are unknown, although there is much speculation. He was probably born about 1700, perhaps in Rhode Island, but the first reference to him is in 1744 in Kingstown. Evidently married earlier than that to perhaps Elizabeth Southwick, he remarried when she died ca 1742. Moving with his wife, daughter and baby son John to Egg Harbor, New Jersey he moved on within the year to Mt. Holly near Burlington, New Jersey, where the rest of his family was born. There he evidently became a Quaker elder and no doubt was a friend of John Woolman, the great Quaker preacher of the 18th century, who witnessed his will in 1770, several years before Woolman himself died in England.

While Ebenezer's father is unknown, his being a Quaker and from Rhode Island might indicate that he is from the family of Adam Mott of Rhode Island. This family has been traced in Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island and an extensive academic study of the family has been done (Brown, Marley, 'Among Weighty Friends' The Archealogy and Social history of the Jacob Mott Family, Portsmouth, RI, 1640-1800' (PhD Thesis, Brown Univ., 1987) No connection to Ebenezer has turned up.

Leah Blackman, in her 'History of Little Egg Harbor Township' discusses the Mott Family on page 360 with questionable reference: "It is said that they settled at Barnegat. John and Henry Mott, who must have been the sons of Ebenezer settled in Egg Harbor...." Further reference to records at Barnegat or Egg Harbor are not known. It is more likely that Henry Mott was Ebenezer's brother and Ebenezer moved on to Mt. Holly while his brother remained in Egg Harbor, but this is speculation as well.

Both Fredin and Iris Grimmett of Sweet Home, Oregon, Abigail's descendant, beleive that Ebenezer was married twice, his first wife, Elizabeth, being the mother of Abigail. It is possible that John, the oldest son, may have been Elizabeth's son as well, but it is more likely that his mother was Sarah Collins MOTT. Elizabeth may have been a Southwick, the Southwicks having married into the Mott family in Rhode Island. ^{2 3}

  Noted events in his life were:

• He was employed. Farmer

• Witness: 15 Mar 1744, South Kingstowne, RI. ⁴ Ebenezer and Sarah Mott wer witnesses to the marriage of John Collins, s/o John and Susannah Collins of Charlestown, Kings County, RI, and Mehitabel Bowan.

• Church: Nov 1744. ⁵ Our friend Ebenezer Mott proposes to this meeting that he has thoughts of moving with his family to the Western parts and desires a few lines of this meeting by way of Certificate. This meeting appoints Stephen Richmond and John Mumford to inspect into the circumstances of the friend and also to draw a certificate for the friend and present it to our next monthly meeting. ( Men's Minutes South Kingstown, Washington Co. R.I.) Feb 2, 1745:

• Church: Certificate, 2 Feb 1745, South Kingstowne, RI. ⁶ "a certificate of our friend Ebenezer Mott and also ... both dated the first of the 2nd mo 1745 was read and signed in the meeting."

• Church: Wife's certificate, 2 Feb 1745, South Kingstowne, RI. ⁷ "This meeting doth giving ... and Sarah Mot certificates."

• Church: Certificate, 10 Aug 1745, Little Egg Harbor, RI. ⁸ "At a Monthly Meeting of Friends ye 10th day of ye 8th mo., 1745, Ebenezer Mott and his wife produced each of them certificates from South Kingstone in Rhode Island."

• Church: 7 Jul 1746, Burlington County, NJ, Northampton Township. ⁹ Received by the Burlington MM from the Little Egg Harbor MM.

• Witness: 1750, Burlington County, NJ, Northampton Township. The will of Samuel Gaskill.

Ebenezer married Sarah COLLINS, daughter of John (William) COLLINS and Susannah DAGGETT, before 15 Mar 1744. (Sarah COLLINS was born on 18 Jun 1709.)

  Marriage Notes:

Critical marriage to a number of lines above. The proof of this marriage that Sarah, the daughter of John (William) Collins, married Ebenezer Mott and then had John Mott is tenuous.

Ebenezer next married Elizabeth.