Captain John Mott of the Third New Jersey Continental Army

   FamilySearch ID: KN11-CZ2.

There is new (June, 2023) work on the Mott Bible and on the marriages of John Mott
at John Mott, his marriages and life during and after the war.

My extensive work on Captain John Mott of the New Jersey Continental Army
is at my web pages on Captain John Mott of the Third New Jersey.

While John's daughter by his first wife is not in my direct line,
I've done a web page on her descendants by her marriage to Richard Weter. Click here to see this descendant chart.

  General Notes:

John Mott is the one figure in my family history that I have perhaps spent the most time on trying to fathom. As a young boy I had heard the family legend that this young Quaker's home had been invaded by Hessian soldiers just prior to the battle of Trenton and that John, in defending his wife and family had killed three soldiers and then left to join Washington's army, serving as a guide in the famous crossing of the Delaware and the battle of Trenton. My studies have concluded that there is probably more truth than fiction in this legend, but his exact identity has been clouded over the years by the existence of other John Motts in the New Jersey revolutionary army or militia. I have done pretty extensive research into the other John Motts living at the time, but there are more roads to explore in this matter. I devoted a website to my research into this which can be found at http://www.spicerweb.org/Genealogy/Mott/mottofthethirdbattalion.htm

That he is the son of Ebenezer and Sarah Mott of Burlington County, New Jersey comes from the recollection of John's granddaughter, Amanda Theodocia Jones, who was the source of much of the "legend" of John Mott. The historical record would give credence to that. What happened to him during the years during and following the Revolution to his death are sketchy, although it appears that he moved to Pittstown, New York where his oldest son was born, this born out by the census records of 1800 and 1810. The family for a long time supposed he moved to Bridgewater, Oneida County, NY sometime after that, but there is another, well documented, John Mott on the census of 1820 in Bridgewater with whom I believe he has been confused. I do believe that he moved to Oneida County. According to Amanda Jones her mother, John's youngest daughter, was born in Oriskany in 1813, and his oldest son, Mayhew Daggett Mott, enrolled in the militia in 1814 in Whitestown, NY, both places in the Mohawk valley between Rome and Utica. I believe that John and his wife may be buried in or near those communities, although it is possible that they returned to Pittstown with their son Mayhew Daggett Mott when he married there in 1821.
. ^377,400

  Research Notes:

1820 Census: Bridgewater, Oneida County, NY shows a John Mott head of household over 45yrs living with one male 10-16, one male 18-26, one female less than 10, 2 females 16-26, 2 females to 45 and 1 female over 45.
Conjecture based on the 1820 census and the dates of the children given in the Mott Bible: one male 10-16, (William M. - aged 15)) one male 18-26, (Benjamin [17] - Mayhew Daggett [25] and Lemuel [19] having left) one female less than 10, (Mary Alma [ 7] ) 2 females 16-26, (Ruth [23] and Bulah [20] ) 2 females to 45, (Bulah [32] and Elisabeth [30] - Daughters by Bulah Mann Mott) and 1 female over 45. (Naomi Daggett [51]) There is no room here for Theodocia, but since she is the only child in the Mott Bible not given a death date we can assume that she died young, before the 1820 census.

1820 Census: Whitestown, Oneida Co., NY: John Mott -
1820 U S Census; Census Place: Whitestown, Oneida, New York; NARA Roll: M33_73; Image: 295 (Ancestry Image 7)

#2: This is probably John Mott although I have encountered another John Mott (see Harris, Edward Doubleday: James Mott of Dutchess County and His Descendants, p10) living in North Bridgewater who died 1833. Probable ages and numbers of the children would indicate that this is John Mott, the other being of North Bridgewater, and by 1820, having no other men living at home (according to Harris, the youngest of John Mott's [d. 1833] children would have been 18 in 1820). This John Mott's gravestone is prominent in the Old Quaker Cemetery about 2 miles north of Bridgewater, NY. The census record is confusing however, and should be double checked.

#2a The evidence that John Mott lived in Bridgewater is based only on the note in Aunt Bessie's document that Maurice Barnett, who established the first Barnett Drug store in Neenah, Wisconsin, told Wesley Mott that he knew John Mott in Bridgewater from about 1812 to 1819. This is spurious at best. Maurice was age 4-11 in that date range. He may have easily been remembering John Mott who died in 1833, not "our" John Mott.

#3: Much of the family tradition of John Mott comes down from Amanda Jones who wrote, basing her information on the stories of her mother and step-uncle, in the preface to her Collected Poems and in various letters to her cousin Wesley and another relative of by John's first wife.

#4: Marraige information is not good. The marraige records of the State of NJ (Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of NJ, 1st series, Vol 22, pt. 1, Marraige Record, 1665-1800) list Mott, John, Burlington, and Patience Austin, Burlington 1771, June 15. Although there is an earlier marraige of John Mott, Burlington, and Phebe Cramer (1738) and one of John Mott, Trenton, and Eleanor Alexander (1784) these are known to be another family. (see Stillwell's Historical and Genealogy of NJ for this line of Mott's, which include the Trenton John Mott who was the Captain. (see above)

#5: Revolutionary War Inventories of Damages by the British; Burlington. Pg. 128-9; Claim 229:
Inventory of the goods of John Mott plundered by the troops of the British Army in Dec.1776 & June 1778.
3 large Hogs, 1 calf, 3 ????, 4 acres crop £ 12.10.0
2 Sides Leather, 1 Broad cloth coat and Jacket. 6.?.?
2 pr. breeches, 6 pr. Stockings, 4 Shirts and 2 pr ???
4 Blankets, 3 Sheets, 2 Coverlids, 6 Pillows, ????, 7.5.?
2 Bedsteads, 1 Chaf Bet, 12 lb Cheese, 2 lb Gammons 2.14.6
30 lb Pork, 2 Bushels Rye, 2 Bags, 6 lbs sugar, 1/2 lb tea. 1.15.9
12 lb Candles, 20 lb Dried Beef, 10 Bushels Potatoes, 1/2 Bushels Salt 2.6.3
2 lb Stocking yarn, 2 Silk Hankie, 2 Iron pots, 1 Pewter Quart 1.12.6
10yds home made Linnen, 6 Queenware plates, 1 Calicoe gown 2.7.6
Total: £ 38.19.1

"Job Atkinson being affirmed, Declared that he saw some part of the goods contained in the foregoing inventory in the possession of the troops of the British Army at the house of this affirmant and does believe that the whole therein contained was plundered and taken by the said troops.". (Signed Job Atkinson)
"Peter Shiras ?? being sworn deposeth that he is a near neighbor to the above applicant and does believe that the goods contained in the foregoing inventory was lost as therein set forth." (Signed Peter Shiras)

#6: Claim 298: John Mott witnessed and declared that the goods of John Gaskill, who he knew, were plundered by the British troops in Dec 1776 and June 1778. The claim was mostly for sheep that were stolen amounting to 71 pounds.(signed John Mott)

#7: Claim 226 of Job Atkinson of goods plundered in Dec.1776 totaling 4 pounds John Mott witnessed: "John Mott being affirmed that he is a near neighbor to the above claimant, and was well informed of Hessian troops being at his house at the time above mentioned, and soon after their departure heard the said claimant complain of the loss of his goods by the said troops, and from sundry circumstances does believe the above inventory is just and true." (signed John Mott)

#8: The Battle of Iron Works Hill also known as the Battle of Mount Holly, was a series of skirmishes that took place on December 22 and 23 in Mount Holly between an American force of approximately 500-600 militia under Colonel Samuel Griffen and about 2000 British and Hessian forces under Carl von Donop, a Hessian Count. See Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iron_Works_Hill

  Events

• Misconduct: Rebuked, 4 Sep 1769, Burlington, Burlington Co., NJ. ⁴⁰¹ "John Mott attended with a paper acknowledging that throu' an Indulgenance in the Delight of Vanities of the World he had Acted in Many things foolishly Wicked, particularly in Exposing the Character of a young woman (for which he says he had made some Recompence) of expressing a Sorrow for his Misconduct was Read and directed to lay on Probation."

• Named in will: of Ebenezer Mott, 3 Dec 1770, Burlington County, NJ, Northampton Township. ⁴⁰² Heir to his father's farm.

• Religion, 1774. ⁴⁰³

• Tax List, 1774, Burlington County, NJ, Northampton Township. ⁴⁰⁴ August Tax Lists, page 074. ID#: NJS1a2245057 "House-holder"

• Disowned: from Burlington MM for marrying outside the faith, 6 Jun 1774, Burlington, Burlington Co., NJ. ^403,405 Disownment proceedings and discussions began in February when it was reported he "gone out in marriage" and had relations before marriage.

The source contains the original report of his marrying outside the faith. In a subsequent meeting on March 7th it was stated "John Motts case was Reported to by the Friends who had it under their care - and being considered it was agreed to continue it under care of the same Friends."

In the May 5th meeting it becomes worse: "The Meeting was informed that John Mott it is said had Obsconded, as supposed with the View of defrauding his creditors, and as that with his conduct heretofore has been so Reproachful Henry Paxson & Aaron Smith are appointed to prepare a Testimony against him for the next Meetings Inspection."

At the June 6th meeting: "One of the Friends appointed to prepare a Testimony against John Mott now produced an [? - ], which was read amended and sign'd and Aaron Smith is appointed to publish it at Mount Holly if after shewing it to him he doth not appeal."

The final disownment was published in July: "Aaron Smith reported that he had published the Testimony against John Mott as directed, he signifying the should not appeal it is as follows...' Whereas John Mott hath a right of [?] amongst Friends, but for want of attending to the principles of Truth, he hath so far deviated therefrom as to be charged with committing Fornicatioin with her that is now his wife before Marriage, and with neglecting attending our Religious Meetings, and altho he hath been tenderly dealth with agreeable to our discipline for those his offences he doth not appear to be in a rectable disposition of mind to condemn the same to the satisfaction of Friends. We do therefore disown him from being a Member or our Religious society until he shall Manifest his Sorrow by a sincere [?] and condemn the same to the satisfaction of [?] which that he may is what we desire. Signed on behalf of our Monthly Meeting this sixth day of the Sixth month 1774'"

• Military: American Revolution, 1776.

• Constable, 29 Aug 1778, Mt. Laurel, Burlington Co., NJ. ⁴⁰⁶ Mt. Laurel was the site of the Evesham Monthly Meeting during the 18th century and into the 19th. They recorded a Book of Sufferings, 1776-1828 entitled "Record book of Sufferings of Friends of Evesham Monthly Meeting for non Compliance of Military Duty." This was "...for refusing to pay a Tax for procuring Powder & other military Stores & for refusing to be Active in Military Services."

"Taken from Robert Howe by John Mott Constable by Virtue of an Exectution Signed by Joseph Hollinshead, one Mare Rated £7.10.0....Fine Demanded...£10.0.0"

• Tax List, 1779, Burlington County, NJ, Northampton Township. ⁴⁰⁷ Listed in the ratetables of September, 1779 as Head of Household.

• Sold property: approximately 2 1/4 acres to Abel Harker, 3 Jan 1782, Burlington County, NJ. ⁴⁰⁸

• residence, Dec 1782, Mount Holly, Burlington, New Jersey, United States. ⁴⁰⁹ Reported in the Pennsylvania Gazette as searching and capturing some refugees.

• Census, 1790, Rensselaerwick Township, Albany Co., NY. ⁴¹⁰ Page 278. One male 16 and over, one male under 16, 3 females.
This corresponds to the children listed in the Bible. The one male over 16 would be John, the one male under 16 would be William Mann, stepson, and the three females would be his second wife Bulah and daughters Bulah and Elizabeth.
In the original books Stephen Town follows Rensselaerwick at page 278. There are, therefore, two identical images at Ancestry.com, one is image 1 for Stephen Town, the other image 8 for Rensselaerwick.

• Census, 1800, Pittstown, Rensselaer Co., NY. ⁴¹¹ (p790) 2 Males under 10; 1 male 16-26; 1 male 45 and over; 1 female under 10; 1 female 45 and over. (Mayhew Daggett by Naomi, John by Bulah, William Mann stepson, John; Females work only if Bulah and Elizabeth by Bulah died young and the one female under 10 is Ruth E. by Naomi. The fact that Naomi and John had a Bulah would indicate that Bulah by Bulah died young.)

• Move: From Pittstown Oneida County, 1808-1810. ⁴¹²

• Church: "Reec'ed letter," 10 Oct 1808, Pittstown, Rensselaer Co., NY. ⁴¹² What exactly this means is not known: "Brother Mott and Naomi his wife Reec'ed letter october the 10 1808"

• Census, 1810, Petersburg, Rensselaer Co., NY. ⁴¹³ Doubtful: Petersburg is about 8 miles as the crow flies from Pittstown where he appears in 1800. 1 male 16-25, one male 45 and over; 4 females 10-15, 2 females 16-25, one female 26-45, one female 45 and over. This record does not jive with the family.
However it is on the same page with an Ebenezer Mott.

• Census, 1820, Whitestown, Oneida Co., NY. ⁴¹⁴ John Mott:
One Male 10-16; One Male over 45
One Female Under 10; One Female 16-26; One Female over 45
One Manufacturer.

• DAR Ancestor ID: A082246.

John married Sarah about 1771. (Sarah was born on an unknown date and died circa 1779.)

John next married Beulah about 1786. (Beulah was born about 1760 and died about 1793 in New York.)

John next married Naomi Daggett, daughter of Mayhew Daggett and Esther Atwater, 26 Jan 1794 in Pittstown, Rensselaer Co., NY ³⁷⁷.^,415 (Naomi Daggett was born 15 Jun 1769 in Charlotte, Dutchess, New York ³⁷⁷ and died 11 Jul 1840 ³⁷⁷.)