John Mott (1746 - 1823), son of Ebenezer, married Naomi Daggett as his third wife. Their eighth
child was Mary Alma Mott Jones (1813-1870), the mother of Amanda T. Jones (1835-1914), who published the family
tradition in the introduction to her book of poems,
She republished
that introduction in her 1910 autobiography,
Source: Jones, Amanda. A Psychic Autobiography (New York, Greaves Publishing, 1910):
Their son, my grandfather, John Mott, supposed himself to be a “Friend,” until about
thirty years of age, although he had lost his “birth-right” by marrying out of the
Society. It came about, however, that owing to this following circumstance, he became
a fully accredited Revolutionary officer. One bitterly cold Sunday in December,
1776, John Mott was forced to defend his family (a wife and three children) from
six marauding Hessian soldiers.They broke down the barricaded door with axes, but
were without firearms, as was the case with my grandfather (unless, indeed, tongs
and poker might be so classed).As a result three took to their heels, and the remaining
three were cast out over the door-sill dead.One of the two little girls, hidden
in the cellar, never forgot the tumult overhead – she living to be not much under
a hundred.
The following morning John Mott went to General Washington’s camp, near the Delaware,
and received from Washington’s “own hand” a lieutenant’s commission, authorizing
him to organize a company of recruits for the Continental Army. This he did at once,
equipping them at his own expense; and thereafter spent all his possessions in the
service of his country throughout five years and eight months, till conclusion of
peace.
Be it noted that his “saintly” mother, after having been taken by him through camp,
humbly confessed that the “carnal heart took pride and rejoiced in the protection
of a son who was tall and brave soldier.”The son would never apply for a pension,
although forced to support his third family (a wife and eight children, of whom
my mother was the youngest) by learning and practicing the tailor’s trade – nor
yet in a beggarly way, for he had apprentices. Hale and unbowed at seventy-seven,
he died, as did Washington, of quinsy and mismanagement.Shortly before his death
his sons and others saw him crossing the Mohawk river on the string-pieces of a
very long bridge in the process of building, but none dared follow.
The fact that his name does not appear on pension rolls makes it difficult to obtain
a complete record of his services.* We know that he fought at Brandywine and at
Germantown, and was much employed by Washington in secret service. He, himself,
related to my mother (then a child of nine), the story of his pursuit and capture
of a spy who was carrying important papers to the British.His older children stated
that he never spoke of the three Hessians whom he was forced to kill, without tears,
saying always that it seemed like murder.Yet after that, he fired with intent to
kill, upon a Hessian soldier, who was flaying a live cow for meat, after a manner
known to exist among his countrymen.(Pages 11-13)
*See Appendix I
Appendix I (Page 428)
By late advices from the War Department and from the New Jersey Adjutant-General,
we learn that three men of the State, named John Mott, served in the War of the
Revolution. The account given from both sources, of one of these three tallies with
our family traditions so far as they extend.
This one “was appointed first lieutenant in Captain Thomas Paterson’s Company of
Colonel Elias Dayton’s battalion of forces raised in New Jersey, February 8th,
1776, and re-engaged and promoted November 30, 1776. The records also show that
one John Mott (the same) served as a Captain in the Third New Jersey Regiment, commanded
by Colonel Elias Dayton, Revolutionary War.This name appears on the rolls of that
organization, for the period from February 14, 1777, to February, 1779; which shows
that he was commissioned November 30, 1776.”
My mother stated from remembrance of his conversation, that although persistently
calling himself a Quaker, he had felt that when necessity should arise he must be
ready to join in the defense of the State.This may account for the earlier lieutenancy;
but if we have him rightly located, his term of army service, whether as Captain,
private or secret and trusted agent, was exactly five years and eight months from
the date of re-organization for active warfare.He was therefore one of the Continental
Army, until the news arrived of the signing, at Paris, of the Treaty of Peace, when
forces were mustered out.
My honored Cousin Wesley Mott, only son of my Mother’s brother, Mayhew Daggett Mott,
writes to me of him:
“My own father has often told me about his terrible encounter with the six Hessian
soldiers, and his going to Washington’s camp and accepting an appointment under
him as lieutenant and afterward being engaged in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown.
Your mother, when I visited her forty years ago (in 1867) told me many additional
facts of great interest about grandfather Mott.