Captain in the 1st Hunterdon Regiment of the New Jersey Militia and served as a guide to General George Washington and the Revolutionary War army on the march down along the Delaware River prior to the Battle of Trenton.
He was the son of William Mott of Middletown (who was in the New Jersey State Assembly 1743-54) and Margaret Hartshorne. John Mott had brothers Gershom and Asher as well as a sister, Sarah.[3] John Mott moved to the Trenton area and owned two flour or grist mills located along the River Road several miles north of Trenton. He lived near his mills and was a neighbor of General Philemon Dickinson whose estate "the Hermitage" was also on the River Road. David Laning (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) was a cooper who lived nearby and worked at Mott's Mills. In March 1776, John Mott was on the Committee of Correspondence for Trenton (along with 1st Hunterdon and NJ Militia members Dr/Col. Isaac Smith, Lt Col. Abraham Hunt, and Gen. Philemon Dickinson.
John Mott was in the 1st Regiment of the Hunterdon County Militia under Col. Isaac Smith and Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips (a guide at the Battle of Trenton). In June 1776, when Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips and two companies of the 1st Hunterdon Militia were detached to become part of General Nathaniel Heard's Brigade, John Mott replaced Captain Robert Hoops and became a Captain of one of the companies that remained under Col. Isaac Smith in General Philemon Dickinson's Brigade.[7][8][9] Captain Mott's company was at Perth Amboy, NJ in July 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was read to the militia.[10] Their militia company participated in several skirmishes around the Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown area throughout the summer and early fall of 1776.[11][12] This included a raid on Staten Island lead by Adjutant Elias Phillips (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) where several British prisoners were taken. The companies in General Dickinson's Brigade were divided into two divisions which served on alternate one month tours of duty. The 1st Hunterdon Militia Regiment was one of the few regiments of the New Jersey Militia to turn out and serve all of their tours of duty throughout the summer and fall of 1776. On December 1, 1776, their service expired, but soon after, both divisions of the 1st Hunterdon were called out to serve as volunteers.
Battle of TrentonThe pension records of Benjamin Titus[7], Isaac Reed[11], and William R. Green[8] (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) show that Captain Mott and his company were part of that group of volunteers. They crossed the Delaware River during the first week in December 1776 and were stationed at Yardley, PA where they were quartered in a cooper's shop.[7] Their militia regiment was commanded by Col. Isaac Smith and Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips. General Philemon Dickinson also had his headquarters at Yardley, PA. Some of the men in the 1st Hunterdon Militia made excursions across the Delaware River over the next few weeks to obtain intelligence on the British and Hessian Troops due to their knowledge of Hunterdon County where they lived.[14] On one of these excursions, Adjutant Elias Phillips captured three British soldiers in his deserted home village of Maidenhead. On another excursion, David Laning was caught by the British and taken to Trenton around December 20, 1776.[1] He escaped the next day and brought back valuable information. General Philemon Dickinson sent a letter to General Washington on Dec 24, 1776 which was carried by Capt. John Mott to introduce Capt. Mott and offer his service and that of his men as guides. This letter indicated that Capt. Mott was under Colo. Smith (i.e. Col. Isaac Smith of the 1st Hunterdon Militia).[15] All of the guides except two were in the 1st Hunterdon Militia and all except one lived in Hunterdon County, NJ. These included Col. Joseph Phillips, Capt. Philip Phillips, and Adjutant Elias Phillips, of Maidenhead; John Muirheid, Joseph Inslee, Eden Burroughs, Stephen Burroughs, Ephraim Woolsey, and Henry Simmons, of Hopewell; and Capt. John Mott, David Laning, Amos Scudder, and William Green, of Trenton. John Guild of Hopewell and James Slack of Bucks County, PA were the other two guides.[1] Henry Simmons, Stephen Burrows, Ephraim Woolsey, Uriah Slack, David Laning, William Green, and Amos Scudder were all under Capt. John Mott. Capt. Mott and the other guides rendezvoused with General Washington's troops at McKonkey's Ferry on Dec 25, 1776 and crossed the Delaware River.[15] General Washington's plan called for two guides to accompany each brigade. When the army divided at Birmingham, David Laning, John Muirheid, and John Guild rode before the army down the Scotch and Pennington Roads with General Washington and General Green's Division. Capt. John Mott served as guide to General Sullivan's Division down the River Road.[1] After the split of the two divisions of the army, Capt. Mott discovered that his priming powder was wet. He was then sent by Gen. Sullivan to ask Gen. Washington for orders since none of the rifles would be capable of being fired. Gen. Washington's emphatic reply was to "tell the General to use the bayonet and penetrate into the town; for the town must be taken and I am resolved to take it".[16] Capt. Mott then continued to guide Gen. Sullivan's Division down the River Road passing his own house and mills as well as passing Gen. Dickinson's house where some Hessian jaegers were posted.[16] Both divisions of the army attacked the Hessian outposts on the River Road and Pennington Road simultaneously at 8 AM after their four hour march. They then continued into Trenton where the battle continued for over an hour. After the Battle of Trenton, Gen Washington's army returned to Johnson's Ferry by the River Road along with their Hessian prisoners
He married Eleanor Johnson Alexander (the widow of Revolutionary War Pennsylvania Naval Captain Charles Alexander) on June 7, 1784. They had two children - Gershom Mott (born 1785) and William Mott (born 1790). Gershom Mott married Phebe Rose Scudder (the granddaughter of guide Amos Scudder) and they were the parents of Union Civil War General Gershom Mott. John Mott and his wife, Eleanor, joined the Quakers in Trenton after the war as did Gen Philemon Dickinson and his wife. All four were buried in the Quaker burial ground in Trenton.[3]
[3]Stillwell, John E. Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey, Vol. IV. New York, N.Y.: [s.n.], 1903.
He was the son of William Mott of Middletown (who was in the New Jersey State Assembly 1743-54) and Margaret Hartshorne. John Mott had brothers Gershom and Asher as well as a sister, Sarah.[3] John Mott moved to the Trenton area and owned two flour or grist mills located along the River Road several miles north of Trenton. He lived near his mills and was a neighbor of General Philemon Dickinson whose estate "the Hermitage" was also on the River Road. David Laning (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) was a cooper who lived nearby and worked at Mott's Mills. In March 1776, John Mott was on the Committee of Correspondence for Trenton (along with 1st Hunterdon and NJ Militia members Dr/Col. Isaac Smith, Lt Col. Abraham Hunt, and Gen. Philemon Dickinson.
John Mott was in the 1st Regiment of the Hunterdon County Militia under Col. Isaac Smith and Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips (a guide at the Battle of Trenton). In June 1776, when Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips and two companies of the 1st Hunterdon Militia were detached to become part of General Nathaniel Heard's Brigade, John Mott replaced Captain Robert Hoops and became a Captain of one of the companies that remained under Col. Isaac Smith in General Philemon Dickinson's Brigade.[7][8][9] Captain Mott's company was at Perth Amboy, NJ in July 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was read to the militia.[10] Their militia company participated in several skirmishes around the Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown area throughout the summer and early fall of 1776.[11][12] This included a raid on Staten Island lead by Adjutant Elias Phillips (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) where several British prisoners were taken. The companies in General Dickinson's Brigade were divided into two divisions which served on alternate one month tours of duty. The 1st Hunterdon Militia Regiment was one of the few regiments of the New Jersey Militia to turn out and serve all of their tours of duty throughout the summer and fall of 1776. On December 1, 1776, their service expired, but soon after, both divisions of the 1st Hunterdon were called out to serve as volunteers.
Battle of TrentonThe pension records of Benjamin Titus[7], Isaac Reed[11], and William R. Green[8] (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) show that Captain Mott and his company were part of that group of volunteers. They crossed the Delaware River during the first week in December 1776 and were stationed at Yardley, PA where they were quartered in a cooper's shop.[7] Their militia regiment was commanded by Col. Isaac Smith and Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips. General Philemon Dickinson also had his headquarters at Yardley, PA. Some of the men in the 1st Hunterdon Militia made excursions across the Delaware River over the next few weeks to obtain intelligence on the British and Hessian Troops due to their knowledge of Hunterdon County where they lived.[14] On one of these excursions, Adjutant Elias Phillips captured three British soldiers in his deserted home village of Maidenhead. On another excursion, David Laning was caught by the British and taken to Trenton around December 20, 1776.[1] He escaped the next day and brought back valuable information. General Philemon Dickinson sent a letter to General Washington on Dec 24, 1776 which was carried by Capt. John Mott to introduce Capt. Mott and offer his service and that of his men as guides. This letter indicated that Capt. Mott was under Colo. Smith (i.e. Col. Isaac Smith of the 1st Hunterdon Militia).[15] All of the guides except two were in the 1st Hunterdon Militia and all except one lived in Hunterdon County, NJ. These included Col. Joseph Phillips, Capt. Philip Phillips, and Adjutant Elias Phillips, of Maidenhead; John Muirheid, Joseph Inslee, Eden Burroughs, Stephen Burroughs, Ephraim Woolsey, and Henry Simmons, of Hopewell; and Capt. John Mott, David Laning, Amos Scudder, and William Green, of Trenton. John Guild of Hopewell and James Slack of Bucks County, PA were the other two guides.[1] Henry Simmons, Stephen Burrows, Ephraim Woolsey, Uriah Slack, David Laning, William Green, and Amos Scudder were all under Capt. John Mott. Capt. Mott and the other guides rendezvoused with General Washington's troops at McKonkey's Ferry on Dec 25, 1776 and crossed the Delaware River.[15] General Washington's plan called for two guides to accompany each brigade. When the army divided at Birmingham, David Laning, John Muirheid, and John Guild rode before the army down the Scotch and Pennington Roads with General Washington and General Green's Division. Capt. John Mott served as guide to General Sullivan's Division down the River Road.[1] After the split of the two divisions of the army, Capt. Mott discovered that his priming powder was wet. He was then sent by Gen. Sullivan to ask Gen. Washington for orders since none of the rifles would be capable of being fired. Gen. Washington's emphatic reply was to "tell the General to use the bayonet and penetrate into the town; for the town must be taken and I am resolved to take it".[16] Capt. Mott then continued to guide Gen. Sullivan's Division down the River Road passing his own house and mills as well as passing Gen. Dickinson's house where some Hessian jaegers were posted.[16] Both divisions of the army attacked the Hessian outposts on the River Road and Pennington Road simultaneously at 8 AM after their four hour march. They then continued into Trenton where the battle continued for over an hour. After the Battle of Trenton, Gen Washington's army returned to Johnson's Ferry by the River Road along with their Hessian prisoners
He married Eleanor Johnson Alexander (the widow of Revolutionary War Pennsylvania Naval Captain Charles Alexander) on June 7, 1784. They had two children - Gershom Mott (born 1785) and William Mott (born 1790). Gershom Mott married Phebe Rose Scudder (the granddaughter of guide Amos Scudder) and they were the parents of Union Civil War General Gershom Mott. John Mott and his wife, Eleanor, joined the Quakers in Trenton after the war as did Gen Philemon Dickinson and his wife. All four were buried in the Quaker burial ground in Trenton.[3]
[3]Stillwell, John E. Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey, Vol. IV. New York, N.Y.: [s.n.], 1903.
Captain in the 1st Hunterdon Regiment of the New Jersey Militia and served as a guide to General George Washington and the Revolutionary War army on the march down along the Delaware River prior to the Battle of Trenton.
He was the son of William Mott of Middletown (who was in the New Jersey State Assembly 1743-54) and Margaret Hartshorne. John Mott had brothers Gershom and Asher as well as a sister, Sarah.[3] John Mott moved to the Trenton area and owned two flour or grist mills located along the River Road several miles north of Trenton. He lived near his mills and was a neighbor of General Philemon Dickinson whose estate "the Hermitage" was also on the River Road. David Laning (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) was a cooper who lived nearby and worked at Mott's Mills. In March 1776, John Mott was on the Committee of Correspondence for Trenton (along with 1st Hunterdon and NJ Militia members Dr/Col. Isaac Smith, Lt Col. Abraham Hunt, and Gen. Philemon Dickinson.
John Mott was in the 1st Regiment of the Hunterdon County Militia under Col. Isaac Smith and Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips (a guide at the Battle of Trenton). In June 1776, when Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips and two companies of the 1st Hunterdon Militia were detached to become part of General Nathaniel Heard's Brigade, John Mott replaced Captain Robert Hoops and became a Captain of one of the companies that remained under Col. Isaac Smith in General Philemon Dickinson's Brigade.[7][8][9] Captain Mott's company was at Perth Amboy, NJ in July 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was read to the militia.[10] Their militia company participated in several skirmishes around the Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown area throughout the summer and early fall of 1776.[11][12] This included a raid on Staten Island lead by Adjutant Elias Phillips (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) where several British prisoners were taken. The companies in General Dickinson's Brigade were divided into two divisions which served on alternate one month tours of duty. The 1st Hunterdon Militia Regiment was one of the few regiments of the New Jersey Militia to turn out and serve all of their tours of duty throughout the summer and fall of 1776. On December 1, 1776, their service expired, but soon after, both divisions of the 1st Hunterdon were called out to serve as volunteers.
Battle of TrentonThe pension records of Benjamin Titus[7], Isaac Reed[11], and William R. Green[8] (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) show that Captain Mott and his company were part of that group of volunteers. They crossed the Delaware River during the first week in December 1776 and were stationed at Yardley, PA where they were quartered in a cooper's shop.[7] Their militia regiment was commanded by Col. Isaac Smith and Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips. General Philemon Dickinson also had his headquarters at Yardley, PA. Some of the men in the 1st Hunterdon Militia made excursions across the Delaware River over the next few weeks to obtain intelligence on the British and Hessian Troops due to their knowledge of Hunterdon County where they lived.[14] On one of these excursions, Adjutant Elias Phillips captured three British soldiers in his deserted home village of Maidenhead. On another excursion, David Laning was caught by the British and taken to Trenton around December 20, 1776.[1] He escaped the next day and brought back valuable information. General Philemon Dickinson sent a letter to General Washington on Dec 24, 1776 which was carried by Capt. John Mott to introduce Capt. Mott and offer his service and that of his men as guides. This letter indicated that Capt. Mott was under Colo. Smith (i.e. Col. Isaac Smith of the 1st Hunterdon Militia).[15] All of the guides except two were in the 1st Hunterdon Militia and all except one lived in Hunterdon County, NJ. These included Col. Joseph Phillips, Capt. Philip Phillips, and Adjutant Elias Phillips, of Maidenhead; John Muirheid, Joseph Inslee, Eden Burroughs, Stephen Burroughs, Ephraim Woolsey, and Henry Simmons, of Hopewell; and Capt. John Mott, David Laning, Amos Scudder, and William Green, of Trenton. John Guild of Hopewell and James Slack of Bucks County, PA were the other two guides.[1] Henry Simmons, Stephen Burrows, Ephraim Woolsey, Uriah Slack, David Laning, William Green, and Amos Scudder were all under Capt. John Mott. Capt. Mott and the other guides rendezvoused with General Washington's troops at McKonkey's Ferry on Dec 25, 1776 and crossed the Delaware River.[15] General Washington's plan called for two guides to accompany each brigade. When the army divided at Birmingham, David Laning, John Muirheid, and John Guild rode before the army down the Scotch and Pennington Roads with General Washington and General Green's Division. Capt. John Mott served as guide to General Sullivan's Division down the River Road.[1] After the split of the two divisions of the army, Capt. Mott discovered that his priming powder was wet. He was then sent by Gen. Sullivan to ask Gen. Washington for orders since none of the rifles would be capable of being fired. Gen. Washington's emphatic reply was to "tell the General to use the bayonet and penetrate into the town; for the town must be taken and I am resolved to take it".[16] Capt. Mott then continued to guide Gen. Sullivan's Division down the River Road passing his own house and mills as well as passing Gen. Dickinson's house where some Hessian jaegers were posted.[16] Both divisions of the army attacked the Hessian outposts on the River Road and Pennington Road simultaneously at 8 AM after their four hour march. They then continued into Trenton where the battle continued for over an hour. After the Battle of Trenton, Gen Washington's army returned to Johnson's Ferry by the River Road along with their Hessian prisoners
He married Eleanor Johnson Alexander (the widow of Revolutionary War Pennsylvania Naval Captain Charles Alexander) on June 7, 1784. They had two children - Gershom Mott (born 1785) and William Mott (born 1790). Gershom Mott married Phebe Rose Scudder (the granddaughter of guide Amos Scudder) and they were the parents of Union Civil War General Gershom Mott. John Mott and his wife, Eleanor, joined the Quakers in Trenton after the war as did Gen Philemon Dickinson and his wife. All four were buried in the Quaker burial ground in Trenton.[3]
[3]Stillwell, John E. Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey, Vol. IV. New York, N.Y.: [s.n.], 1903.
He was the son of William Mott of Middletown (who was in the New Jersey State Assembly 1743-54) and Margaret Hartshorne. John Mott had brothers Gershom and Asher as well as a sister, Sarah.[3] John Mott moved to the Trenton area and owned two flour or grist mills located along the River Road several miles north of Trenton. He lived near his mills and was a neighbor of General Philemon Dickinson whose estate "the Hermitage" was also on the River Road. David Laning (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) was a cooper who lived nearby and worked at Mott's Mills. In March 1776, John Mott was on the Committee of Correspondence for Trenton (along with 1st Hunterdon and NJ Militia members Dr/Col. Isaac Smith, Lt Col. Abraham Hunt, and Gen. Philemon Dickinson.
John Mott was in the 1st Regiment of the Hunterdon County Militia under Col. Isaac Smith and Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips (a guide at the Battle of Trenton). In June 1776, when Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips and two companies of the 1st Hunterdon Militia were detached to become part of General Nathaniel Heard's Brigade, John Mott replaced Captain Robert Hoops and became a Captain of one of the companies that remained under Col. Isaac Smith in General Philemon Dickinson's Brigade.[7][8][9] Captain Mott's company was at Perth Amboy, NJ in July 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was read to the militia.[10] Their militia company participated in several skirmishes around the Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown area throughout the summer and early fall of 1776.[11][12] This included a raid on Staten Island lead by Adjutant Elias Phillips (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) where several British prisoners were taken. The companies in General Dickinson's Brigade were divided into two divisions which served on alternate one month tours of duty. The 1st Hunterdon Militia Regiment was one of the few regiments of the New Jersey Militia to turn out and serve all of their tours of duty throughout the summer and fall of 1776. On December 1, 1776, their service expired, but soon after, both divisions of the 1st Hunterdon were called out to serve as volunteers.
Battle of TrentonThe pension records of Benjamin Titus[7], Isaac Reed[11], and William R. Green[8] (a guide at the Battle of Trenton) show that Captain Mott and his company were part of that group of volunteers. They crossed the Delaware River during the first week in December 1776 and were stationed at Yardley, PA where they were quartered in a cooper's shop.[7] Their militia regiment was commanded by Col. Isaac Smith and Lt. Col. Joseph Phillips. General Philemon Dickinson also had his headquarters at Yardley, PA. Some of the men in the 1st Hunterdon Militia made excursions across the Delaware River over the next few weeks to obtain intelligence on the British and Hessian Troops due to their knowledge of Hunterdon County where they lived.[14] On one of these excursions, Adjutant Elias Phillips captured three British soldiers in his deserted home village of Maidenhead. On another excursion, David Laning was caught by the British and taken to Trenton around December 20, 1776.[1] He escaped the next day and brought back valuable information. General Philemon Dickinson sent a letter to General Washington on Dec 24, 1776 which was carried by Capt. John Mott to introduce Capt. Mott and offer his service and that of his men as guides. This letter indicated that Capt. Mott was under Colo. Smith (i.e. Col. Isaac Smith of the 1st Hunterdon Militia).[15] All of the guides except two were in the 1st Hunterdon Militia and all except one lived in Hunterdon County, NJ. These included Col. Joseph Phillips, Capt. Philip Phillips, and Adjutant Elias Phillips, of Maidenhead; John Muirheid, Joseph Inslee, Eden Burroughs, Stephen Burroughs, Ephraim Woolsey, and Henry Simmons, of Hopewell; and Capt. John Mott, David Laning, Amos Scudder, and William Green, of Trenton. John Guild of Hopewell and James Slack of Bucks County, PA were the other two guides.[1] Henry Simmons, Stephen Burrows, Ephraim Woolsey, Uriah Slack, David Laning, William Green, and Amos Scudder were all under Capt. John Mott. Capt. Mott and the other guides rendezvoused with General Washington's troops at McKonkey's Ferry on Dec 25, 1776 and crossed the Delaware River.[15] General Washington's plan called for two guides to accompany each brigade. When the army divided at Birmingham, David Laning, John Muirheid, and John Guild rode before the army down the Scotch and Pennington Roads with General Washington and General Green's Division. Capt. John Mott served as guide to General Sullivan's Division down the River Road.[1] After the split of the two divisions of the army, Capt. Mott discovered that his priming powder was wet. He was then sent by Gen. Sullivan to ask Gen. Washington for orders since none of the rifles would be capable of being fired. Gen. Washington's emphatic reply was to "tell the General to use the bayonet and penetrate into the town; for the town must be taken and I am resolved to take it".[16] Capt. Mott then continued to guide Gen. Sullivan's Division down the River Road passing his own house and mills as well as passing Gen. Dickinson's house where some Hessian jaegers were posted.[16] Both divisions of the army attacked the Hessian outposts on the River Road and Pennington Road simultaneously at 8 AM after their four hour march. They then continued into Trenton where the battle continued for over an hour. After the Battle of Trenton, Gen Washington's army returned to Johnson's Ferry by the River Road along with their Hessian prisoners
He married Eleanor Johnson Alexander (the widow of Revolutionary War Pennsylvania Naval Captain Charles Alexander) on June 7, 1784. They had two children - Gershom Mott (born 1785) and William Mott (born 1790). Gershom Mott married Phebe Rose Scudder (the granddaughter of guide Amos Scudder) and they were the parents of Union Civil War General Gershom Mott. John Mott and his wife, Eleanor, joined the Quakers in Trenton after the war as did Gen Philemon Dickinson and his wife. All four were buried in the Quaker burial ground in Trenton.[3]
[3]Stillwell, John E. Historical and Genealogical Miscellany: Data Relating to the Settlement and Settlers of New York and New Jersey, Vol. IV. New York, N.Y.: [s.n.], 1903.
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