Samuel Rolla Mott (abt. 1831 - 1899)

Husband of Martha (Apgar) Mott — married 1 Feb 1852 in Auglaize, Ohio, United States

Died 7 Jun 1899 at about age 68 in Paulding, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Colonel Samuel Mott served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: 18 Sep 1861
Mustered out: 14 Aug 1865
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 57th Ohio Infantry

Captain Samuel Mott was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh, by a shot in the hip, during United States Civil War.

Samuel Rolla Mott, Jr was born in 1831.

He married Martha Apgar on 01 Feb 1852 in Auglaize County, Ohio.^[1] Together they had the following children:^[2][3][4][5]

1. Florence (Mott) Blume (b. ~1857)
2. Ida Irene (Mott) Harrison (b. ~1860)
3. Sherman Mott (Jul 1866 - 18 Dec 1935)
4. Gertrude R. (Mott) Brewer (b. ~1869 - 01 Jan 1899)
5. Americus Vespucius Rice Mott (15 Sep 1871 - 31 May 1928)
6. Emma Leone (Mott) Wolf (b. 15 Dec 1874)

Civil War Service

He joined the 57th Ohio Infantry Regiment as Captain of Company C. on 18 Sep 1861.^[6] He was severely wounded by a shot to the hip at the Battle of Shiloh on 06 Apr 1862.^[7]

With the resignation of the original regimental commander William Mungen he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 16 Apr 1863, becoming second-in-command of the 57th Ohio.^[6]

At the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Colonel Americus V. Rice was badly wounded and Mott took command of the regiment. Colonel Thomas Kilby Smith wrote of their actions, "Colonel Rice maintained his position exactly and handled his regiment as he would upon review -- calm, collected, but full of daring. Should his severe wound prove fatal, as is feared, the service will suffer irreparable loss... [Mott] handled his regiment with consummate skill and daring, proving that he was well worthy of his recent promotion."^[8]

He was promoted to Colonel on 10 Aug 1865, but never officially served at that rank. He was mustered out with his regiment on 14 Aug 1865 at Little Rock, Arkansas.^[6]

After the War

Following the war, he returned to his family in Wapakoneta, Auglaize County, Ohio, where he worked as a lawyer.^[2] He named one son after General William Tecumseh Sherman (who was his brigade, corps, and army commander throughout the war), and another son after Americus V. Rice, who was his direct superior with the 57th Ohio.^[3]

In 1869 he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives for Auglaize County.^[9][10] At some point between 1871 and 1874 his family moved to Paulding County, Ohio, where he continued to work as a lawyer.^[4][5]

In 1877, he was elected President of the Paulding & Cieil Railroad.^[11]

He passed away on 07 Jun 1899.^[12][13] He is buried at Live Oak Cemetery, Paulding, Paulding County, Ohio.^[14]

Research Notes

He seems to be the son of Samuel R. Mott (b. ~1817) who was quite young at his birth. They were living together at the 1850 census. Both served in the Civil War in Ohio Regiments. Both worked as lawyers. Care must be taken to correctly identify which man is being referred to.^[15] Newspaper articles often refer to S. R. Mott of St. Mary's (this other fellow) and S. R. Mott of Paulding. One article calls the S. R. Mott of St. Mary's S. R. Mott, Sr.^[16]

It is also possible they are some other relation. I have seen reference to Sr. and Jr. even when they are not father/son. For example, his son Sherman Mott is referred to as Sherman Mott, Sr. with his nephew referred to as Sherman Mott, Jr.

Sources

1. ↑ "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016." FamilySearch. 13 October 2021. Samuel R. Mott and Martha Apgar, 1852.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "United States Census, 1870." FamilySearch. 29 May 2021. Samuel R Mott, 1870.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003." FamilySearch. 8 March 2021. Samuel R. Mott in entry for Americus V. Mott, 1871.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003." FamilySearch. 8 March 2021. Samuel R. Mott in entry for Emma Leone Mott, 1874.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "United States Census, 1880." FamilySearch. 14 January 2022. Samuel R. Mott, Paulding, Paulding, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Ohio Roster Commission. Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War on the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Compiled Under the Direction of the Roster Commission. Vol. 5. Akron, OH: Werner Co., 1886-1895. pp 129.
7. ↑ "Letter from Col Mungen to Findlay Newspapers Concerning the Battle of Shiloh." The Findlay Jeffersonian. Findlay, OH. 25 Apr 1862.
8. ↑ Smith, Thomas Kilby. "No. 32. Report of Col. Thomas Kilby Smith, Fifty-fourth Ohio Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, including operations since May 6, May 24, 1863." In The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I, Vol. XXIV, Part II. Edited by Robert N. Scott. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1889. pp 270.
9. ↑ "Members Elect in the Ohio Legislature." The Hancock Courier. Findlay, OH. 28 Oct 1869.
10. ↑ "Political Items." The Hancock Courier. Findlay, OH. 15 Jun 1871.
11. ↑ "Untitled." The Democrat. Lima, OH. 15 Feb 1877.
12. ↑ "Local Miscellany." The Sidney Journal. Sidney, OH. 16 Jun 1899.
13. ↑ "Brevities." Obituary. Dayton Daily News. Dayton, OH. 12 Jun 1899.
14. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images accessed 24 February 2023), memorial page for Samuel Rolla Mott (12 Jan 1831–7 Jun 1899), Find A Grave: Memorial #59642678, citing Live Oak Cemetery, Paulding, Paulding County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1850." FamilySearch. 21 December 2020. Samuel Mott in household of Samuel R Mott, Saint Marys Township, Auglaize, Ohio, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
16. ↑ "The Senatorial Convention." The Democrat. Lima, OH. 05 Jul 1877.