James Mott

Long Island-born Quaker reformer James Mott (1788-1868) married Lucretia Coffin in 1811 after meeting her at a Quaker boarding school in Poughkeepsie, New York. Mott became a partner in the nail business Lucretia’s father had recently established in Philadelphia. Though he struggled in the aftermath of the War of 1812 and Panic of 1819, Mott eventually made progress in the cotton trade after 1822. About the same time, however, he and his wife became followers of Elias Hicks ( http://gsmm.org, http://www.orangecountyquakers.org ) a liberal Quaker who frowned upon even indirect support of the slave system. By 1830, then, Mott gave up his lucrative cotton enterprise to avoid the moral opprobrium of even indirectly supporting the “peculiar institution.” He made a successful transition to the wool trade and was able to retire in 1852. Though often portrayed in a mere footnote, Mott participated in many of the same conferences and activities as his better known wife, and even presided over some of the Seneca Falls convention sessions. One of the founders of Swarthmore College, Mott died of pneumonia while visiting a daughter in Brooklyn.

Ancestry of James Mott

James Mott: June 20, 1788, Cow Neck Long Island New York
Married: April 10, 1811 in Philadelphia, Pa.
Lucretia Coffin: January 03, 1793, Nantucket

James Mott parents:

Adam Mott: October 11, 1762, Cow Neck Long Island New York
Married: May 19, 1785
Anne Mott: b. July 31, 1768, Mamaroneck, d. August 05, 1852

Anne Mott’s parents:

James Mott: b. August 03, 1742 in Roslyn, Long Island, New York; d. May 07, 1823 in Mamaroneck
Married: September 05, 1765
Mary Underhill: b. January 31, 1744/45, d. 1776 in Mamaroneck

Parents of James Mott:

Richard Mott: b. 1710, d. August 08, 1743
Married:
Sarah Pearsall: b. November 06, 1714 d. September 1800

Parents of Sarah Pearsall:

Thomas Pearsall: b. 4th month 18, 1679, d. 12th month 29, 1759, He resided at Hempstead Harbor Long Island New York;
Married:
Sarah Underhill: daughter of John Underhill and his wife Mary Prior, b. 6th month 17, 1687; d. 9th month 10, 1768
John Under: was the oldest son of Capt. John Underhill.

Parents of Thomas Pearsall:

Nathaniel Pearsall: b. about 1649; d. October 24, 1703, He resided in Hempstead Long Island New York.
Married:
Martha Seaman: daughter of Captain John Seamn and his wife Martha Moore. Martha Seaman died 7th month, 6, 1712

Parents of Nathaniel Pearsall:

Henry Pearsall and Anne Pankhurst see Pearsalls Corner

Sources: Genealogy of the Pearsall Family 1928 by Clarence Pearsall
ADAM AND ANNE MOTT: Their Ancestors and Their Descendants by Thomas C. Cornell; their grandson, Yonkers, N.Y. PRINTED FOR THE FAMILY. 1890

Additional information about James Mott can be found in the following source:
Hallowell, Anna Davis, ed. James and Lucretia Mott: Life and Letters. Houghton, 1884; 5th ed., 1896. Dual biography and selected correspondence edited by their granddaughter.