The following is text Eliz. "BJ" Peters received in an email from Dr. Chas. Mawhinney on Nov. 5, 2000. I'm sorry to say that Dr. Mawhinney joined his ancestors in Glory on May 27, 2001.
He stated, " The story seems to be: Johannes Heinrich LaMotte was born in France in 1705 and came to America in 1741 at the age of 36 years leaving France because of religious persecution. He arrived in Phila., Pa. on the ship Phoenix (documented).
"He embraced the Menonite faith after arriving in Pa. He was a man of peace. (This supports the Menonite faith). He registered his oath of Allegiance in Maryland as a non-combatant (documented) which means he would not fight for the colonies but gave his allegiance to the colonies and not the crown of England.
"He apparently traveled after arriving in the country and went to Charleston, S.C. where he joined a Hugenot colony. He returned to Maryland/Pa. area where he met and married widow Bollinger who had three sons.
"We think he married in 1750 as his first child, Henry was born in 1751 in York Co., Pa. The Marquis de LaFayette was a first cousin of Johannes Heinrich LaMotte and when he came to America to fight for the colonies, one of his staff officers was Nicolas de LaMotte.
"Nicholas was an uncle of Johannes Heinrich and he called upon him with other officers. On this visit they, Nicolas and Johanne Heinrich spoke in fluent French and the family was stunned.
"They did not know their father could speak French and were also stunned at the high respect he was shown by the other French officers accompanying Nicolas. Apparently Johannes H. did not talk about his family with his children.
"J.H. was a Hugenot protestant when he came to this country and then embraced the Menonite religion ... later he returned to the German Lutheran religion and his family seemed to all resume their religious faith with the German Lutherans as the records show many baptisms in the Lutheran churches. ...
"Also found a publication in Phila., Pa. on the Hugenots immigration to Pa. and it reported J.H. was born in Provence, France; could speak German and French fluently, immigrated to Pa. with the Palatines and Swiss. He settled down in Hanover, Pa. in 1754. He was visited by a relative, Captain Nickolas de La Motte in 1785, of the French Army who came to America with Rochambeau to fight in the Amer. Revolution with Marquis de LaFayette.
(Chas' Note to BJ :"More and more information seems to support the family story of LaFayette)
"A Mrs. Knapp who lived in York, Pa. in 1825 is the one who passed the LaFayette story down in the Lamott family. So far my research seems to indicate Mrs. Knapp was the granddaughter of Johannes Henry Lamott and the daughter of Henry Lamott (1751-1798) who lived and died in Hardford Co., Md. on the family genealogy.
"This Henry Lamott is the father of Jacob Lamott(Charles' line) and Mrs. Knapp should be Mary Lamott, the only daughter in this family and a sister of Jacob Lammott (1774-1845)
Merle Clyde Lamott's Thesis is listed as: Analysis of Data Derived from Experimentation in Impact. His nickname listed in quotes is "Mott". He's listed under those receiving a BS in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue Univ. Source: 1902 Annual Catalog of Purdue Univ, Pg 52. Found a listing for in a 1946 issue of Santa Fe magazine, Volume 40, pg 49 that mentions Merle Clyde Lamott.....Machinist....Topeka, Kan... This was the magazine for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company.
1947 issue of Santa Fe magazine, Volume 41, pg 49 that states: Deaths - Merle C. LaMott, retired machinist, April 30. He was born October 18, 1876, at Washington, Ind., and began his apprenticeship with the Santa Fe in June, 1904. He is survived by his widow, one daughter, and one son.
Merle Clyde Lamott's Thesis is listed as: Analysis of Data Derived from Experimentation in Impact. His nickname listed in quotes is "Mott".