Remember When: Stitching together the history of Motts' corner

Readers who remember the mid-1970s are likely to remember Betty Bishop, Lancaster’s “queen of quilting.” She opened Lancaster’s first working quilt shop in 1976 in a room on the second floor of Farmer’s Country Store, 540 N. High St. She soon expanded into three rooms there and then moved her business “A Stitch in Time” in 1978 to 221 E. Sixth Ave. Her business still growing, she purchased the house at 600 N. High St. in 1980 from Hazel Mott. Bishop boasted she then had two locations “back-to-back,” and was both a retail store and a place for needlework classes. When this property on the NE corner of North High and East Sixth was still an empty lot in 1901, it had been purchased by the Mott family.

Elizabeth Smith, daughter of George (1800-1884) and Amelia (1805-1874) Smith was born in Lancaster in 1830. She married John W. Mott of Peru, Indiana on Dec. 15, 1852 in Lancaster. The Motts had two sons, Edwin Smith Mott (1853-189?) and Dana William(s) Mott (1857-1922).

Dana W. Mott married Mary Elizabeth (Dolly) Houck in 1886. He was known as “Will” and also W. D. “Mr. Will Mott, the experienced tinner and plumber, has opened a shop in the rear of Fox’s tin store on the Public Square, and will engage in business for himself. Will is a good workman, and has been employed for the past few years by some of the best firms in the city” (1899 Feb 28 Daily Eagle). The 1900 Census shows Will’s mother Elizabeth, Will and his wife Mary and their son Russell (1890-1964) living at 813 N. Broad St.

Will’s mother bought the property on the NE corner of High and Sixth in January 1901, and Will’s family and his mother were living in a new house on the property by the time the 1902 Lancaster City Directory was published. A building in their backyard was labeled “plumber” on the December 1904 Sanborn Map and is believed to have been Will’s plumbing business.

Russell Mott at age 25 married Miss Hazel Sheets “on the evening of the last day of the year” in 1915. The announcement (30 Dec.1915 Daily Eagle) stated: “The groom is a most exemplary young man and for some time past has had charge of the store of the Gesling Plumbing Co. on South Columbus St.” The couple moved in 1916 to a new home in Columbus and a daughter, Ruth Carol, was born to the couple on Christmas Day. A son, Marshall Edward, was born to the couple in 1918 at the Lancaster home of Russell’s parents. Russell’s family moved to 114 Arnold Ave. in 1919 where sadly, their son Marshall died in 1921 at age 2. Another son, Dana E. Mott, was born in 1921.

Elizabeth Mott sold her grandson Russell a portion of the land behind her house in 1922. “Mr. Russell Mott has commenced the erection of a new 6-room modern residence on the rear of his father’s corner lot at High and Sixth. Contractor A. B. Van Gundy has the job and will push it to a speedy completion” reported  the Daily Eagle (25 Feb 1922). This house became 221 E. Sixth Ave.

Both Elizabeth Mott and her son Dana Williams Mott died in 1922; Elizabeth at 92 in May, and her son at 65 in September Both funerals were held at 600 N. High. During the 1920s Mrs. D. W. (Dolly) Mott operated a confectionery at 600 N. High. She continued to live in the home until her death in 1949 at 86. The property was transferred to Russell Mott, and in 1950 an auction was held to sell household goods. The property was rented until 1956 when Mr. and Mrs. Russell Mott moved back to 600 N. High after living in Columbus for about 30 years. Russell and Hazel Mott’s son Dana E. and wife Alice Mott had four children: John, Elizabeth, Timothy and Stephen. Russell died in 1964, and as stated in the first paragraph, his wife Hazel Mott sold 600 N. High to Betty Bishop in 1980.

Space does not allow all the stories associated with 600 N. High to be retold here. The house was home to the Mott family for about 80 years … and then was Betty Bishop’s  shop, followed by several other shops for 20 plus years. As the Mott family memories are shared today, readers may remember all their visits and purchases at 600 N. High after the Mott home had become a shop.

Readers may contact Harvey at joycelancastereg@gmail.com

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Remember When: Stitching together the history of Motts' corner