Joshua Motter
{{Short description|American politician (1801–1875)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Joshua Motter
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| state_delegate = Maryland
| district = Frederick County
| term_start = 1840
| term_end = 1841
| alongside = Edward A. Lynch, William Lynch, David W. Naill, Davis Richardson
| predecessor = Daniel S. Biser, Jacob Firor, John McPherson, Caspar Quynn, John H. Simmons
| successor = Daniel S. Biser, John W. Geyer, James M. Schley, John H. Simmons, Cornelius Staley
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1801|2|2}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|1875|2|25|1801|2|2}}
| death_place = Emmitsburg, Maryland, U.S.
| resting_place = Lutheran Cemetery
| party =
| spouse =
| children = 3
| relatives = Lewis M. Motter (brother)
| education =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|merchant|farmer|railroad executive}}
| signature =
}}
Joshua Motter (February 2, 1801 – February 25, 1875) was an American politician from Maryland. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Frederick County from 1840 to 1841.
Early life
Joshua Motter was born on February 2, 1801, to Mary M. (née Martin) and Lewis Motter.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historyoffrederi0002will/page/1416/mode/2up |title=History of Frederick County, Maryland |volume=2 |last1=Williams |first1=T. J. C. |last2=McKinsey |first2=Folger |publisher=L. R. Titsworth & Co. |year=1979 |pages=1416–1417 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2024-03-20}}{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/portraitbiograph01chap_0/page/n291/mode/2up |title=Portrait and Biographical Record of the Sixth Congressional District, Maryland |year=1898 |publisher=Chapman Publishing Company |pages=187–188 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2024-03-20}}{{Open access}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/wathena-reporter-joshua-motter-27-feb-1/143731218/ |title=Sudden Death of Mr. Joshua Motter |date=1875-02-27 |newspaper=Wathena Reporter |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-03-20}}{{Open access}} His brothers were Maryland delegate Lewis M. Motter and judge William Motter.
Career
Motter was a merchant and farmer in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Motter served as justice of the peace. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Frederick County from 1840 to 1841.{{cite web |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/speccol/sc2600/sc2685/house/html/frhouse.html |title=Historical List, House of Delegates, Frederick County (1790-1974) |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |date=2010-01-04 |access-date=2024-03-20}}
Motter was elected president of the Emmitsburg Railroad (later Baltimore and Emmitsburg Railroad) in November 1868.{{Cite journal |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_railway-locomotives-and-cars_1868-11-07_41_1699/page/n21/mode/2up |title=Joshua Motter... |journal=American Railroad Journal |date=1868-11-07 |page=1107 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2024-03-20}}{{Open access}} He was director of the Bank of Gettysburg from May 12, 1837, to 1860, succeeding his father. He also served as director of the Gettysburg National Bank from 1868 to 1875.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historybankgett00mcshgoog/page/n136/mode/2up |title=History of Bank of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg National Bank of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania |last=McSherry |first=William |year=1914 |publisher=The Gettysburg National Bank |pages=32,103 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2024-03-20}}{{Open access}}
Personal life
Motter married. He had a son and two daughters, John L., Lucinda, wife of Elnathan E. Higbee, and Anna B., wife of Jacob Brewer Kershner.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/centuryofeducati00klei/page/422/mode/2up |title=A Century of Education at Mercersburg, 1836–1936 |last=Klein |first=H. M. J. |year=1936 |pages=387,422,634 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2024-03-20}}{{Open access}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lancaster-new-era-mrs-lucinda-higbee-7/143736134/ |title=Mrs. Lucinda Higbee |date=1929-12-07 |newspaper=Lancaster New Era |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-03-20}}{{Open access}} He was an elder of the German Reformed Church.
Motter died on February 25, 1875, aged 74, in Emmitsburg.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-joshua-motter-3-ma/143734605/ |title=Joshua Motter... |date=1875-03-03 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-03-20}}{{Open access}} He was buried in the Lutheran Cemetery.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofemmitsb00helm_0/page/n51/mode/2up |title=History of Emmitsburg, Maryland |last=Helman |first=James A. |year=1906 |page=26 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2024-03-20}}{{Open access}}
References
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Category:People from Emmitsburg, Maryland
Category:American justices of the peace
Category:Members of the Maryland House of Delegates
Category:Farmers from Maryland
Category:American railroad executives
Category:19th-century American farmers
Category:19th-century American merchants
Category:19th-century members of the Maryland General Assembly