Charles Stewart Mott (1875 - 1973)

Charles Stewart Mott was first and foremost a pioneer in the American automobile industry. He was also a successful financier, notable philanthropist and major builder of the Flint community.

Mr. Mott was born on June 2, 1875 in Hoboken, New Jersey where he was raised and completed a degree in engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1897. Prior to receiving his degree, he had worked in the family cider and vinegar business, which produced, among other items, Mott's apple juice. The family eventually sold that business, along with the Mott name.

Mr. Mott became a member of the New York State Naval Militia in 1895. When the Spanish American War broke out in 1898 the Militia became part of the United States Navy. Mr. Mott served as a gunner's mate First Class on the U.S.S. Yankee through nine engagements, including the battles of Guantanamo Bay and Santiago.

After Mott left the Navy he decided to work as an engineer. Much as the Wright Brothers turned their bicycle shop into an aeronautic laboratory, Mott turned a bicycle wheel making company into the manufacturer of a product for a new invention. The Weston-Mott Company of Utica, New York began making complete automobile wheel and axle assemblies for the newly emerging automobile industry. Flint's Buick Automobile Company convinced Mr. Mott to move his operation from New York to Michigan in 1906. When General Motors was formed in 1913 the Weston-Mott Company was absorbed and Mott served as a member of GM's Board of Directors for sixty years, from 1913 to 1973. His business, Weston-Mott, was an important component of General Motors and gave Mr. Mott a place in the industrial revolution that changed America forever.
Mr. Mott married Ethel C. Harding on June 15, 1900 in New York. They had three children; two daughters and a son. In 1915, Mott bought two adjoining parcels totaling 65 acres within Flint's city limits. With the assistance of his brother-in-law, architect Herbert Davis and another relative, landscape architect William Pitkin, Jr., Mr. Mott had a self-sufficient gentleman's farm designed. Both relatives worked together to create a practical family home that offered recreational opportunities, as well as foodstuffs, for Mott's family. The estate was named Applewood after the orchard Mott planted on the front lawn. With his Scottish head gardener, John Mair, Mr. Mott often walked the grounds discussing the performance and placement of various plants. Original plant orders and extensive diaries now stored in Applewood's archives provide a wealth of information about the estate's landscape.

Mr. Mott also found time to serve his adopted community and took his civic responsibility seriously. He was mayor of Flint in 1912, 1913 and again in 1917. He worked to improve the city's facilities that were greatly overtaxed at those times. 40,000 people were living in a city designed to support 10,000. He established the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in 1926 because of his deep concern for Flint and its citizens. Started with $320,000, the Mott Foundation's assets grew to more than $400,000,000 by 1970. Sparked by an idea from Frank Manley over a tennis match at Applewood, the Mott Foundation launched a program of organized, school-based recreational activities that grew into a national model for community education.

Mr. Mott was also instrumental in establishing the Mott Children's Health Center, Flint chapters of the Boy Scouts and YMCA and the Whaley Children's Center. In 1956, C.S. Mott made a grant that started the University of Michigan-Flint. Thanks to his generosity Applewood's pastureland is now the site of Mott Community College. While he was generous to his community he was never wasteful with his money. His accomplishments and contributions to Flint are far too numerous to count.

On October 13, 1934 Mr. Mott married Ruth Rawlings in El Paso, Texas. They returned to Applewood, had three children and were married for 38 years. Mr. Mott's white eyebrows and ramrod straight posture were familiar sights in Flint until his death on February 18, 1973.