When he came to the county, Council Bluffs was his nearest trading point, and post-office. The first school house built north of Boyer River was on the Cutler land in Magnolia Township, and was built by John Thompson and Jerry Motz, (our subject) in about 1854.
Mr. Motz was born in Center County, Pa., March 3, 1827. He is the son of George and Rachel (Harper) Motz, both natives of Pennsylvania. When our subject was ten years of age his parents moved from the Keystone state, to Hamilton County, Ind., and after living there for two years the parents both died, after which our subject had to shift for himself. He worked on a farm three years for one man, and then returned to his birth place in Pennsylvania, where he remained six months and then came back to Indiana and remained until 1853; and then came to Harrison County, Iowa.
He was united in marriage, in Timpton County, Ind., Christmas Day 1851, with Miss Delcina Caywood, the daughter of Oracio and Zilla Caywood. Our subject and his wife are the parents of eleven children, born as follows -- John M., September 18, 1853; Adelia, May 4, 1855; George W., October 3, 1856; Zillah, January 21, 1858; Orrilla, April 15, 1859; Mary E., February 16, 1861; William C., December 22, 1862; Francis, August 2, 1865; Eliza J., December 17, 1868; Linnie, February 4, 1871; Jacob L., August 27, 1873.
Orrilla, died in September 1860; Adelia, June 1867; Zillah, February 1884; Linnie, October 1887; Eliza J., October 1889, and Francis, April 1890.
Delcina (Caywood) Motz, was born in Kentucky April 30, 1833, and in the autumn of that year her parents moved to Hendricks County, Ind., and from there to Tipton County, where she remained until married. William and Francis, children of our subject, both graduated at Vinton Iowa College for the Blind, the form graduating in June 1889, and the latter in June 1887.
Mr. Motz is a member of the Masonic order, having joined in Indiana, in 1848, and was a Charter member of Magnolia Lodge No. 127.
Politically, he affiliates with the Democratic party, and his wife is a consistent member of the Christian Church.
source of biographical sketch: “History of Harrison County, Iowa”, 1891, pages 911 - 912
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DEATH OF JERRY MOTZ
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Harrison County Pioneer Passes Away.
Modale, Ia., June 5. -- Jerry Motz died at his home, four miles northwest of this city, on June 6, 1903, of rheumatism of the heart. The deceased was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, March 3, 1827, and at the time of his death was 76 years, 3 months and 2 days old. The deceased was one of the oldest residents of this county, having come here in 1853, and resided on the farm where his death occurred since 1865. He is survived by his widow, one daughter (Mrs. J. W. Pratt) and four sons -- George W., John, W. C. and J. L. Motz, all residing in this locality. The funeral will occur Saturday morning at 9 o’clock from the late home of the deceased and will be in charge of Acmode lodge, A. F. and A. M., of which order he was for many years, a member. Interment will be in the Calhoun cemetery.
source of obituary: The Daily Nonpareil (Council Bluffs, Iowa), June 6, 1903, page 6, column 5
When he came to the county, Council Bluffs was his nearest trading point, and post-office. The first school house built north of Boyer River was on the Cutler land in Magnolia Township, and was built by John Thompson and Jerry Motz, (our subject) in about 1854.
Mr. Motz was born in Center County, Pa., March 3, 1827. He is the son of George and Rachel (Harper) Motz, both natives of Pennsylvania. When our subject was ten years of age his parents moved from the Keystone state, to Hamilton County, Ind., and after living there for two years the parents both died, after which our subject had to shift for himself. He worked on a farm three years for one man, and then returned to his birth place in Pennsylvania, where he remained six months and then came back to Indiana and remained until 1853; and then came to Harrison County, Iowa.
He was united in marriage, in Timpton County, Ind., Christmas Day 1851, with Miss Delcina Caywood, the daughter of Oracio and Zilla Caywood. Our subject and his wife are the parents of eleven children, born as follows -- John M., September 18, 1853; Adelia, May 4, 1855; George W., October 3, 1856; Zillah, January 21, 1858; Orrilla, April 15, 1859; Mary E., February 16, 1861; William C., December 22, 1862; Francis, August 2, 1865; Eliza J., December 17, 1868; Linnie, February 4, 1871; Jacob L., August 27, 1873.
Orrilla, died in September 1860; Adelia, June 1867; Zillah, February 1884; Linnie, October 1887; Eliza J., October 1889, and Francis, April 1890.
Delcina (Caywood) Motz, was born in Kentucky April 30, 1833, and in the autumn of that year her parents moved to Hendricks County, Ind., and from there to Tipton County, where she remained until married. William and Francis, children of our subject, both graduated at Vinton Iowa College for the Blind, the form graduating in June 1889, and the latter in June 1887.
Mr. Motz is a member of the Masonic order, having joined in Indiana, in 1848, and was a Charter member of Magnolia Lodge No. 127.
Politically, he affiliates with the Democratic party, and his wife is a consistent member of the Christian Church.
source of biographical sketch: “History of Harrison County, Iowa”, 1891, pages 911 - 912
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DEATH OF JERRY MOTZ
----------------------------------------
Harrison County Pioneer Passes Away.
Modale, Ia., June 5. -- Jerry Motz died at his home, four miles northwest of this city, on June 6, 1903, of rheumatism of the heart. The deceased was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, March 3, 1827, and at the time of his death was 76 years, 3 months and 2 days old. The deceased was one of the oldest residents of this county, having come here in 1853, and resided on the farm where his death occurred since 1865. He is survived by his widow, one daughter (Mrs. J. W. Pratt) and four sons -- George W., John, W. C. and J. L. Motz, all residing in this locality. The funeral will occur Saturday morning at 9 o’clock from the late home of the deceased and will be in charge of Acmode lodge, A. F. and A. M., of which order he was for many years, a member. Interment will be in the Calhoun cemetery.
source of obituary: The Daily Nonpareil (Council Bluffs, Iowa), June 6, 1903, page 6, column 5
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