Sarah Bassett Mott was born about 1803, probably in or around Lowville, Oneida (now Lewis) County, New York. She moved with her family to Rushville, Ontario County, New York where her mother died in 1815, 10 days after giving birth to twins. In 1818, after her grandmother mother Sarah Bassett died, her father placed the younger children with relatives and friends and brought Sarah, William and Abigail with him to Hamilton County, Ohio, around Cincinnati, where his cousin Benjamin Bassett was living. Her father died in Hamilton County in 1818 or 19. Sarah was 15 or 16 years old.

In 1820, Sarah married Sayres Mott in Hamilton County, Ohio. They were married by Rev. William Lynes, a Methodist minister according to an 1820 Directory of Cincinnati. Sayres (spelled here Cyrus) Mott is seen in the 1830 census of New Delhi Township, Hamilton County, Ohio with 1 male under 5 (Luther), 1 30-40 (Sayres) and 2 females under 5 (Hester Ann and Eliza), 1 5-10 (Susan), one 20-30 (Sarah), and one female 60-70, perhaps Sayres mother? Mary, Elizabeth and Emily were also born here.

Sayres had purchased in 1819 two parcels of land in Switzerland County, Indiana, just across the border. They moved there around 1838. John, Mahala, Permelia and William were born there. But in 1847, Sayres died, aged 52 years old. He was only 52 years old. He and Sarah had 11 children in their 25 years of marriage. The youngest, William, was just born the same year Sayres died.

The 1850 census shows Sarah living as head of household in Switzerland County, Indiana with children and two grandchildren. They were: Susan, newly married to Jonathan Robinson, Luther, Mary Elizabeth, Emily, John, Mahala, Permelia, William and Eliza who married Jackson Mounts and had two children Charles and Oscar, both born in Iowa, now living with their grandmother, Sarah.

On October 22, 1859 Sarah married William White a widower who died in 1862. Sarah is seen in the 1870 census living with her son John and family in Tipton County, Ohio. She died in Tipton or Clinton County, Ohio, in 1882. She is buried in the same plot as her son, Luther.

Sarah Bassett's family lines go back to Mayflower passengers John Howland and Elizabeth Tilly who arrived in 1620 and later married, having 12 children who all survived to adulthood. Her line is from their daughter Hope.