MOTT, Stephen Commodore

Mohave County Miner, Mohave County, Arizona Territory Saturday, July 17, 1909, page 2, column 3 Last Tuesday morning, at Prescott, Stephen C. Mott passed away, the immediate cause of death being paralysis. Steve Mott as he was familiarly know, was on of the early residents of the desert section, residing in San Bernardino county, California, many years before coming to Arizona territory. Since coming to this territory he made quite a fortune in Yavapai county mines. Shortly after acquiring wealth he married a Miss Spence, living near Prescott, but the marriage was not a happy one. After separating from his wife, Mott went to the Burro Creek country6, in this county, and took up a number of mining claims. He had trouble with his neighbors and it was generally believed that he was demented. He lived alone and illness coming upon him he was saved from a lonely death by the opportune appearance of a miner who had Mott taken to Prescott. Mott's life was a strenuous one and an interesting book could be written of his early exploits. --------------------------------------- Weekly Journal Miner, Prescott, Arizona Territory Wednesday, July 21, 1909, page 3, column 1 Steve Mott Dies Of Paralysis Of Throat (From Wednesday's Daily) Steve C. Mott passed away at the county hospital yesterday morning, his death being due to paralysis of the throat and bronchial organs. He was brought to the city a few days ago from the Bonanza Gulch country, where he had been engaged for several years in developing several mining claims. His affliction is said to be due to the using of water from these mines, and the supposition of several of his friends is that he drank too freely from a certain spring on one of the properties which was contaminated with a copper solution. This he spoke of on one of his visits to the city a few months ago, saying that the entire water supply of that section where his mining interests were located was impregnated with this or some other mineral. From the first no hopes were entertained for his recovery, and following his inability to converse with friends to make his wants known, he became unconscious about twenty-four hours before death came. Mr. Mott was well known and enjoyed a strong friendship with allow people in this county. He was in 1899 elected to the legislature from this county, making a good record and having several mining laws enacted of an essential nature to the mining element. He operated the Little Prince mine in the Bradshaws, near the famous Peek, in the early '80's, making a fortune through this work. This was his last association with silver mining. In 1878 he was a member of the state constitutional convention of California, being the youngest man in that body, when the present laws practically were put into operation. Of the relatives that he leaves nothing is known definitely, except a daughter, Miss Mattie Mott, a resident of Challis, Idaho. He is said to have a brother and other distant relatives in Modoc county, California. He was fifty-nine years of age. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 2 o'clock from Ruffner's undertaking parlors, to which an earnest invitation is extended to all friends and acquaintances. ---------------------------------------- Transcriber's note: Burial was made in the Citizens Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona. There is no headstone marking Mr. Motts place of burial.