My Genealogy Hound

JOHN D. MOTTIER, Sr., Posey Township, one of the most substantial farmers of this county, was born in Canton Vau, Switzerland, January 6, 1827. He is a son of John E. and Maria T. (Favre) Mottier, both natives of Switzerland. His father was a member of the Mottier family, to which the Marquis de LaFayette (whose real name was Gilbert Mottier LaFayette) belonged. He married in Switzerland, and the three sons, John E., Abram E. and John D., are the only persons of the name in the United States. The eldest brother came to Vevay in 1821, and resided there ten years; married, July, 1827, Maria Siebenthal, and subsequently removed to Cincinnati, and engaged in wine dressing for many years very successfully. Later he moved to Erie County, Penn., where he now resides. Our subject grew to the age of nineteen in his native country. In 1846 he immigrated to America and located in Cincinnati, where he resided with his brother three years. In the fall of 1851, he came to this community and put out a vineyard on a lease near Patriot, but about one year later engaged in farming and stock-raising. He purchased, in 1853, fifty-four acres of land, a portion of his present farm, to which he has added until now he owns 300 acres, most of it very valuable land. He was married in the fall of 1851 to Lydia Myers, native of Ireland, and by this union twelve children were born, nine of whom are living: John D., Jr., Oliver P., David, Edward, Favre, Guillford D., Mary L., Hattie, Lily B. (wife of James Humphrey). John D. married Alice Allen, of Cincinnati, and resides in Benton County, Ind. Oliver P. married Ida Zuiker and resides in Osage County, Kas. Mr. M. is a member of the I. O. O. F., has been president of the Patriot school board ten years, and is one of the most substantial and thrifty farmers of the county. Master Faver Mottier possesses fine musical talent and is already a fine performer, his prospects for future celebrity being very promising.