Clatsop-Marion County OR Archives Biographies.....Mott, James W. November 12, 1884 - 
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Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com February 6, 2011, 2:38 pm

Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 852 - 853
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     JAMES W. MOTT.  One of the most distinguished members of the bar of 
Clatsop county is James W. Mott, of Astoria, who not only holds a high place 
among the able and successful lawyers of this section of the state, but has 
also a splendid record as a legislator, in which capacity his services were of 
a character that in a very direct way promoted the public interests. Mr. Mott 
was born in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, on the 12th of November, 1884, 
and is a son of Dr. W. S. and Willetta (Bunn) Mott, also natives of that 
locality. His father received a good public school education and graduated 
from the Eclectic Medical Institute, of Cincinnati, Ohio, with the degree of 
Doctor of Medicine. He began practice in his native county, where he remained 
until 1889, when he came to Oregon, locating in Salem, where he opened an 
office and engaged in the practice of medicine until shortly before his death, 
which occurred in 1919. His widow is still living in that city. They became 
the parents of three children, namely: James Wheaton; Dr. Lloyd Howe, who is 
in the government medical service at Seattle, Washington; and Dr. William 
Boyd, who succeeded his father at Salem, where he is still practicing.

     James W. Mott, who was about five years of age when his family came to 
Oregon, attended the public schools and a preparatory normal school in Salem, 
the University of Oregon and Leland Stanford University. He completed his 
studies at Columbia University, New York city, where he was graduated with the 
degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1909. Later he took up the study of law, 
graduating from Willamette University Law School, and in 1917 was admitted to 
the bar of Oregon. In that year he came to Astoria, opened a law office and 
has practiced his profession here to the present time, with the exception of 
the period of his military service. In July, 1918, he closed his office and 
enlisted in the United States Navy, in which he served until the close of the 
war, when he was honorably discharged. In 1919 he reopened his law office. A 
constant student of law, careful and painstaking in his attention to cases 
entrusted to him and adhering closely to the highest ethics and traditions of 
his profession, he is well established in public confidence and commands a 
large and remunerative practice. In 1920 Mr. Mott was elected city attorney of 
Astoria, in which capacity he served until January, 1923.

     In 1919, Mr. Mott was united in marriage to Miss Ethel Lucile Walling, 
who was born in Polk county, Oregon, and is a daughter of Jesse and Cora 
(Loose) Walling, both of whom were natives of Oregon and members of old 
pioneer families of this state. Her paternal great-grandfather, Gabriel 
Walling, crossed the plains with ox-teams and covered wagons in 1847 and was 
numbered among the first permanent settlers of Oregon territory, taking up a 
donation land claim in Polk county. Members of the Walling family were 
identified with the early public affairs of the territory, serving as members 
of the first territorial legislature in the '40s. Mrs. Mott attended the 
public schools and completed her education at the Oregon Agricultural College. 
Mr. and Mrs. Mott are the parents of two children, Frances Anne, born November 
29, 1921, and Dorothy May, born August 6, 1923.

     Politically Mr. Mott has always supported the republican party and from 
young manhood has taken a keen interest in public affairs. In November, 1922, 
he was elected to represent the nineteenth legislative district (Clatsop 
county) in the state legislature, and was reelected in 1924 and 1926, serving 
three terms. His service in that body was marked by a sincere and determined 
effort to promote such legislation as would best conserve the public interests 
and, in the face of powerful opposition, he succeeded in securing the 
enactment of several important bills. During the first session after his 
election Mr. Mott introduced a bill designed to aid the city of Astoria in 
rebuilding its public property destroyed by fire by appropriating annually for 
a period of seven years a sum of money equal to the amount of the state taxes 
on all real and personal property located in the city of Astoria. Though this 
bill was reported out of committee with a unanimous adverse report, it was 
eventually passed, through Mr. Mott's personal efforts and skillful 
parliamentary tactics. One of the chief objections to this bill was that the 
state had no money and could not assume the financial burden imposed by the 
bill unless an equivalent amount could be raised from other sources than the 
taxpayers. To meet this objection Mr. Mott introduced a bill increasing the 
fees and licenses required of foreign insurance companies doing business 
within the state. This bill, which was opposed by able members of the house 
and an active lobby maintained by the insurance companies, was passed, and 
provided more than enough money to meet the demands of the Astoria relief 
bill. Two other bills along the line of remedial legislation introduced and 
sponsored by Mr. Mott were those repealing the anti-trolling act and 
abolishing fish wheels. The first named bill was passed. The second bill, 
which was of vital importance to the industrial interests of the state, was 
introduced with the announced intention of holding it in committee as a 
counter measure in the event of the introduction of another bill to prohibit 
trolling. It was not believed that Mr. Mott's bill could be passed in the 
house, but it was thought that it could be passed if taken directly to the 
people. Therefore, at the close of the session Mr. Mott drafted the present 
law abolishing fish wheels, secured the official endorsement of the Oregon 
State Grange, the State Federation of Labor and the state fish commission, and 
at the ensuing election the bill was passed by a majority of more than thirty 
thousand. The foregoing bills are referred to specifically because they are 
examples of important and exceedingly difficult legislation which was passed 
in nearly every instance, not only over the adverse reports of the committees 
to which they were referred, but also in the face of organized opposition 
which at the time was considered impregnable. In the primary election of 1928 
Mr. Mott was a candidate for the nomination for congress from the first 
congressional district, consisting of seventeen counties, comprising all of 
western Oregon excepting Multnomah county. His opponent was W. C. Hawley, who 
has represented this district for twenty-one years continuously. Mr. Mott made 
a splendid race, but was defeated. However, he has already announced that he 
will again be a candidate for congress two years hence. His friends believe 
that he has shown abundant qualifications for the office and that he would 
honor his district in the national legislative body.

     Mr. Mott is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the 
Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen of the World. the Sigma Chi and Acacia 
fraternities and the Kiwanis Club, and he and his wife are members of the 
Presbyterian church. Steadfastness in adherence to principle, loyalty to the 
best interests of the people and unswerving integrity in every relation of 
life have marked Mr. Mott's career and today no citizen of this community 
stands higher in the confidence and respect of the people.

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