Charles Stewart Mott (June 2, 1875 – February 18, 1973) was an American industrialist and businessman, philanthropist, a co-owner of

General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...

, and the 50th and 55th mayor of

Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city in Genesee County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Flint River (Michigan), Flint River northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the Central Michigan, Mid Michigan region. Flin ...

. Mott is the figure most responsible for founding the Flint Senior College (now

University of Michigan–Flint The University of Michigan–Flint (UM-Flint) is a public university in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1956 as the Flint Senior College, it was initially established as a remote branch of the University of Michigan, offering upper-d ...

). Mott initiated the idea of creating the college and pledged $1 million toward the project.

Career

Charles Stewart Mott was born on June 2, 1875, in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...

, to John Coon Mott and Isabella Turnbull Stewart. He graduated from

Stevens Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology is a Private university, private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely de ...

in 1897 with a degree in

mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines and mechanism (engineering), mechanisms that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and engineering mathematics, mathematics principl ...

. In 1907 Mott moved his wheel and axle manufacturing firm, Weston Mott, from Utica, New York to

after an invitation by William C. Durant, then the President of the Buick Motor Company, which was soon to become the

General Motors Corporation General Motors Company (GM) is an American multinational automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing four automobile brands: Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, ...

. Weston-Mott later merged with GM. For many decades Mott would remain the single largest individual shareholder in the firm, and accumulate wealth in excess of $800 million. His closest proteges at the helm of GM were Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. and Charles Kettering. In 1921, Mott became chief of the GM Advisory Staff at the Detroit headquarters. He served on the GM Board of Directors for 60 years, from 1913 until his death in 1973. He was

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of the City of Flint in 1912–1913 and was defeated for re-election in 1914, but was again elected in 1918. In 1920, he ran in the Republican primary for

governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of government of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the state's 49th governor. She was re-ele ...

. In 1924 and 1940, he was a Michigan delegate to the

Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the Republican Party in the United States. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal o ...

. He was selected as a Republican presidential elector candidate for Michigan in 1964. Mott purchased U.S. Sugar in 1931.

Philanthropy

In 1926, Mott established the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. In 1965, Mott donated $6.5 million to the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

to help the university build its first children's hospital. Due to his donation, the equivalent of $50 million in 2021, the university named the

children's hospital A children's hospital (CH) is a hospital that offers its services exclusively to infants, children, adolescents, and young adults from birth up to until age 18, and through age 21 and older in the United States. In certain special cases, the ...

in honor of him. The 200 bed hospital would go on to serve about 3,500 children in its first year of operation. In 1972, Mott received the Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a nonprofit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest-achieving people in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet one ano ...

Personal life

C.S. Mott married Ethel Culbert Harding in 1900 and they had three children: Aimee, Elsa and C.S. Harding. Ethel Mott died in 1924 at age 43 after falling from the window of her second-story bedroom. In 1927, Mott married his second wife Mitlies Rathburn (1892-1928). She died on February 26, 1928. In March 1929, Mott married his third wife, Dee Furey (1899-1986), and filed for divorce in October of the same year. In 1934 Mott married his fourth wife, Ruth Rawlings, with whom he also had three children: Susan Elizabeth, Stewart Rawlings, and Maryanne.

Applewood

C.S. Mott's Flint, Michigan estate, Applewood, was built in 1916 as a self-sustaining farm for the Mott family. The main residence and grounds encompass approximately , 18 extensively landscaped. They include perennial, rose, cut flower and demonstration gardens, and an orchard with 29 varieties of heritage apples. The Ruth Mott Foundation currently owns and maintains Applewood, which is seasonally open to the public.

Death

Mott entered St. Joseph Hospital in Flint on January 28, 1973, with a cold, and then developed a flu which worsened from there. Mott died on February 18, 1973, in hospital. In response to his death, Flint City Mayor

Francis E. Limmer Francis E. Limmer is a former mayor of the City of Flint, Michigan, serving 1970–1973. Early life Political From 1970 to 1973, Limmer was selected by his fellow City Commissioners as Mayor. Under Limmer, the city agreed to acquire property a ...

declared a seven-day mourning period in the city. He was laid in state at St. Paul's Episcopal Church before being interred at in the Mott family mausoleum in Glenwood Cemetery.

References

External links

Ruth Mott FoundationMott Foundation
*
The Life of Charles Stewart Mott: Industrialist, Philanthropist, Mr. Flint
' by Edward Renehan (University of Michigan Press, Sept. 2019)
Brief video-clip of Charles Stewart MottStevens Institute of Technology: Hall of Achievement Inductee Video for Charles Stewart Mott
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mott, Charles Stewart 1875 births 1973 deaths Businesspeople from Newark, New Jersey Burials at Glenwood Cemetery (Flint, Michigan) Politicians from Newark, New Jersey American automotive pioneers United States Navy personnel of the Spanish–American War American founders of automobile manufacturers Mayors of Flint, Michigan Stevens Institute of Technology alumni Michigan Republicans 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century mayors of places in Michigan