More information on our DeMott family buried in the Bonta – DeMott family cemetery close to the Boyle County line on US127 south.  The progenitor of this family who moved to Kentucky at least by 1792 (there are marriages listed in this year) was Lawrence DeMott, a Revolutionary War soldier, and his wife, Dorothea Vanderbeek, who moved his family from Somerset County, New Jersey, to Mercer County, Kentucky.

List of marriages of DeMott and corresponding families in Mercer County records.

• DeMott, Abraham married ?, August 1792, bondsman, Peter DeMott
• DeMott, John married Ann Cozine, October 26, 1793, bondsman Lawrence Cozine, bride’s guardian was John Haggin, teste. Lawrence DeMott
• DeMott, Lawrence married Dorothy Verbryke, February 17, 1798, bondsman Lawrence Verbryke
• DeMott, Peter married Mary Terhune, December 14, 1796, bondsman Lawrence DeMott, bride’s father Garrett Terhune
• DeMott, Mary married David Banta, January 19, 1792, bondsman and bride’s father Lawrence DeMott, teste. Lawrence DeMott, Jr., and Lawrence Verbryke
• DeMott, Martha married Nicholas Bice, July 31, 1797, bondsman and bride’s father Lawrence DeMott
• DeMott, Deborah married Peter Van Nuys, March 22, 1792, bondsman and bride’s father Lawrence DeMott, Sr., teste. Lawrence DeMott, Jr., and Lawrence Verbryke
• DeMott, Dorothy married Henry Banta, March 25, 1826, bondsman Peter DeMott
• DeMott, Cornelius married Barbara Holt, October 12, 1824
• DeMott, Daniel married Mary Brewer, October 29, 1816, teste. Lawrence DeMott
• DeMott, Lawrence married Phoebe Banta, November 15, 1819
• DeMont, Lawrence married Mary Davis, January 3, 1820, bondsman Garrett Banta
• DeMott, William married Mary Vannice, February 16, 1824, bondsman Cornelius Vannice
• DeMott, Ann Cozine, widow, married Jesse Gritton, November 1, 1819, bondsman Lawrence DeMott
• DeMott, Mary married Thomas Henderson, Jr., January 19, 1822, bondsman Peter DeMott
• DeMott, Rebecca married Frederick Low, February 18, 1824, bondsman Lawrence DeMott
• DeMott, Dorothy married Eli Peters, January 11, 1830, bondsman Lawrence DeMott, who is bride’s brother and says she is 21
• DeMott, Mary married Jacob Smock, November 29, 1819, bondsman Cornelius DeMott, teste Lawrence DeMott, daughter of John DeMott, deceased, and Anna Cozine DeMott Gritton, who married Jesse Gritton 1819.
• DeMott, Catherine married Simon Smock, October 21, 1817, bondsman Peter DeMott
• DeMott, Sarah married Daniel Stuck, November 20, 1828
• DeMott, John married Mary Eliza Bates, March 16, 1843
• DeMott, John married Mary Verbryke, August 30, 1839
• DeMott, Peter married Jane B. Hunter, December 1, 1835
• DeMott, Peter married Indiana Drury, March 18, 1843
• DeMott, Ann married Philip B. French, October 5, 1836, bondsman Peter DeMott, bride’s mother Mary DeMott, witness Abraham J. Vannice
• DeMott, Jane married Merritt Cleveland, January 30, 1838, Jane is over 21
• DeMott, Martha married George M. Brown, August 18, 1838, Martha is over 21
• DeMott, Sarah married John W. Robinson, November 6, 1833, bondsman John DeMott, her brother, who declared Sarah is over 21
• DeMott, Paulina married Ruliff Terhune, May 1, 1847
• DeMott, Margaret married Abraham J. Vannice, June 27, 1836, bonds Peter DeMott, says his sister is 21

Another avenue of research are census records.  Looking at all the above marriages you would think there would be many DeMotts listed in the Mercer County census records, but that is not so.  Just a few remained in the county.  Others moved to Marion County, Indiana, where Peter DeMott was given land for his service during the war.

There are four DeMotts in the 1800 tax list for Mercer County – John, Peter, Abraham and Lawrence.  These are sons of the elder Lawrence DeMott, he having died May 14, 1800, was not listed in the tax list.

In the 1810 census there are only three DeMotts listed.  Abraham must have moved from the county before that year.

John DeMott died before 1819, and therefore is not in the 1820 census.  His wife, Anna Cozine DeMott, married Jesse Gritton.  Since there is not a Daniel DeMott listed in Peter DeMott’s will, I believe he must be the son of Lawrence and Dorothy DeMott.

In 1830 Peter DeMott is in the census one more time, before his death in 1834.  William DeMott is a newcomer to the census, probably a son of Peter and Mary.

New to the census are John P., Peter Jr. and Richard DeMott.  Most of the older generation has passed on.  Widow Dorothy DeMott is still living, in 60-70 years of age.  Mary Terhune DeMott, Peter’s widow, is living with son John P. DeMott.  She is also 60-70 years old.

Paulina DeMott, daughter of Lawrence DeMott, son of Peter DeMott (and Peter’s granddaughter), returned to Mercer County from Marion County, Indiana, to marry Rufus Terhune, May 1, 1847.  They have a young family, all under the age of 4 in 1850.  Her grandmother, Mary, Peter’s widow, as well as two of their daughters lived with Paulina and husband.  Peter DeMott, Jr., son of Peter also lives in the county.  But by 1860 only Paulina and her family, along with her grandmother who is now 81, lives in Mercer County.

This happens with many families.  The pull to western lands was just too great to settle in one spot for very long.