Mark L. DeMotte, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Mark L. DeMotte
HON. MARK L. De MOTTE, Representative to Congress from the Tenth Congressional District of Indiana, was born December 28, 1832, at Rockville, Park Co., Ind. His father, Daniel De Motte, was of French descent, his ancestors coming to America a number of generations back and settling on Long Island. His mother, Mary (Brewer) De Motte, was of Dutch descent, her father being a native of Holland, but passing the greater part of his life in Kentucky. To their marriage were born eight children, the subject of this sketch being the youngest. His father was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal faith, and for forty years was occupied in ministerial labors all over the State. Fifteen years of this time he was financial agent for Asbury University. He died at Greencastle, Ind., in 1875 at the age of seventy-seven years, preceded by his wife in 1866 at the age of seventy-four years. Mark L. De Motte was reared to manhood in Indiana. After attending public schools, he attended a seminary for one year at Greencastle, afterwards entering Asbury University, at that place, from which institution he graduated in 1853, receiving the degree of A. B. He immediately entered upon the study of law, attending the law school of Asbury University, and graduating in 1855 with the degree of LL.B. In that year he came first to Valapariso, Ind., and entered upon the practice of his profession. On the organization of the Republican party, in 1856, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for the judicial circuit, comprising the counties of Porter, Lake, La Porte, St. Joseph, Marshall and Stark. The month of December, 1856, at Valparaiso, he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Christy, and they lived happily here until 1861, when he entered the Government service as Senior First Lieutenant of the Fourth Indiana Battery, and continued with his command til April, 1862, when he resigned to accept the Captaincy on the staff of Gen. Milroy. In this capacity he participated in the battles of Pope's campaign of 1863, closing with the engagement of Second Bull Run, afterwards going with Gen. Milroy to West Virginia, remaining there till after the battle of Gettysburg. The remainder of his service was on post duty at Harrisburg, Penn. In August 1865, he removed to Lexington, Mo. In 1869, he became owner and editor of the Lexington Register, a Republican newspaper, and remained in active journalistic work until 1877, when he removed to his old home in Valparaiso. While in Missouri, he was twice nominated for Congress on the Repulican ticket, but, owing to a majority of 10,000 or upwards of opposition in his district, was never elected. After his return to Valparaiso, he resumed the practice to law, which he continued without interruption until 1880, when he received the Republican nomination and was elected to Congress from the Tenth District, over a fusion candidate. For the past two years he has served with signal fidelity and satisfaction to his constituents, who, on the 17th of August, 1882, complimented him by a renomination. Mr. De Motte, aside from being a prominent public man, is an influential and esteemed private citizen. He and his wife are the parents of two children, Mary and Louise. Mr. De Motte, in 1879, was prominent and influential in the organization of the Law Department of the N. I. N. S., of which he is one of the instructors.
Source: Goodspeed, Weston A., and Charles Blanchard. 1882. Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana: Historical and Biographical, Illustrated. Chicago, Illinois: F. A. Battey & Company. 771 p.
Page(s) in Source: 241-242
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook