About The Motts

C.S. Mott married Ethel Harding in 1900. They had three children together: Aimeé, Elsa, and Charles Stewart Harding Mott II (known as Harding). C.S. and Ethel were active members of the community. C.S. was mayor of Flint for three terms and Ethel joined several clubs and practiced philanthropy alongside her husband.

Sadly, Ethel died in 1924 after falling from a second story window. Over the next five years, C.S. remarried twice. His second marriage to Mitties Butterfield Rathbun ended suddenly after she contracted a rare throat disease on a trip out west and died in 1928. His third marriage to Fernanda Jakoba “Dee” Van Balkom Furey in 1929 ended in divorce nine months later.

Ruth Rawlings Mott was born in El Paso, Texas, in 1901. As a young girl, she enjoyed riding horses and dancing. Passionate about physical activity and teaching, Ruth opened her own dance studio in Texas and later earned a degree in Physical Education. In addition to supporting C.S.’s philanthropic activities, she engaged in her own charitable giving, culminating in the formation of the Ruth Mott Foundation. Ruth’s legacy of caring and providing opportunities for others is part of the ongoing work of the Foundation.

C.S.’s major contribution to philanthropy was his establishment of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in 1926 with $320,000. Today, the C. S. Mott Foundation has funded more than $1 billion in grants around the world, with much of it directed to Flint.

Ruth Mott joined the board of the C. S. Mott Foundation, and had an interest in expanding her own philanthropic giving. She established the Ruth Mott Fund in 1979, which later became the Ruth Mott Foundation. Ruth Mott passed away in 1999, and the Ruth Mott Foundation announced its first community grants in 2001.

C.S. and Ethel’s children became philanthropists and established their own foundations. Aimeé, Elsa, and Harding served as trustees of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Harding became its second president, succeeding his father. Harding’s son-in-law, William S. White, and grandson, Ridgway White, became the third and fourth presidents, respectively.

The children of C.S. and Ruth would also follow in their parents’ footsteps, establishing their own foundations. All three children founded charitable organizations. Maryanne Mott, their youngest daughter, is continuing her parents’ legacies as a trustee of the C.S. Mott Foundation and board chair of the Ruth Mott Foundation, among other philanthropic endeavors.

C.S. strongly believed in the importance of being civically involved. He served Flint as mayor in 1911, 1912, and a partial term in 1918 that was interrupted by World War I, when instead of serving just Flint, he served the country by helping to organize the war effort on the home front.

When C.S. Mott’s father passed away, C.S. became the director of the Weston-Mott Axle Company. C.S. was well equipped for the job having studied mechanical engineering at the Stevens Institute for Technology. C.S. transitioned the company from bicycles to creating wheels and axles for automobiles.

C.S. was born into a wealthy family, but his entrepreneurial spirit and love of innovation is what led him to help form General Motors, where he made the majority of his wealth.

C.S. used his wealth to benefit others. Instead of a lavish lifestyle, he made a conscious decision to use his money to help build up his community. By the end of his lifetime, C.S. had spent about 86 percent of his wealth on charitable contributions.

The Motts funded scholarships and grants to support both individuals and organizations in the pursuit of their goals. The Motts also created opportunities by leading community projects, such as constructing schools and creating community programs.

His role with General Motors gave C.S. direct access to other leaders in Flint. He used those connections to become more involved with the community at large.

The Motts were certainly privileged, but their legacy is not just about the money they gave away to charitable purposes. A key part of that legacy is how they participated in their community. The Motts are remembered today as a caring and involved family. One that was deeply engaged in their city and invited friends, family, and the community into their home. The legacy of the Motts is their extraordinary commitment to civic participation and that commitment is carried on today through their family foundations.