Putnam County, Indiana - Biographical sketches, 1910 (part 16 of 16)

In the midst of his busy career he found time to devote to music, and at one time organized the iMozart Club of Greencastle, an amateur orchestra of fort}' pieces ani.1 a chorus of one hundred \oices. Pie composed the music of Shelley's "The Cloud." He found diversion in chess playing, this being his only game, although he skated and swam with skill; the year of his death he won a game of chess from the state champion.

In January, 187S, Professor De]\Iotte married Lelia Laura Washburn, the ceremony being performed in Boston, Massachusetts, by the Rev. T. W.

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Walker, formerly district superintendent of the Greencastle district of the Methodist Episcopal church, who was studying for the ministry at that time. iliss Washburn was a woman of rare talent, culture and refinement, and the daughter of Gen. H. D. Washburn, who was a noted brigadier-general in the Union army during the Civil war and later was elected to Congress from the fifth congressional district of Indiana, serving two terms under Grant's administration, and still later appointed to the position of surveyor-general of the state of Montana. It was he who commanded the expedition in 1870 and 1871 which discovered and opened Yellowstone Park, Mount Washburn and the Washburn range having been named for him. Mrs. DeMotte was born in Newport, September 13, 1855, 'i'^*^' '''^'' Jeath occurred in Indianapolis, February 25, 1910. At the time of her death she was president of the Kappa Alpha Theta Alumnae Club, regent of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a member of the Woman's Club, the Tuesdav Reading Club, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the College Avenue (Greencastle) Methodist Episcopal church and other religious organizations. She was tiftv-hve vears old at the time of her death and she was one of the leaders of the club and social life of Putnam county. Mrs. DeMotte, like her husband, was highly educated and she was always of great assistance to him in his work. She was graduated from DePauw University in the class of 1877, and it was while in school here that she formed an acquaintance with Air. DeMotte, whom she later married while an art student in Boston. She continued her studies and received the degree of Master of Arts in 18S0. She accompanied Professor DeMotte on his travels through Europe in after years and gathered a large collection of rare pieces of foreign furmture, tapestry and art, which were destroyed in a fire which burned Elmwood. thenbeautiful homestead, several years ago. Mrs. DeMutte's mother. Mrs. Lorena (Johnson) Washburn, lives in Greencastle, and the former's brother. Dr. Aquilla Washburn, lives in Clinton.

To Professor DeMotte and wife two sons were born, both of whom are living. Tliev are. Lawrence Washburn DeMotte. head master in the .Vrmy and Xa\y Preparatory School at Washington, D. C. and John Brewer De- Motte. who is engaged in the real estate business at Tacoma, Washington.

The last eighteen years of Professor DeMotte's life were spent on the lecture platform, where his life work was accomplished. He lectured in nearlv all the lecture courses east of the Rocky Mountains, some times returning to the same course eight or nine years in succession. He was regarded bv all who were fortunate enough to hear him as a \ery able lecturer, enter- taining. forceful, always interesting and at times truly eloquent. Of his abilities in this line, an able fellow lecturer makes the following comment : "For more than a dozen years John B. DeMotte was easily the most popular lyceum lecturer on the American platform. He was. at the same time one of the most useful and helpful of all platform speakers. I have weighed these words, and utter them with deliberation, and I repeat with emphasis the statement I have made that the most popular American platform speaker of this opening decide of the twentieth century was John B. DeMotte. He manifested such an intense interest in his work, combined with an untiring energy and strong will power that he could almost bring success from failure."

Doctor Hedley writes : "The key to the man lies largely herein : To encourage others; to teach and guide and serve and bless others, was his highest creed and his chiefest purpose. It was his mission. Dr. DeMotte's life was a life of service."

Following is a list of his lectures: "The Harp of the Senses: or the Secret of Character Building," "Python Eggs and the American Boy," ".\ Plea of Posterity: or the Problem of Heredity." "The Fever of Life." Some of his addresses were. "Success Means Sacrifice," "Potential Energy," "Youth," "Habit," "Tapping on the Window Pane." "Point of View," ".\ Recipe for Happiness." He was the author of "The Secret of Character Building," published by S. C. Griggs & Company.

He was a member of the Gentleman's Clul^ of Greencastle. Indiana, the Grand .Army of the Republic. Franklin Institute and the Indiana Horticultural Society.

Professor DeMotte was regarded as an excellent instructor and was popular with his pupils. Unlike many of his calling who become pedantic, he was essentially a man of the times, broad and liberal in his views and had the courage of his convictions on all the leading public questions and issues upon which men and parties divide. He kept in touch with the trend of modem thought along its various lines and, having been a man of scholarly attainments and refined tastes, his acquaintance with the literature of the world was both general and profound ; while his familiarity with the more practical affairs of his day made him feel at ease with all classes and conditions of people with whom he came in contact. <50)