Prior to the origin of this settlement, most of the land in this section of Cheltenham Township belonged to Edward M. Davis, son-in-law of Lucretia Mott. Through the "Chelten Hills Association," a land company which he formed in 1854, Davis purchased 1,000 acres of Quaker farmland between Old York Road and Washington Lane. Parcels of this tract were sold to wealthy Philadelphians, including Jay Cooke and John Wanamaker, who established large country estates, as was becoming the fashion among prosperous city dwellers. On Davis' own estate, "Oak Farm,'' was a farmhouse into which James and Lucretia Mott moved in 1857.

Beginning in 1854, Davis sold off, in three separate parcels, most of the land where LaMott now stands. Totaling about 30 acres, it changed hands several times before he began reacquiring it after the war, in 1866. Two acres which Davis did not regain were purchased by Thomas Keenan, a carpenter, for whom Keenan Street is named. This tract was on the west side of Keenan Street, near Willow Avenue.

Davis began to subdivide the acreage bounded roughly by Willow Avenue, City Line, Keenan Street and the future School Lane in August, 1867. About 50 lots, costing up to $250 each, were offered for sale. The first purchasers of these lots were white, and almost all were Irish immigrants. Meanwhile, Thomas Keenan divided his property into six lots, which he sold off between 1869 and 1884. Keenan built houses on these lots, reportedly using lumber taken, from the demolished barracks at Camp William Penn. The lumber apparently had been purchased from the Government by Penrose Mather, a Quaker whose farm was adjacent to Davis' land, west of the future Penrose Avenue. The six houses, now about 100 years old, have retained most of their original features.

The first Negroes to live in the area were Davis' farmer, William C. Butcher, a native of Virginia, his wife Esther Ann, and their two daughters. The Butchers lived in a house on Oak Farm, built by Davis shortly after 1854 at the corner of Willow Avenue and Butcher Street. It is not far from the gatehouse to Roadside, part of which still stands, just inside the Latham Park fence (see photo). This structure served occasionally as the Mott's underground railroad station.

Aside from the Butchers, the earliest Negro settlers in what was at that time called Camptown were George Hanry and William Watson. The latter was a brickmaker who purchased, in May, 1869, property along City Line at Keenan Street. He paid $1,060 for the property and began manufacturing bricks for local construction projects. Four houses on the north side of Willow Avenue, between Sycamore and B.D., are built of Watson bricks.

The next black man to come to Camptown was William J. Bowser Sr., a Civil War veteran who had been a slave on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. According to an autobiographical account, he came to LaMott in 1869, where he died in 1945 at the age of 103. Bowser's portrait is displayed in the Community Center. He was followed by Benjamin Anderson, John Bowser and Benjamin Griffin. The latter two married sisters of brickmaker William, Watson and settled on School Lane.

Wallace Triplett, in his 1949 History of LaMott, wrote, "Other early settlers were Emanuel Johnson, Walker Jones, George Brent, Henry Hall and Reuben Fripps, who married William Butcher's wife's sister. Then came the children of William Butcher's brother-in-law, Armstead Triplett of Franklinville, New Jersey, which today is the largest family group in LaMott, consisting of Wallace, who married Martha Dorsey; William, who married Letitia Bowser; Stella, who married John Washington; Anna, who married Jacob Harvey; Cornelia, who married Isaac Wayns; and Isabel. They numbered eight children, 43 grandchildren, 74 great-grandchildren, 80 great-great-grandchildren. Then followed the Moores, Matthews, Haskins, Burleys, Manlys and many other prominent citizens of today."

Needless to say, additional new citizens, as well as additional Triplett generations, have joined the LaMott population since then.

The first school in Camptown was built and operated by Davis on School Lane on the site now owned by Eugene Jones and Eleanor B. Gregory. A two-room frame building accommodating about 30 children, it was later rented by the Cheltenham School District which then purchased it for $1,400 on August 31, 1870. As the Camptown population continued to increase, the original school house proved inadequate, and in 1878, the School District drew up plans for a new school. Ground at Sycamore and Willow was purchased for $1,000. and a "modern" stone school building accommodating nine grades was constructed. Several alterations were made later, and the northern portion, containing five rooms, was constructed in 1900. Subsequently serving six grades, the school remained in use until 1940, when it was given to the citizen's of LaMott for use as a community center. They managed it independently for 27 years until it was taken over by the Township in 1967.

In its early years the settlement at Camptown had no church. Sunday school had been conducted in the old wooden schoolhouse, and prayer meetings had been held in the various-residences on a rotating basis. Alerted to the community's desire for a church, Edward M. Davis donated a property at School Lane and City Line, at the cost of one dollar for a clear deed, which was paid by William Butcher. The church was built in 1888 out of second-hand materials acquired from the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. In 1911, the present church was built on the same site.

The change of the village's name from Camptown to LaMott occurred in 1885, when the village received its first post office. According to Wallace Triplett's history, the village got its mail first at Shoemakertown (Elkins Park) and later at Oak Lane. When the citizens petitioned for their own post office, they were informed that another Camptown existed in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. The citizens were reluctant to lose their historic identification, but they could not have made a better choice when they renamed the village in honor of Lucretia Mott.

LaMott's first postmaster was Adam Shubert. Mail was delivered from the Shoemakertown Post Office to his store at the northeast corner of Willow Avenue and B.D. Street. Louis Schmidt then became the local postmaster and the mail was delivered to him at McConnell's store at Willow and Keenan. The post office was discontinued during World War I, and LaMott is now serviced by Elkins Park Post Office [since 1994].

LaMott Fire Company

It was not until Cheltenham Township was incorporated in 1900 that municipal services were provided to any great degree. By 1910, streets were paved and gas and water mains installed, and the newly established Cheltenham Township Police Department had its first Black policeman, Perry Anderson. On August 10, 1910, the LaMott Fire Company was established, its equipment consisting of a two-wheel hose cart which was stored in a small shed on Willow Avenue. The fire house at 1618 Willow Avenue was built in 1915, and remained in use until 1957, when the present facility was built on Penrose Avenue. The three structures, all standing, clearly show the LaMott Fire Company's evolution.

One of LaMott's early civic leaders' was William A. Ritchie, butler of George W. Elkins. As founder of the LaMott Building and Loan Association in 1917, he aided many residents in acquiring ownership of their own houses and businesses. Today, the vast majority of homes in LaMott are owned by their occupants, a factor which greatly contributes to the community's sense of pride and responsibility.

LaMott is equally proud of its many citizens, former and current, who have distinguished themselves and their community in successful business, professional and athletic careers. Several people keep a running list which now includes three doctors, two judges, three clergymen, one missionary, a professional football player and a number of persons with successful businesses in printing, plumbing, dry cleaning and pharmaceutical retail.

There have been many additional outstanding civic leaders in LaMott in recent years. While a certain degree of family modesty precludes the mention of names, it is well known that there are dozens of LaMotters active in Township government, in local politics, and in neighborhood civic organizations. Clearly their efforts are responsible for LaMott's reputation as an orderly and attractive community where citizens of all ages can enjoy the benefits of suburban life.

Historical Sites (map)

(We're working on an updated map with these sites identified.)

1. "Roadside", home of Lucretia Mott (No longer standing)
2. Gatehouse to Roadside
3. Butcher House
4. Site of First School in LaMott
5. LaMott A.M.E. Church
6. Six Keenan Houses
7. LaMott Fire Company, 1910-1915
8. LaMott Fire Company, 1915-1957
9. LaMott Community Center
10. LaMott Fire Company, 1957

LaMott History