1921

John Henry Motley was born on 20 Apr 1921 in South Carolina, USA a child of John Glenn Motley Jr and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Mae Ross Motley.

1929

He died on 19 Mar 1929 in Richland, South Carolina, USA near Pontiac. John Henry Motley was buried on 20 Mar 1929 in Elgin, Kershaw, South Carolina, USA at Union Baptist Church Cemetery. His cause of death was crushing wound of the chest in accidental automobile.

Car Turns Over and Kills Child

John Henry Motley, 9-year-old son of John Glenn Motley, of the Pontiac community, was instantly killed Tuesday afternoon about 3 o’clock when an automobile driven by Horace Jacobs, of Pontiac, in which he was a passenger, turned over on the Pontiac-Blythewood road. Miss Pearl Sanders, school teacher, and Mr. Jacobs suffered slight injuries. Claude Motley, brother of John Henry Motley, who was also in the car, was uninjured.

According to Mr. Jacobs, he was driving from Pontiac to Blythewood when he passed Miss Sanders and two little Motley boys on the highway. He stopped on the brow of a hill and offered the walkers a ride. Before he had driven 100 yards the automobile skidded on the slippery road and the heavy car slid easily and turned over on its side. He was driving at a low rate of speed, Mr. Jacobs said. The little Motley boy evidently had his hand on the inside door handle and when the machine turned over the door flew open and caught him between the body of the machine and the door. Mr. Jacobs immediately lifted the car from the little figure but death had apparently been instantaneous.

Cornoner W. A. McCain, who went to the scene of the tragedy and made a careful investigation announced that members of the Motley family had asked that an inquest not be held, as the death was purely accidental. Sheriff T. Alex Heise, Rural Chief J. D. Dunaway and Rural Policeman Eleazer also Investigated the death.

Funeral services for the Motley child will be held Wednesday afternoon at 4 o’clock at the Union Baptist church.

LITTLE BOY DIES IN AUTO ACCIDENT

Caught by Door When Machine Turns Over.

Horace Jacobs of Pontiac, while driving from his town towards Blythewood about 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon, passed Miss Pearl Sanders, a teacher, and two little Motley boys on their way home from school. He stopped, offered them a ride, and after putting them in the machine, resumed his journey, but before he had gone a hundred yards the automobile skidded, turned on its side, killed John Henry Motley, 9-year-old son of John Glenn Motley of that community, and slightly injured himself and Miss Sanders.

The distressing accident, which is deeply regretted by Mr. Jacobs, occurred in a most unusual manner. It was at the brow of a bill that he stopped to pick up Miss Sanders and the children. A recent fall of rain had made the road slippery. He was moving along at a low rate of speed when the big car skidded of the road a bit and finally turned on its side. John Henry, who was fatally injured evidently had his hand on the inside door handle. The door opened and he was caught between the body of the machine and the door. Mr. Jacobs jumped out and lifted the automobile to release the child, straining himself somewhat in doing so, but death had apparently come instantaneously.

Coroner McCain went to the scene and made a careful investigation. Members of the boy’s family told him that an inquest would not be necessary.

Sheriff Heise, Chief Dunaway and Officer Eleazer also went to the scene.

Had the lad lived a few days longer he would have been nine years of age. In addition to his little brother Claude, who was along, there are several small sister and brothers.

Funeral services will be held at 4 o’clock this afternoon at Union Baptist church.

2005

On March 28, 2005, John Henry Motley was mentioned as the deceased brother in the obituary of Mr Claude Barnett Motley Sr.

2006

On February 13, 2006, John Henry Motley as mentioned as the deceased brother in the obituary of Mr Harold Glenn “Bud”Motley.