Background
Born at Derby, Bott was the son of a mercer. His grandfather had been a major in the parliamentary army.
Born at Derby, Bott was the son of a mercer. His grandfather had been a major in the parliamentary army.
He was trained for the dissenting ministry. Bott subsequently took Anglican orders, being ordained deacon in York by William Dawes in November 1722, and priest in August 1723, in Norwich. He obtained the rectory of Whinburgh in Norfolk, through Lord Macclesfield"s interest.
In 1725 he was also given the living of Reymerston.
He was awarded a Cambridge Master of Arts in 1728, Comitia Regia. According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, in 1734 Francis Long gave Bott the rectory of Spixworth, Norfolk, but there is doubt over the date.
Francis Blomefield states that John Longe, the incumbent there, died in 1739. The CCEd database makes Bott rector from 1729, the year in which Longe died.
He held Spixworth, with the neighbouring parish of Crostwick, for the rest of his life.
Bott in 1746 was made rector of Hardwick, Norfolk, presented by Frances Bacon. In 1747 Rebecca Harbord presented him to the living of Edgefield, Norfolk, in gratitude for his hindering an unacceptable marriage in the family. Bott"s health broke in 1750, and he died 23 September 1751 at Norwich.
In 1739 Bott married Rebecca, daughter of Edmund Britiffe, of Hanworth, Norfolk.
He left one son, Edmund Bott, afterwards of Christchurch, Hampshire, who was a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.