POPE CO, AR - CAPT. JOHN SCOTT - Bio SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. Chicago: Goodspeed Publishers, 1891. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free Information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Capt. John Scott. Capt. Scott's grandfather was Andrew Scott, a native of Scotland who came to New York and he and his brothers having lost their parents at sea, and being without friends or means in the new world were bound out as apprentices. He died in St. Genevieve, Mo. He was married, in Maryland to Miss Elizabeth Ferguson. Capt. Scott's paternal uncles were John Scott (delegate in Congress from Missouri from 1816 to 1819), the prop of the family, in his father's old age and an eminent criminal lawyer in Missouri. He married Miss Parr first, and then married a sister of Hon. George W. Jones by whom he had two children: George D. Scott of Dubuque, Iowa, and Emily, now Mrs. Wilson, wife of Samuel F. Wilson, an attorney of San Francisco, Cal. The other uncle, George W. Scott. married Miss Nancy Dodge, daughter of Gen. Henry Dodge, and was United States marshal for the Territory of Arkansas under President Monroe. Capt. Scott's maternal uncles were George W. Jones (of Dubuque, Iowa, as above stated), Augustus Jones (lately living at La Grange, Tex. (now deceased), who was United States marshal of Missouri under President Jackson). John Rice Jones (who was the first postmaster- general of the Texan republic), and Myers F. Jones (who was several times a member of the Missouri Legislature, but who removed to Texas in 1841, in which State he received his final summons). Capt. John Scott was a graduate from St. Joseph's College, Bardstown, Ky., in 1827. Among others of his classmates at this college were Robert W. Johnson (afterward United States Senator from Arkansas and William F. Pope (who was killed in a duel in Arkansas by C. F. M. Noland). Capt. Scott read law in the office of his father at Little Rock in 1828-29, and was admitted to the bar in 1848, but has never practiced. In 1828 he moved with his father to Pope County, Ark., and there he has resided ever since, with the exception of two years, 1834-35, after his marriage, which he spent in Johnson County. He carried on a farm for several years, and from 1847 to 1853 he was engaged in merchandising at Dover. During the war he lost fifteen negroes, and from 1867 to 1872 he was again engaged in mercantile pursuits. He is the owner of two farms, one on the Arkansas River consisting of 500 acres and the other, consisting of 600 acres, near Dover. One-half of each is under cultivation. He owns lots and buildings at Eureka Springs, and is worth, all together, not less than $40,000, all the result of his own industry and perseverance. One of his first expeditions to make money was to take a flatboat, loaded with cattle and corn, down to New Orleans. In 1853 he crossed the plains to California with several hundred head of cattle, obtaining fabulous prices [p.258] for them, realizing $100 per head. In 1838 Capt. Scott became a Master Mason in Franklin Lodge No. 9, Johnson County, but was a member of no other secret organization. He was a Whig in politics until the formation of the Democratic party and then became a Democrat from necessity. In 1878 he was a member of the State Democratic Central Committee. He opposed secession until it became an accepted fact. Capt. Scott has held many positions of trust and honor, and it may truthfully be said of him that the offices which he has had the honor to fill, sought the man and not the man the office. From 1842 to 1850 he was clerk of the circuit, county and probate courts and ex-officio recorder of Pope County. In 1873 he was State Senator for Pope, Conway and Searcy Counties, and in 1874 he served as a member of the Constitutional Convention (of the State of Arkansas) from Pope County. He has served twice as a special judge of the circuit court at Dover. Many years previous to this (in 1830) he served as deputy United States marshal under his uncle, George W. Scott (United States marshal for the Territory of Arkansas), and in that capacity took the first census of Pope County. In 1836 Capt. Scott commanded a volunteer company of United States Cavalry under Gen. E. P. Gaines, during the Florida War, and hence his title of captain. In 1861 he raised a company for State service, which was transferred to the Confederate service, and he commanded a squadron of four companies, serving in the army until, in consequence of sickness, he was compelled to retire from the field. He participated in the battles of Elk Horn and Farmington. He was married in Johnson County, Ark., on December 11, 1834, to Miss Nancy Evans Jamison, a native of Potosi, Mo., born May 16, 1816, and the daughter of Judge George Jamison of Johnson County, Ark. Her father was a native of the Keystone State, of Scotch descent, and was a millwright by trade. Her mother, formerly Miss Mary D. Logan, was of a Kentucky family, originally from Pennsylvania. She was a cousin of James Logan, who was a member of the Legislature from Missouri and Creek agent at Verdigris, Indian Territory. Mrs. Scott was a charming, pleasant lady to meet and was remarkably handsome. She died on October 13, 1878, in full communion with the Methodist Episcopal Church South. By his marriage Capt. Scott became the father of three children: Andrew H. Scott (who was born at Dover, Ark., on December 18, 1840, taking his literary degree at Exeter College, N. H., and his medical degree from the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He is now one of the first physicians of Little Rock. He married Miss R. Kate Embry, daughter of Col. Ben T. Embry, who is a merchant and planter of Atkins, Ark. They have four children: Ben Embry, John R. Homer, Leonora and Andrew Horrace), Mary Eliza Scott (born at Dover on August 11, 1844, and died September 4, 1860, and whose birth is erroneously stated in the work of the Encyclopedia of the New West as being in 1834), and Leonora Augusta, (born at Dover on October 16, 1847, and educated at Little Rock and Fayetteville. She married H. Clabe Howell, a merchant, a member of the Legislature and a native of Kentucky. He died June 21, 1884, leaving these children: Andrew R. (a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Pennsylvania, living at Little Rock), Emma Scott, Augustus H., Henry A., Kate E. and Mary. Mrs. Howell was married, the second time,on July 2, 1887, to George Eller Howell, a nephew of her former husband. One child, Elbert Homer, was the result of this union. Capt. Scott is not a member of any church, but is a believer in the Christian religion. Besides his own children, Capt. Scott has raised about nine orphan children.