William S. Scott
William S. Scott, a
retired farmer of Monona Township, Clayton County, is one
of the pioneers of this locality, where he cast his lot
just forty years ago. He improved and cultivated several
farms, and has been an extensive land owner. A native of
the Green Mountain State, he was born in Grand Isle
County, October 24, 1824, being a son of John Scott. The
latter was born in Spencertown, Columbia County, N.Y.,
March 12, 1784, and was a farmer by occupation, his death
occurring in his seventy-sixth year. His father, Henry,
was born in 1763 in the same county, and shouldered a
musket during the Revolutionary War, serving under
General Sullivan. The great-grandfather of W.S. Scott,
whose given name was Cornelius, was likewise born in the
Empire State, and was one of the pioneers of the locality
in which he resided, being of German and English origin.
On attaining man's estate, John Scott, the father of our
subject, wedded Sally Cochran, who was born in Vermont,
as was also her father, Thomas Cochran. The latter, who
was of Irish descent, was a minister in the methodist
Episcopal church, and his father, Robert, was also a
native of Vermont. After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs.
Scott, they started their life together on a farm in
Grand Isle county, where they continued to live until
1846. They then became residents of Clayton County, where
the father continued to live until his death, August 3,
1861. His wife died in 1850, and subsequently he was
again married. By his first union he had two children,
Selecta and Christina, both deceased, and by his second
marriage he had six children, who grew to maturity.
William S. Scott remained with his father until the
spring after he had attained his majority, when he
started for Clayton County, Iowa, and walked from Chicago
to Dubuque. His first summer in this locality was spent
in Garnavillo Township, where he worked by the day,
receiving seventy-five cents for his services in the
harvest field, and in the winter received from fifty to
seventy-five cents for splitting rails. In the fall of
1846 he enlisted in Captain Parker's Cavalry, for the
Mexican Wor, and for his faithful services at that time
is now drawing a pension. On his return he was foreman of
construction on the Ogdensburg Railroad for two years.
July 29, 1848, Mr. Scott married Luana Harvey, daughter
of Hon. David Harvey, who at one time was a member of the
Legislature. Mrs. Scott was born May 8, 1828, and was the
elder of two children. she was reared to womanhood on her
father's farm, receiving an excellent educaiton. At her
death, December 4, 1893, she left two children, four
others having previously passed away. Julia E. is the
wife of A. Ernst, a merchant of Luana, and they have two
children, namely: Minnie, who is the wife of Eli Bunnell,
of Willoughby, Ohio, and Lloyd Scott, who is at home.
John T. was graduated with high honors from the State
University in the Class of '75. On the 9th of November
following he was drowned at Grant city, Sac County, Iowa.
Had he lived until the 30th of the same month he would
have been twenty-one years of age. Ida May became the
wife of Dr. Thomas M. Moore, of Willoughby, Ohio. William
R. died in his eleventh year, and two children died in
infancy.
The year after our subject's marriage he located in
Farmersburg Township, where he purchased a tract of land
and devoted himself to its improvement for six years. For
a year and a-half afterward he operated the farm and
settled the estate belonging to his wife's father. In
1854 he settled in Monona Township, where he has since
remained and has become a very successful general farmer.
He owned six hundred acres of land, and the town of Luana
was laid out by him and named in honor of Mrs. Scott. In
company with Luther Nichols, our subject organized the
school district of this township. An active Republican,
he was for twenty-seven years Township Treasurer, and for
ten years served as Justice of the Peace. For a period of
two years he was a member of the board of supervisors,
and has been a Mason since 1854. He still owns a fine and
well improved farm comprising two hundred and seventy
acres, which he rents, and at present he resides in the
village of Luana. In 1880 he was elected delegate to the
General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
~source: Portrait
and Biographical Record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton
Counties; Chicago: Chapman Pub. Co., 1894; pg 441-442
~transcribed by Sharyl Ferrall
|
