The Cecil Whig., 1885-11-21
Death of a Prominent Cecil
COuntian.

There died on Sunday morning last at
and beloved socially in Elkton and uni
versally admired thoughtoul the county,
School Commissioner David Scott. Mr.
Scott was in his Goth year. He had been
suffering severly for several years with
paralysis, the encroachments of which
disease, attended by epilepsy, occasioned
his death on Sunday morning last Ow-
ing to the many public positions which
he has held, both social and political,
Commissioner Scott was decidedly
prominent man in this county. His first
essay into public life was made in 1s45,
when he was candidate on temperance
ticket, designed presumably to split the
parties and benefit the morality of the
county by movement somewhat resem-
bling the Prohibition movement of the
present day. Eight years after this, in
1858, he ran on the Wing ticket and was
signally defeated by G. NJ. Eldridge, of
the Democratic party. Again, in 1855,
he was elected on the Whig ticket a
member of the House of Delegates. He
was also member of the Constitutional
Convention in 1864, and was appointed
school commissioner Of this county in
1882, which office he held to the hour of
his death. We also recall that lie was
defeated by the late J. J. Heckart, of
Port Deposit, in 1859 in a contest for the
State senatorship. In every position,
social or political, which Mr.. Scott held
honor and integrity were uppermost in
his nature, and stern reality of life
made him thoroughly practical man in
every avenue he entered. His business
capacities were excellent, and his intel
lectual attainments very general and
valuable. In his younger days he wrote
a great many poems, which appeared in
the columns of THE WING, and, through
out, his literary attainments were of a
fine character. He was especially we'll
posted in the history of his country and
county. His ideas were that light upon
the present was only to be gained by a
study of the past. His observation of the
characters In history made him subtle
judge of the human nature that sur
rounded him, and his decisions were ever
exact and just. AT intervals for many
years he was member of the NJ. E..
Church, but it was Only for periods oc-
casionalIy occurring that he attended the
regular church meetings. His religious
nature was, however, deeply sincere and
earnest, though his views may not al
ways have compared agreeably with
those of broad churchmen. In the later
years of his life he became somewhat of
a materialst, and embraced Unitarian.
ism as an acceptable creed for men OF
modern times. lie was always conser-
vative thoughtful man. A stern believer
i'll honest, upright manhood and atten-
tion to every business and moral duty.
Towards the close of his life, Mr.. SCOTS
sufferings were very sad and painful. He
lost all power of speech several months
ago, and was for long time ere his
death confined almost constantly to his
bed. The career of a man SO prominent
in the county is marked with very great
interest. The political character of the
county in the days of his supremacy was
peculiar, although the same warm.
blooded contentious were rife then as
now. AS the people have changed those
times have changed, and but few signs OF
the political conditions of Commissioner