The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-12-02
REV. JOHN w. SCOTT DEAD.
Tho Venerable Father-in-Law of the Pres
ident Dies in the White House.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-Dr. Scott
died at 4:10 p m, Tuesday.


WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-Dr. Scot
died at 4:10 p, m.s Tuesday.
biography.
Rev. John w Scott, the father-in-law o.
President Harrison, who has just passed
away, was perhaps the oldest government
employee in the departments at Washing
ton.
He had lived in the White House for {
couple of years prior to his death. Hi.
room there was the one formerly occupied
by Fannie Hayes and later by Nellie Ar
thur.
During his stay at the White House
everything possible was done for his com
fort. DIR. Scott had some claim to distinc
ton other than his relationship by mar
rage to the president of the United States
His life was spent principally in study an
thought, and for many years he enjoyed
the reputation of being one of the best
educators in the west. He was man, too
of the highest moral character, and de
spite his heavy burden of years he was one
of the most cOmpaniOnable as well as
popular men in Washington, even before
his sOn-in-law became president of the
United States.
Rev John Witherspoon Scott was born
in Beaver county, Pa, Jan. p, 1900 He
was son of Rev. George NJ. Scott, one OF
the early pioneers of Scotch Presbyterian II
ism in western Pennsylvania, whose father,
Colonel John Scott, resided in NOrthamp-
ton county, Pa, on a large tract of land
decided him by the colonial government for
valuable services rendered by him, and
which he named "Nova Scotia" Colonel
Scott was somewhat conspicuous in the
state as an ardent patriot during the war
of the Revolution.
I'm tn6 ar
ton college, Washington, Pa, in 1923. He
next took post graduate course at Yale
college, where he received his second de
gree in 1924. The same year he was APP
pointed professor of mathematics and ma L
ural science in his alma mater, which
chair he filed for three or four years
In 1928 he resigned his professorship at
Washington college and accepted SIM
liar appointment in the Miami university,
in Oxford o. Here he remained until the
spring of 1915. when he removed to College
Hill, near Cincinnati, for the purpose of
founding the Farmers college, and when
it became well established DIR. Scott was
invited back to Oxford to found female
college there.
He accepted the invitation and remained
in Oxford ten more years-until after the
female college was built - when he &C
cepted professorship in Hanover college,
near Madison, Ind. which chair he filled
for number of years.
After his retirement from college life he
was engaged in the more congenial avoca-
tion Of private teaching and preaching the
Gospel In 1881 he accepted an appoint
ment of a clerkship in the mail division of
the pension Office, interior department,
feeling more happy in having some quiet
employment at the seat of the national
government than in wasting in idleness
the later hours of his hale old age.
In 1925 DIR. Scott married Miss Mary
Potts Neal, daughter of John Neal, Esq,
at Washington, Pa She was his loving
companion and helpmate until she died in
1876.
1t was while DR.. Scott was in charge of
the Western Female seminary that Benja-
min Harrison, a student who was taking
a course at Oxford, met and loved Carrie
Scott, the daughter of the venerable pro
fessor.
The young people were married Oct. 20,
1853 and together began the struggle of
life, WHICH re 'ulted eventually in their oc-
oupanoy of the White House. Besides Mrs.
Harrison there was another Miss Scott,
who became Mrs. Lord. She died in Wash
ington couple of years earlier than her
distinguished sister, who has but recently
passed away.