Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-30
REV. JOHN w. SCOTT DEAD.
Tho Venerable Father-in-Law of the Pres
ident Dies in the White House.

died at 4:1O p, m, Tuesday
Biography.
Rev. John W. Scott, the father-in-law OF
President Harrison, who has just passed
away, was perhaps the oldest government
employe in the departments at Washing.
ton.
He had lived in the White House for a
couple of years prior to his death. His
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. DR.. Scott had some claim to distinc-
ton other than his relationship by mar
riage to the l.esident of the United State
His life was spent principally in study and
thought, and for many years he enjoyed
the reputation of being one of the best
educators in the west. He was man, to-
of the highest moral character, and de.
spite his heavy burden of years he was one
of the most companionable as well pc
popular men in Washington, even before
his son-in-la became president of the
United States.
Rev. John Witherspoon Scott was borr
in Beaver county, Pa, Jan. %, 1900. He
was son of Rev. George M. Scott, one of
the early pioneers of Scotch Presbyterian,
ism in western Pennsylvania, whose fathel,
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.
John w. Scott graduated at Washing
ton college, Washington, Pa, in 1928. 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 t.
ural science in his alma mater, which
chair he filled for three or four years
In 1928 he resigned his professorship at
Washington college and accepted a sim
liar appointment in the Miami university,
in Oxford, o. Here he remained until the
spring of 1S45 when he removed to College
Hill, near Cincinnati, for the purpose OF
founding the Farmers college, and when
it became we'll 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 49, when he ac-
cepted professorship in Hanover college,
near Madison, Ind, which chair he filled
for a number of years
After his retirement from college life he
was engaged in the more congenial avoca-
ton of private teaching and preaching the
Gospel In 1881 he accepted an appoint
ment of 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 1875 DR.. 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 DIR. Scott was in charge OF
the Western Female seminary that Benja
min Harrison, n student who was taking
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 resulted eventually in their oc
cupancy 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 hel
distinguished sister, who has but recently
| passed away