The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1925-04-24
IN THE MAN THAN
THERE IS in THE LAND
Work; One Neighbor Says He Has Been
Worth Million to the Community


grew tired of working by the
day for his neghbors. Burden
ed with the care of family,
and already thirty years of
age. he struck out for himself.
Selling the little homeplacc
that had been left him, he
went down in salem Township,
paid $500 on a l00-acrc farm,
and began a career that has
been the inspiration of many a
farmer.
There is Il great heart interest
story in the career Of Seth w. Scott
Of Weeksville, who today is known
all over northeastern North Carolina
for his industry, Ills progressive.
ness, and neighborliness. Under
meath the success of this man, there
is Il story of years of aching toll,
of hardship and endurance, empha-
sizing in every sentence that there
Is no substitute for work, and the
only thing that ever pays big, is to
stick to one thing.
Little publicity has been given to
the achievement of 5. w. Scott.
He started out in life with nothing
but his bare hands, strong back,
and willingness to work without
counting hours. He got married mt
the age of Is and for II years he
worked by the day for other farmI
ers. For months he worked for
only $40 q month, and boarded him.
self. taking care of his family, aud
Il sister who made her home with
him. He was unable to save any
thing.
Started Out at 80.
At the age of 30, he say a chance
to get d farm of his own. Down in
Salem township near Weeksville,
w;is farm overgr0wn with sassa-
fras bushes, and matted with wire
grass. That was before the truck
growing possibilities of Pasquotank
County soil were discovered, but
s. W. Scott had faith in the soil.
and he wanted that farm. Nobody
would rent il. nobody would buy it.
Mr.. Scott got the farm by paying
down $500 derived from the sale Of
Il small place that had been left to
himself and his sister. He had no
trouble in giving his nOtei for the
balance. because in the. 30 ycnrs
of his life he had been industrious.
honest and truthful, and he found
il easy TO get credit. He took over
The farm. bought n mule on time,
and went down To Weeksvillc with.
cut any scientific knowledge o.
farming, but with u vast fund o
practical experience to draw from
For three years he tOiled wit
the wircgrasS and the Sassafrns
bushes. only tO meet bitter defc6t
during three bad crop years in SUE
crssiOn During that time. he was
unable to miy the interest on his
notes. II was IL struggle 10 get
alGng. But by toiling II hours Il
day. he turned that farm bottOmside
mp in three years, and the next year
he madc'a crop.
In spite Of the fact, that he work
ed for II hours day, he found
time to attend farmers meetings,
and other meetings for the progress
Of the community. Often he would
walk to the country church after
dark on II long summer day, getting
back home late al night, and getting
mp al daylight the next morning.
Many nights he sat mp until after
midnight. laboriously reading such
literature Hs he could. and improv-
ing what little education he had ac-
quired in only eight months Of
schooling in the country.
His NeighbOrs Took Notice.
The constant application of Seth
Scott. in the face Of discOuraScment,
SUGn made his farmer neighbors sit
up and take notice. 1t wasn't long
before lie began to make crops that
improved year after year, and after
awhile his farm began, to bring in
big money for those days. Before
Seth Scott went down in the Weeks
vile neighborhod, many complain
ed that the land was too poor for
anything.
Soon they began to stop at the
Scott farm to look for ideas. They
discovered among other things, that
he p!owed deep, he rotated his crops,
and he never let the clOds on his
farm rest at all. The story of his
miraculous yields, as compared with
what had been made before in that
section got abroad, and others be-
gan to watch him produce 1900
pounds Of seed cotton to the acre,
81 barrels of potatoes to the acre
and as many as 10S barrels Of corn.
Seth Scott was blessed with un-
usuA health and strength for his
work. He could do the work Of