Joseph A. Scott, Holton, Kans., a Civil war veteran and Kansas pioneer, is a descendant of Scotch ancestry. The Scott family was founded in America by John Scott, grandfather of Joseph A. Scott. John Scott was born in Scotland about 1725, and when a young man went to Ireland, and took part in one of the numerous Irish rebellions. He then came to America, settling in Virginia, and here married, a Miss Thornton, and five children were born to this union, three sons, Thomas, William and Samuel, two of whom were in the battle of King's Mountain. Samuel was the grandfather of Joseph A., whose name introduces this review. Samuel went to Kentucky about the time that Daniel Boone was exploring that county. He married Martha McCorkle, who once rode twelve miles through the wilderness, carrying her baby, to give the alarm at a frontier fort of the approach of hostile Indians. William T. Scott, father of Joseph A., was a son of Samuel and Martha (McCorkle) Scott. William T. was born in Kentucky, and in 1836 went to Indiana, and engaged in the mercantile business at Bainbridge. In 1871 he came to Kansas, where he was in business a number of years, and died at Holton in 1896, aged eighty-four years. His wife also died at Holton in 1885, aged about sixty-nine years. Joseph A. Scott, son of William T. and Sarah (Sellers) Scott, was born in Putnam county, Indiana, August 3, 1837. He received his early education in the public schools of Bainbridge, and at the Bainbridge Academy. He remained at home, and was engaged in his father's store until the Civil war broke out, when he enlisted in Company K, Sixteenth Regiment, Indiana infantry, May 7, 1861, for one year. His regiment was stationed in the vicinity of Washington, and along the Potomac, and was engaged in a number of skirmishes. At the expiration of his term of enlistment, he was discharged at Washington, D. C., in May, 1862. He had been promoted, during his period of service, and was first sergeant of Company K, when discharged. He then returned to Bainbridge, Ind., and engaged in business with his father, under the firm name of W. T. Scott & Company. About two months later President Lincoln called for 300,000 additional volunteers, and young Scott was not the kind of a citizen who could content himself, selling goods at war prices, under the protection of a government that needed him at the front. Accordingly, he and M. M. Beck, a sketch of whom appears in this volume, at the request of Captain Lilly, assisted in organizing the Eighteenth Indiana battery. Captain Lilly wired him: "Will you cooperate?" He answered in one word: "Yes." At the organization of the company, Mr. Scott was commissioned first lieutenant, and they were mustered into service in August, 1862, and sent to Louisville, Ky., being assigned to General Ward's Brigade, Dumont's Division. At first they were under command of General Buell, who, in a short time was succeeded by General Rosecrans, and the Eighteenth battery was then transferred to General Wilder's Brigade, Reynold's Division of mounted infantry. They were the first to be equipped with Spencer rifles. The first service they saw was in pursuit of Morgan, and after following him several days, they were ordered to Stone River, but arrived too late for that battle, but participated in the battle of Hoover's Gap, and then followed Bragg to Chattanooga, fighting all along the line of march. On August 21, the Eighteenth battery, opened the battle of Chickamauga. After that engagement, they were transferred to General McCook's Cavalry division, and for a time were foraging in Tennessee, where they, infrequently, met with severe opposition. Lieutenant Scott was wounded at the battle of Mossy Creek, Tenn., December 29, 1863. About this time Capt. Lilly was promoted to Major in the Cavalry regiment, and Lieut. Scott succeeded him as Captain of the Battery, May 1, 1864, but resigned on ac-[sic] of disability resulting from his wounds. He then returned to his Indiana home, and on September 1st of that year, was appointed to a clerkship in the pension office at Washington, where he remained until January 1, 1865, when he again returned to Bainbridge, Ind., and was engaged in the mercantile business until 1870. His father had been in Kansas in 1868, and was favorably impressed with the State, returning the following year he bought 240 acres of land, near Holton. In February, 1870, Joseph A. Scott, M. M. Beck, Howard and Wallace came to Kansas, together. Mr. Scott spent the first year at Emporia, preparatory to entering business at Holton. In February, 1871, he engaged in the hardware and implement business at Holton with his father, under the firm name of J. A. Scott & Company. In 1882, he was elected county treasurer of Jackson county, and re-elected in 1884, serving four years in all. Upon assuming the duties of that office, he retired from active participation in the business, and organized the J. A. Scott & Company, into the Scott's Hardware, Implement and Lumber Company. At the expiration of his term of office he again became an active member of the firm, and continued in this business until 1891, when he was appointed United States Indian Agent for the Pottawatomie and Great Nemaha Agency. The agency included Pottawatomie, Kickapoo, Iowa's, Sauks, Foxes, Chippewas and Munsee Indians. The total number of Indians under his jurisdiction was about one thousand. Mr. Scott held this position for three years, when he became bookkeeper in the First National Bank of Holton, where he remained for several years, and on July 1, 1900, was appointed lease clerk at his former post. During his term as agent the difficult task of allotting land to the different tribes of Indians fell to him. He was also appointed to lease the lands to the various tribes. He was always interested in the welfare of the Indian and jealously guarded their interests. He remained in this branch of the government service until October 1913, when he resigned, and now makes his home at Holton. Mr. Scott was married January 20, 1871, to Miss Martha Sophia, daughter of William and Sophia Stewart, natives of Maryland, who removed to Indianapolis, Ind., where the father was a member of the firm of Bowen & Stewart, stationery and office supply dealers. Mrs. Scott was born in Hagerstown, Md., and came to Indianapolis with her parents in 1854, where she met and married Mr. Scott. To this union were born three children: Florence Stewart, married Henry M. Dowling, an attorney of Indianapolis, Ind.; Mayme A., now the widow of D. R. McLeod, Manhattan, Kans., and Edith Thornton, married Dr. William B. Kitchen, of Indianapolis, Ind. Mr. Scott is a Republican, and has taken an active part in local politics. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and the family are members of the Presbyterian church, in which he is an elder.