Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 993 - 994

WILLIAM H. SCOTT, well known by a large proportion of the leading citizens of Wichita, took up his abode within its borders on the 14th of January, 1877. He purchased an acre of ground on Fourth avenue, between Lewis and Kellogg streets, for which he paid $100, and upon half of which he raised the first year $115 worth of watermelons alone. That fine beginning as a gardener formed the nucleus of his present prosperity, and from which he has accumulated a comfortable property, including a good home and other real estate in the city.

            Our subject, in 1880, added three acres to his first purchase, and operated upon this, raising vegetables for the city, until 1886, when he sold the four acres for the snug round sum of $8,000 cash. He next purchased two lots at the corner of Lewis and Fifth streets, and subsequently forty acres three and one-half miles south of Douglas avenue, and one-fourth of a mile west of Lawrence. This latter he sold, and in June, 1886, purchased the five lots south of his present home. With a thorough understanding of his business, industrious and energetic, he presents a fine illustration of perseverance and industry, and has one of the most attractive homes within, or adjacent to, the city.

            A native of Henry County, Ind., our subject was born Jan. 11, 1844, and is the son of Arthur and Lucretia (Greenstreet) Scott, who were natives of Virginia, and the father a farmer by occupation. The parental household included six children, of whom five are living, namely Anderson H., George W.; Isabelle, Mrs. Rynearson; Eliza J., Mrs. Hodges; and William H., of our sketch. James H., who was an engineer on the Pan Handle Railroad, was killed by the explosion of his engine, in February, 1867. Arthur Scott after his, marriage, migrated to Henry County, Ind., of which he was one of the pioneer settlers, became prominent in public affairs, and held the various local offices. He built up a good home from the wilderness, but subsequently returned to Wythe County, Va., the place of his birth.

            William H. Scott was reared at his father's homestead near the city of Indianapolis, Ind., and in the latter place learned the trade of cabinet-maker, which he followed about six years. Upon the outbreak of the Rebellion, although but a youth of seventeen, he was one of the first to respond to the call for troops, enlisting April 18, 1861, for the three-months service in Company I, 8th Indiana Infantry. This regiment was under command of Gen. McClellan, and at the battle of Rich Mountain, in West Virginia, on the 6th of July following, our subject received a flesh wound in his right knee. This did not disable him long, however, and he remained with his regiment until the close of their term of enlistment, receiving his discharge where he had been mustered in, at Indianapolis.

            After a few weeks of rest and recuperation, young Scott again entered the ranks, on the 1st of September, 1861, in Company H, the same regiment, for three years, or during the war. Two years of this time his regiment belonged to the Western Army. In the spring of 1862, at the battle of Pea Ridge, Mr. Scott was wounded in the right side with a minie ball, and about two hours afterward was wounded with two buckshot in the breast, which struck the ribs, passed around to his back, and are still there. He did not receive surgical attention until six days afterward. He was hauled in an ambulance from Pea Ridge to Rolla, Mo., about 190 miles, without any food. From there he was taken in a freight car to St. Louis, where he lay in the hospital about three months. In June he rejoined his regiment at Sulphur Springs, Ark., and then by forced marches, skirmishing with the enemy almost daily, they made their way along White River, from Jackson Court House to Helena. They diverged from the river near Little Rock, passing around that city, being obliged to reach Helena on the Mississippi, in order to get to their base of supplies. They were now with the army of Gen. Curtis. At Helena Mr. Scott was taken sick, in September, 1862, was soon afterward sent to Keokuk, Iowa, where he received a surgeon's certificate of disability, and on the 22d of December following was given his honorable discharge.

            With patriotism unsubdued, Mr. Scott, in February, 1864, re-entered the ranks, re-enlisting in the 16th Indiana Light Artillery. and served until the close of the war, being finally discharged Aug. 5, 1865. He never recovered from the effects of his wounds, and will probably experience from them more or less discomfort all his life.

            Our subject upon his recovery followed cabinetmaking as before in Indianapolis, and also learned the different methods of slate roofing, at which he was engaged in various places for a period thereafter of twenty years. After leaving Toledo he entered the employ of Munson & Johnson, on a salary of $30 a week and expenses, which position he held over two years. By economy he saved money, which enabled him to start in business for himself. He selected his location in Dayton, Ohio, and started out on a large scale in July, 1872, having in his employ much of the time thereafter from fifteen to twenty men. His successful career, however, was broken in upon by the panic of 1873, which the following year involved him in great loss.

            On the 24th of December, 1871, occurred the marriage of William H. Scott and Miss Emma A., daughter of Andrew J. and Catherine (Michael) Armstrong, who were natives respectively of Indiana and Ohio. Mr. A. was also a cabinet-maker by trade, which, with the exception of the time spent in the army, he followed through life. As a soldier he was a member of Company K, 93d Ohio, in which he served four years. At the battle of Chickamauga he was wounded, captured by the rebels, and experienced the terrors of Andersonville Prison three months. He died in Dayton, Ohio, July 15, 1881. His widow, the mother of Mrs. Scott, continues to reside at the old homestead there.

            Mrs. Scott was born in Dayton, Ohio, Oct. 6, 1850, and was the third of twelve children comprising the family of her parents. Of these but four are living, namely: Emma, the wife of our subject; Charles A.; Clara K., Mrs. Barnes, and Hattie L., all of Dayton. To our subject and his wife there have been born two children: James A. and William W., the elder sixteen years of age and the younger fourteen. Mr. Scott, politically, is an ardent Republican, and socially, a member in good standing of the I. O. O. F. and the G. A. R. Mrs. Scott belongs to the Christian Church, also to the Woman's Relief Corps and to the Daughters of Rebecca.

            As the subject of a varied and interesting career, and in illustration of the enterprise and industry to be found so largely in Sedgwick County, we are much gratified in being able to place the portrait of Mr. Scott among those of other prominent men of Southern Kansas.

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