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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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Robert
Alexander Scott One
of the influential citizens of Jasper County is Robert Alexander Scott, who,
after a strenuous life as an agriculturist, is now living in honorable
retirement. A man of excellent
endowments and upright character, he has been a valued factor in local affairs
and has ever commanded unequivocal confidence and esteem, being loyal to the
upbuilding of his community and ever vigilant in his efforts to further its
interests along material, moral and civic lines. Mr.
Scott was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, March 30, 1845, the son of John G. and
Isabel J. (Smith) Scott. The father was born in Wales and was the son of Job
Scott, who came with his father to America when the former was only four months
old, locating in Pennsylvania, near Parkersburg, and later moved to Belmont,
Ohio, and there the death of Job Scott occurred in February 1884, at the
advanced age of ninety-five years, he having been born on May 25, 1789. There
were eight children in his family, an equal number of sons and daughters,
namely: John G., father of Robert A., of this review, was born June 30, 1816;
Harrison, now deceased; Henry died in Warren County, Iowa, in 1911; Jefferson
went to the frontier at the age of twenty years and was never again heard of;
Mary Ann, who married a Mr. Green, lived in the southern part of Iowa, and she
died in 1911; Sarah Jane married a Mr. Balderson and lives in Chicago; Elizabeth
Scott Robinson lives in Illinois; Rebecca Scott-Burkis living in Ohio. The
family is of a sturdy stock and all live to an advanced age. John
G. Scott, father of the subject, was a cooper by trade, but after he came to
Iowa he engaged in farming, becoming well known in the County and was
influential among the pioneers, being a fine old gentleman personally of whom it
was said, "He has no enemies." Being
a man of exemplary character, he was highly respected by all who knew him; he
was fearless in the discharge of his duties when he knew he was right and he
held various township offices. His
death occurred on August 7, 1905, at the age of eighty-nine years, his widow,
who was a native of Ohio, surviving until February 25, 1910, reacting the age of
eighty-four. They were the parents
of three children, Lovina J., who married David Tipton, lives at Baxter, Iowa,
they being retired; Sarah Frances, who married Joseph Miskimins, is now
deceased; Robert Alexander, of this review, was the oldest of the three. Mr.
Scott received a good common school education in his native County and he lived
at home until his marriage, on January 10, 1867, to Eliza Moore, the daughter of
John and Eliza (Hutchinson) Moore. Her
father was born in Ireland and he came to America when a child with his parents
and settled on a farm in Guernsey County, Ohio, and there the daughter, Eliza,
was born on May 25, 1845. She was the next youngest daughter in a family of six
children, namely: Nancy J., deceased, married J. B. Wherry, who formerly lived
in Jones County, Iowa; Mary, who married William J. Wherry, lived on a farm near
Wyoming, Jones County, until Mr. Wherry's death; William James is living retired
in Jackson County; Samuel G. is in the mercantile business in New York city;
John Humphrey, the youngest, enlisted in the Union army for service in the Civil
war, at the age of sixteen years, and he was captured and confined in
Andersonville prison, where he died. Soon
after the marriage of the subject he came to Jasper County, Iowa, and located on
a farm south of Baxter, of one hundred and twenty acres. Here he devoted himself
to farming successfully until about twelve years ago. He then bought two hundred
and twenty acres nine miles south of Newton, a part of the Jesse Long place,
which he still owns. It is a valuable and well-improved place. About ten years
ago he bought property in Newton and retired from active farming and stock
raising, having since lived quietly in his beautiful home in this City.
He was very successful in his life work, having always applied himself
very carefully to whatever he had in hand. Mr.
and Mrs. Scott are the parents of three children, namely: Alice Orena, born
September 25, 1867, married George Alfred, and they are now living in South
Dakota and have three children. John A., born March 14, 1871, lives on a farm
south of Newton, and they have one child. Elba Job, born May 25, 1875, lives in
Newton. Mr.
and Mrs. Scott are members of the United Presbyterian Church. He was a charter
member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Baxter; Mrs. Scott is a member of the
Woman's Relief Corps. Mr.
Scott has always taken an abiding interest in the general development of Jasper
County and has always stood ready to aid in any worthy movement.
He has made a host of warm personal friends since coming to this County
by his exemplary life, his public spirit and his industry. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 576. |
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