John W. Scott

    John W. Scott, native of Jefferson County, Indiana, was born June 3, 1834; was reared in the county until his seventeenth year, when he emigrated to the town of Moorfield, Switzerland County, Indiana. At Moorefield he learned the blacksmith trade, and worked at it there until 1862. The he purchased a farm on Pleasant Ridge, in Jefferson County, and removed to it, where he remained three years; when he sold out and purchased a farm of 105 acres of land on Ryker's Ridge, in Jefferson County, which he still owns, and where he resides during the summer.

    Mr. Scott was educated in the common schools of the county, which, by the way, are the best class, and will give to a boy or girl the best practical education in the world.

    Mr. Scott is engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business at the corner of Main and Jefferson Streets, Madison, and resides in the city during the winter and spring months, in his city residence, No. 601 N. Mulberry Street.

    In 1865 he bought the farm mentioned, which is one of the finest in the county, and, removing to it, engaged in agricultural business in Madison, in which he continued until 1876, when eh sold out the business, and that fall was elected treasurer of the county on the Democratic ticket, overcoming a Republican majority of over 600.

    During the two years of service in the treasurer's office, he made the largest collection of taxes ever made in the county. In the fall of 1878 he was defeated by a small majority for the same office. During the fall he engaged in the grocery business, which business he ahs been engaged in ever since. His place was known as the "Temple" grocery, as he occupied the salesroom in the lower part of the Masonic Temple. He remained in the "Temple" until  about one month ago, when he removed to his  present stand, corner of Main and Jefferson. He has built up a large trade, and has one of the best groceries in the city.

    In 1887 Mr. Scott took his two sons, William A. and Elmer E., into partnership with him in the grocery business; the firm name is J. W. Scott & Sons. Mr. Scott is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the M. E. Church. He has belonged to the church for twenty-five years, and is now a trustee and steward of his church.

    He has been a member of the Democratic Central Committee ever since 1878, and is a stockholder in Madison Herald Newspaper Company.

    Mr. Scott was married in 1851 to Miss Sarah Protzman, of Switzerland County, daughter of John Protzman, who was also one of the larges farmers of that county. He has seven children living, three boys and four girls: Elias J., William A., Elmer E., Mary Ida, Annie, Nora M. and Bertha (Welch) Scott. John, his father, was born in Jettburg, Scotland, and came to this country in 1818. He was a prominent farmer of this county, and died in 1878, at the age of 90 years. The mother was a native of Lexington, Kentucky she died in 1868, at the age of 68 years.

Source: Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana. By John M. Gresham & Co., 1889.