My Genealogy Hound

Thomas Scott is one among the many well-to-do farmers of Desha County, Ark., and although born in County Londonderry, Ireland, in 1820, he has lived sufficiently long in the United States to have the interests of his adopted country thoroughly at heart. His parents, Thomas and Jen Scott, were both of Scotch extraction, but were also born in the Emerald Isle. The immediate subject of this sketch grew to manhood in his native land, but upon reaching his twenty-first year he came to the conclusion that the New World afforded much better opportunities for a young man of energy and determination to rise in the world, and subsequent events have proved his surmises to have been correct. In 1841 he landed in the city of Philadelphia, Penn., and having received a thorough English education, he was well equipped to begin life in a new land, and began clerking in railroad offices in the city of Brotherly Love, where he remained for about two years. Upon resigning this position, he began dealing in cattle, this occupation receiving his attention until 1848, at which time he came West, and settled in Desha County, Ark., which place has since been his home, with the exception of the time spent in the army, which comprised the period between 1863 and the close of the war. He was with Gen. Price, and took part in the battles of Mark’s Mill, Sulphur Springs, Jenkins’ Ferry, but after the last-named engagement was taken sick and unfitted for further duty. In 1865 he offered himself as a candidate for treasurer of Desha County, being elected by a good majority, and the duties of this important position he ably discharged for eight years, refusing further re-election. He has been exceptionally successful in all his business operations, and owns 1,800 acres of land, 300 acres of which are cleared and under cultivation, and yielded, during 1889, about 150 bales of cotton and a fine crop of corn. Mr. Scott is to some extent interested in the propagation of stock, and on his farm is erected a fine grist-mill and steam cotton gin, which bring him in a large sum annually. The farm is finely improved, and shows every indication of thrift and industry. He is one of the county’s foremost citizens, is public spirited, and possesses many original ideas on the subject of farming, as well as on many other subjects. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the I. O. O. F., is a Democrat in his political views, and is a member of the Methodist Church, as was his wife, for a number of years prior to her death, which occurred in 1877. She was formerly a Miss Mary A. Mosby, and her marriage with Mr. Scott took place in 1855. Their children are: Jane, Mary, Micajah R., George T. and Thomas, two of whom are dead. The three living ones reside in the county, near their father.