WILLIAM D. SCOTT

William D. Scott, one of the leading financiers of this section of Dallas county, being president of Redfield Savings Bank, born in Redfield, Dallas county, July 23, 1867, a son of Thomas L. and Laura M. (Maulsby) Scott. Thomas Logan Scott was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia, November 15, 1826, a son of John and Sarah (Logan) Scott, and is the only surviving member of a family of six children. One brother, Daniel R. Scott, served as a soldier in the Civil war and was captured in the Stoneman raid. He was confined in the rebel prison at Andersonville until after the close of the war, his death occurring on his return home. Another brother, William G. Scott, was one of the organizers of the firm of Garr, Scott & Company, manufacturers of threshing machines and engines, remaining a member of the firm up to the time of his demise. Still another brother, James A., was for many years a well known attorney in Florida, where he married into a prominent southern family and became an extensive slaveholder. After the death of his wife, which occurred several years prior to the war, he came north and located in Indiana. He became a prominent public man, being one of the electors on the Breckenridge ticket.

Thomas Logan Scott was but one year old when he removed with his parents to Indiana, a location being made in the town of Salisbury, the county seat of Wayne county. A year later the county seat was removed to Centerville and the Scott family moved to Richmond, building a log cabin in which to make their home. John Scott, the grandfather, engaged in the mercantile business, which he conducted successfully up to the time of his death in 1833, which was occasioned by cholera. His wife died of the same disease sixteen years later. Thomas L. Scott was reared in Richmond and as he was left fatherless at the age of six his education was necessarily limited, owing to the fact that he felt called upon to assist in the support of the family. When twelve years of age he began work as a bobbin boy in a woolen factory at a salary of a dollar and half per week, walking a distance of a mile and a half to his place of employment and working from seven o'clock in the morning until nine o'clock at night. For some three years he remained at the woolen mills, rising gradually to the position of weaver. Prior to his sixteenth year he entered a drug store, in which he was employed for about two years, and then apprenticed himself to the harness-maker's and saddler's trade. On the completion of his term of indenture he was connected with the aforesaid trades from the year 1846 until 1861. When he had become familiar with his chosen occupation he located first at New Paris, Ohio, but after two years returned to Indiana, and was located successively at Shelbyville, Pleasant Hill, Logansport and Winchester. When only nineteen years of age, while still residing in Richmond, Mr. Scott volunteered for service in the Mexican war, but as the quota of troops was filled he was not accepted. The fire of patriotism, however, shone brightly within his breast and in 1861, at the outbreak of the Civil war he became an ardent abolitionist, notwithstanding the fact that he was a democrat. He assisted in raising troops for the service and in otherwise aiding the northern cause. His sterling character and integrity of purpose were so well known that he was nominated and elected to the position of county auditor in 1861, on the democratic ticket, by a majority of some two hundred and fifty votes, in a republican stronghold of about eight hundred plurality. In the fall of 1855 he came to Wiscotta (now Redfield), Iowa, but remained here only until the summer of 1856, when he returned to Winchester. In 1867 he came again to Iowa, locating in Redfield, where he became connected with the mercantile business in partnership with Irwin Maulsby. Here he remained until 1871, when he bought property in Des Moines and took up his abode there in order to give his children the advantages of the superior educational privileges which the town afforded. The family resided in Des Moines for about nine years, but Mr. Scott still retained his mercantile interests in Redfield and spent a portion of each week here while residing in Des Moines. In 1880 he brought his family to Redfield and in the intervening years has been a dominant factor in the business development and material prosperity of the town. About the year 1897, he severed his connections with mercantile interests and gave his attention to agricultural pursuits, being at one time in possession of seven hundred and eighty acres of valuable farm lands. He has recently disposed of his farm holdings and for the past five years has lived a retired life, enjoying in well earned ease the fruits of his former toil and far-sighted business judgment. He still has extensive town properties and is widely known as one of the enterprising and prosperous citizens of the community.

On August 12, 1852, Thomas L. Scott was joined in wedlock to Miss Laura M. Maulsby of Wayne county, Indiana, and to their union were born seven children: Mary I., the wife of J. O. Risser of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Sarah A., who became the wife of Rev. J. R. Wellborn and is living at Long Beach, California; Nora D., who is at home; Olene, who married James A. Miller and also resides at Long Beach, California; Blanche, at home; William D., of this review; and Harry L., train dispatcher for the Great Western Railway at Clarion, Iowa.

William D. Scott was reared under the parental roof, supplementing the education which he had acquired in the public schools of Redfield and the high school of Adel by a partial course at the Iowa College at Grinnell, Iowa. He returned to Redfield to teach a couple of terms in the country schools and soon after acquired his father's interest in the mercantile firm of Scott & Maulsby, the name being changed to Maulsby & Scott upon his admission as a junior partner. Mr. Scott remained an active factor in the successful conduct of this enterprise until 1903, when he became interested in North Dakota farm lands and spent three years in that state, being engaged in farming and in the supervision of his prosperities. By reason of his splendid business ability and executive force he met with a large measure of success in that state, returning to Redfield, however, in 1906. In August, 1901, the Redfield Savings Bank had been organized and on September 6th opened its doors for business. Mr. Scott, who had been one of the dominant factors in its organization, was elected president, with D. S. Patty as vice-president and E. O. Winters as cashier, the latter being succeeded, in February, 1903, by J. J. Mahoney. While Mr. Scott was chosen president at the time of the organization of the bank, it was not until 1906 that he gave his entire attention to its active management in principle and detail. Since then he has aided materially in placing the institution upon a sound financial basis and has been an active and prominent factor in its substantial growth. He is widely recognized as one of the leading financiers of this section of the county, and has earned for himself an enviable reputation as a careful man of business, his prompt and honorable methods having won him the deserved and unbounded confidence of his fellowmen.

Politically Mr. Scott has been affiliated with the republican party since free coinage of silver was an issue and that he is prominent in the community is indicated by the fact that he has served in all the town offices, while at present he is a member of the town board of alderman. Fraternally he is connected with Redfield lodge, No. 346, K. P., and in the community where he resides is known for his sterling traits of character and genial, unostentatious, manner.

Source: "Past and present of Dallas County, Iowa" ³³⁵

WILLIAM D. SCOTT

William D. Scott, one of the leading financiers of this section of Dallas county, being president of Redfield Savings Bank, born in Redfield, Dallas county, July 23, 1887, a son of Thomas L. and Laura M. (Maulsby) Scott. Thomas Logan Scott was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia, November 15, 1826, a son of John and Sarah (Logan) Scott, and is the only surviving member of a family of six children. One brother, Daniel R. Scott, served as a soldier in the Civil war and was captured in the Stoneman raid. He was confined in the rebel prison at Andersonville until after the close of the war, his death occurring on his return home. Another brother, William G. Scott, was one of the organizers of the firm of Gaar, Scott & Company, manufacturers of threshing machines and engines, remaining a member of the firm up to the time of his demise. Still another brother, James A., was for many years a well known attorney in Florida, where he married into a prominent southern family and became an extensive slaveholder. After the death of his wife, which occurred several years prior to the war, he came north and located in Indiana. He became a prominent public man, being one of the electors on the Breckenridge ticket.

Thomas Logan Scott was but one year old when he removed with his parents to Indiana, a location being made in the town of Salisbury, the county seat of Wayne county. A year later the county seat was removed to Centerville and the Scott family moved to Richmond, building a log cabin in which to make their home. John Scott, the grandfather, engaged in the mercantile business, which he conducted successfully up to the time of his death in 1833, which was occasioned by cholera. His wife died of the same disease sixteen years later. Thomas L. Scott was reared in Richmond and as he was left fatherless at the age of six his education was necessarily limited, owing to the fact that he felt called upon to assist in the support of the family. When twelve years of age he began work as a bobbin boy in a woolen factory at a salary of a dollar and half per week, walking a distance of a mile and a half to his place of employment and working from seven o'clock in the morning until nine o'clock at night. For some three years he remained at the woolen mills, rising gradually to the position of weaver. Prior to his sixteenth year he entered a drug store, in which he was employed for about two years, and then apprenticed himself to the harness-maker's and saddler's trade. On the completion of his term of indenture he was connected with the aforesaid trades from the year 1846 until 1861. When he had become familiar with his chosen occupation he located first at New Paris, Ohio, but after two years returned to Indiana, and was located successively at Shelbyville, Pleasant Hill, Logansport and Winchester. When only nineteen years of age, while still residing in Richmond, Mr. Scott volunteered for service in the Mexican war, but as the quota of troops was filled he was not accepted. The fire of patriotism, however, shone brightly within his breast and in 1861, at the outbreak of the Civil war he became an ardent abolitionist, notwithstanding the fact that he was a democrat. He assisted in raising troops for the service and in otherwise aiding the northern cause. His sterling character and integrity of purpose were so well known that he was nominated and elected to the position of county auditor in 1861, on the democratic ticket, by a majority of some two hundred and fifty votes, in a republican stronghold of about eight hundred plurality. In the fall of 1855 he came to Wiscotta (now Redfield), Iowa, but remained here only until the summer of 1856, when he returned to Winchester. In 1867 he came again to Iowa, locating in Redfield, where he became connected with the mercantile business in partnership with Irwin Maulsby. Here he remained until 1871, when he bought property in Des Moines and took up his abode there in order to give his children the advantages of the superior educational privileges which the town afforded. The family resided in Des Moines for about nine years, but Mr. Scott still retained his mercantile interests in Redfield and spent a portion of each week here while residing in Des Moines. In 1880 he brought his family to Redfield and in the intervening years has been a dominant factor in the business development and material prosperity of the town. About the year 1897, he severed his connections with mercantile interests and gave his attention to agricultural pursuits, being at one time in possession of seven hundred and eighty acres of valuable farm lands. He has recently disposed of his farm holdings and for the past five years has lived a retired life, enjoying in well earned ease the fruits of his former toil and far-sighted business judgment. He still has extensive town properties and is widely known as one of the enterprising and prosperous citizens of the community.

On August 12, 1852, Thomas L. Scott was joined in wedlock to Miss Laura M. Maulsby of Wayne county, Indiana, and to their union were born seven children: Mary I., the wife of J. O. Risser of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Sarah A., who became the wife of Rev. J. R. Wellborn and is living at Long Beach, California; Nora D., who is at home; Olene, who married James A. Miller and also resides at Long Beach, California; Blanche, at home; William D., of this review; and Harry L., train dispatcher for the Great Western Railway at Clarion, Iowa.

William D. Scott was reared under the parental roof, supplementing the education which he had acquired in the public schools of Redfield and the high school of Adel by a partial course at the Iowa College at Grinnell, Iowa. He returned to Redfield to teach a couple of terms in the country schools and soon after acquired his father's interest in the mercantile firm of Scott & Maulsby, the name being changed to Maulsby & Scott upon his admission as a junior partner. Mr. Scott remained an active factor in the successful conduct of this enterprise until 1903, when he became interested in North Dakota farm lands and spent three years in that state, being engaged in farming and in the supervision of his prosperities. By reason of his splendid business ability and executive force he met with a large measure of success in that state, returning to Redfield, however, in 1906. In August, 1901, the Redfield Savings Bank had been organized and on September 6th opened its doors for business. Mr. Scott, who had been one of the dominant factors in its organization, was elected president, with D. S. Patty as vice-president and E. O. Winters as cashier, the latter being succeeded, in February, 1903, by J. J. Mahoney. While Mr. Scott was chosen president at the time of the organization of the bank, it was not until 1906 that he gave his entire attention to its active management in principle and detail. Since then he has aided materially in placing the institution upon a sound financial basis and has been an active and prominent factor in its substantial growth. He is widely recognized as one of the leading financiers of this section of the county, and has earned for himself an enviable reputation as a careful man of business, his prompt and honorable methods having won him the deserved and unbounded confidence of his fellowmen.

Politically Mr. Scott has been affiliated with the republican party since free coinage of silver was an issue and that he is prominent in the community is indicated by the fact that he has served in all the town offices, while at present he is a member of the town board of alderman. Fraternally he is connected with Redfield lodge, No. 346, K. P., and in the community where he resides is known for his sterling traits of character and genial, unostentatious, manner.

Source: "Past and present of Dallas County, Iowa" ³³⁵