Category:George W. Scott

GEORGE W. SCOTT

Born and reared at Georgetown. District of Columbia, on the banks of the historic Potomac, where the life of the nation centers, and which was during the Civil War an almost unbroken line of battle, having served his country in the signal corps and weather bureau in many places, George W. Scott of this service and an artistic photographer at Lander, has a wide and varied experience. His birth occurred on March 21, 1854, a son of John and Sarah C. (Bingey) Scott, the father a native of Washington, D. C, and the mother of New Jersey, the father being a prominent merchant in the Federal City, where he died in 1897 at the age of eighty, his wife having preceded him to the grave in 1863, when she was but thirty-six. Of their eight children, but two are living, John T., an honored official in the National Museum at Washington, and George W., who was educated in the public schools of the District of Columbia, and with a course of business training at Duff's Commercial College at Pittsburg, Pa. Later he worked in the glass factories at Pittsburg, making good wages, although he was but fifteen years old, and learned the painter's trade, at which he worked for five years. He then joined the U. S. signal service, and after passing through its school of instruction he was stationed successively at Pittsburg, Washington, Philadelphia, New York, Duluth, Bismark, N. D.; Fort Bennett and Deadwood, S. D., where he quit the service and engaged in the photograph business in 1883. He passed four years in the business in that city, and then reentering the signal service was stationed at Omaha for seven months and thereafter at Deadwood until that station was abandoned in 1888, when he was sent to Bismark, then to Fort Yates, N. D., for three years, and from there in 1891 to reopen the abandoned station at Yankton and take charge of the weather bureau at that place, where he remained three years, going thence to Des Moines, Iowa, for a short time and finally in 1894 coming to Lander as the head of the bureau of that brisk young city. Soon after coming here he started a photographic business and leased the telegraph line and has conducted both of these establishments almost continuously since then. He has the only photograph gallery for the patronage of Lander and many miles of adjacent territory, and by his skill and attention to business has secured a large and profitable trade. He is a progressive and enterprising man, earnestly devoted to the welfare of his country, and finding its best security in the proper administration of local affairs, in these he takes great interest. He is president of the city board of education, an officer in the National Guard of the state, being the captain of Co. B, and the popular observer of the Lander weather bureau. He belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen in Yankton and to the Woodmen of the World in Lander. On January 12, 1885, he was married at Deadwood with Miss Kittie A. Wilson, a daughter of James A. and Sarah M. (Edwards) Wilson, natives of Michigan. They have five children, Lee E., George E., James, Ruth A. and Lew. Both parents are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Scott is a gentleman of property, a progressive and enlightened citizen, a faithful and capable official, an accomplished artist, the family being welcome additions to all social circles. His residence on Lincoln street is one of the comfortable and attractive homes of the town.

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