A Sketch of the Life and History of John Scott by his daughter Sarah M. Scott Walker

A Sketch of the Life and History of John Scott by his daughter Sarah M. Scott Walker

A Sketch of The Life and History of John Scott

Jacob Scott, father of John Scott, was born in Londonderry, Ireland, August 14, 1872. Sarah Warnock, mother of John Scott, was born in Armagh, Ireland, on August 10, 1779. They were married June 6, 1804, in Armagh, Ireland, by the Reverend Thomas Cummings of the Presbyterian Church. To them were born eight children, four boys and four girls; Ann, Jane, Mary, John, Isaac Frank, Sarah, all of whom were born in Ireland; and Jacob and Robert Thomas who were born in Canada. John Scott was the oldest son. He was born in Armagh, Ireland, May 6, 1811.

The Jacob Scott family left Ireland, April 5, 1819 and came to Canada arriving in Quebec in May. There Jacob, John’s father, after moving to Toronto and then to Markham County, taught school in Trafalger for eight years. He received $100 bounty from the British government for teaching, besides the subscribed fee from the parents of his pupils. They owned 100 acres of land in Trafalger, Canada, given by the government to all British subjects who were actual settlers. They resided in Trafalger for 18 years. Jacob Scott built a large house there and named it Ebinezer Hall. It was a beautiful home.

It was in the year 1836 in this home, Ebinezer Hall, that John Scott and Elizabeth Meneary were married. Elizabeth Meneary was born in Dublin, Ireland, September 10, 1815, and was baptized in Canada. Their first born son, Isaac, was born on February 15, 1837 in Canada.

(The above was taken from Jacob Scott’s History)

The Mormon Elders were called to preach the Gospel in that part of Canada, and Jacob Scott and his entire family were converted to the church and baptized. Jacob Scott was called to go on a mission for the church from Kirtland, Ohio, June 7, 1831, by the Prophet Joseph Smith. This information can be found in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 52, verse 28.

Jacob Scott’s entire family moved to Far West, Missouri, on Sept. 2, 1838. They passed through great tribulations and persecutions with the rest of the saints. During the year of 1839, John was called to go on a mission to Great Britain with one of the Apostles of the Church. The Scott family left Far West, Missouri, May 18, 1840, and located about five miles above Nauvoo, Illinois, near the Mississippi River.

Sarah Scott, John’s mother, died on Monday, August 9, 184, and was buried in Nauvoo. Jacob Scott, John’s brother, died August 1, 1842, while living in Nauvoo, and Jacob Scott, John’s father, died January 2, 1845, and was buried in Nauvoo. Jacob lived a life of true devotion and holiness to God. Just before he died he bore a strong testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel to his family.

While living in Nauvoo, John was ordained a Seventy and became President of the Tenth Quorum of Seventies. He accepted the Doctrine and Revelation on Celestial and Plural Marriage. He married Mary Pugh, daughter of Edward Pugh in 1844 and Sarah Ann Willis in 1846. She was born February 4, 1825.

He was chosen on of Prophet Joseph Smith’s body guards, which position he held until the Prophet’s martyrdom. He often related experiences he had with the Prophet. How he did love the Prophet. He would have gone through even death for him. John Scott is spoken of in “One Hundred Years of Mormonism”, and “The Essentials in Church History” concerning his experiences and how he assisted Prophet Joseph Smith. When the Prophet was martyred, John went with others to get the bodies of the Prophet and Hyrum, and took the to Nauvoo, where he also helped with their burial.

After the Prophet’s death, there was great confusion over who should be President of the Church. John Scott and his three wives, Elizabeth, Mary and Sarah Ann, all bore testimonies of the transfiguration of Brigham Young. They had no doubt in their minds that Brigham Young was in the right and the right man to be President of the Church.

(The following was taken from the History of Heber C. Kimball)

On February 18, 1845, the companies were being organized and made ready to start to the Rocky Mountains. In the exodus from Nauvoo, they secured about 400 wagons, all heavily loaded with not over half the number of teams necessary for a rapid journey. Most of the families were provided with provisions to do several months.

Colonel Steves Marham and about 100 pioneers were sent in advance of the main body to prepare the roads. Colonel John Scott, he held the office of Colonel in the 1st Regiment of the second cohort, of the Nauvoo Legion, and about 100 men acted as the police guards, armed with rifles. On the morning of March 1, they were notified to be ready to start at noon. They reached the Missouri River about the middle of June. Here they found the Pottawatomi and the Omaha Indians friendly. It was then the call came for 600 men to go to Mexico and fight. They were mustered out. The Mormon Battalion started out about the middle of July. The Saints going to the Rocky Mountains at that time had to abandon their journey for the present.

John Scott was very prominent as a military man in the early days of the church. The camp given to their winter settlers on the Missouri River was known as Florence. President Brigham Young requested John Scott to take this as a mission to remain one more year to assist in helping to see that the pioneers were properly equipped for traveling across the plains; all that were going to follow his company. He did this and he also went on a mission among the non-Mormons to gather and collect old clothing to help fir the Saints for traveling. While at this work, he converted three people to the Gospel. This same year John received the following orders from President Brigham Young: These orders are framed and are in the museum in the Tabernacle Square, placed there by Sarah M. Scott Walker, daughter of John Scott.

February 19, 1847

Lieutenant Colonel John Scott:

You are hereby commanded to immediately put in perfect order the cannon equipment, carriages, and appendages, belonging there to that are under your command, where-of fail not, and make return of this order with our doing there-on.

Headquarters Winter Quarters, Brigham Young, Lieutenant Gen. of the Legion.

P.S. You are also authorized to call on any or all of the commanding officers to assist you in the repairs.

This information was received from Apostle Joseph F. Smith

John Scott and his family started west on the 30th of May 1848, in Heber C. Kimball’s company. Mary Pugh Scott and Sarah Ann Willis Scott drove a mule team across the plains, taking turns driving. They had wonderful experiences on this journey. Elizabeth had five small children, Mary had one, and Sarah Ann had one.

John Scott’s wagons were completely surrounded with Indians at one time. They were saved by a white man who was with the Indians. He knew John Scott and went to school with him in Canada. The Indians captured him and compelled him to live with them, so he had some influence with them.

Heber C. Kimball’s company was organized by selecting Henry Herriman Captain of 100’s and John Pack of 50’s. There were 663 people, 226 wagons, 57 horses, 25 mules, 757 oxen, 234 cows, 150 loose cattle, 243 sheep, 5 ducks, 96 pigs, 299 chickens, 17 cats, 52 dogs, 3 hives of bees, 3 doves, and 1 squirrel. They arrived in the valley on September 24, 1848.

On arriving in the valley, John was transferred from the Tenth Quorum of Seventies to the Senior President of the Sixty-first Quorum of Seventies. They moved south of the city on 100 acres of land. There, through his influence and help a school house was built. They named it the Scott School. His wife, Mary, taught in this school house. As I remember, she was the first teacher.

(page 62, second edition of Church Chronology, by Andrew Jones.)

On Friday, April 6, 1855, John received a call to go on a mission to Great Britain. This would be the second mission he would fulfill in Great Britain. He obeyed the call and left his families to face the hardships of building up a new country and of enduring the famine. The Elders who labored with John Scott and came home with him were Elders Orson, Ezra T. Bensen, John M. Kay, William Miller and others.

During the summer of 1855, the grasshoppers did serious damage, destroying nearly everything gowning in many parts of Utah. They had to withstand this and weigh and measure the flour according to the number of children in a family. This was done every week, and they had to gather roots and sego lily bulbs to help the with the living. Sarah Ann did fancy hand-sewing for people that were better off, such as shirt bosoms, collars, ect,; for a few pounds of flour per day. Everything they did was to keep their families from going hungry.

When President Brigham Young received word that Johnston’s Army was on the road to Utah, he sent John Scott his release and told him to come home as quickly as possible.

Isaac and Ephraim, two of John’s oldest sons, were called into the service. This took the family help, as Isaac and Ephraim were the main help and protection for the family until their father would return home form his mission. The Scott family moved to Provo with the Saints until the trouble was over.

John and his companions came in to San Francisco from England. They left for Salt Lake City by way of San Bernadino, and reached the city January 19, 1858. This can be found in Church History.

Finally, the President of the United States called off the threatened attack on the Mormons and President Young told the people to return to their homes. The soldiers were allowed to pass through the valley of Salt Lake and take up their quarters at Camp Floyd.

The people had become almost destitute of clothing, but a market was found at the soldiers’ camp for their produce thereby circulating money and enabling the people to supply themselves with clothing, shoes, and other necessities for their comfort. After things settled down peacefully, people engaged in faming and other ways of making living for their families.

Happy to have the privilege, John Scott went to Southern Utah to protect the settlers from the Indians a number of times. He believed that kindness was the best way to handle the Indians. He also believed that if they were treated kindly and even fed, it would be better than fighting them. He was always kind to them and had many friends with them.

He married Angeline Keller, daughter of Alva Keller and Esther Yeates, daughter of George Yeates and Mary Chance, in 1860. She was born April 4, 1843.

In 1868 he moved his last family to Millville, Utah. Some of the are living in Logan at this writing.

I wish to add here that father had a large family, 35 children, and a family to be proud of. Elizabeth, his first wife was a wonderful woman, kind and gentle to the whole family, sharing her love and sacrificing for all, and the same could be written of Mary, Sarah Ann, Angeline and Esther. The children, brothers and sisters, were kind and loving with each other. They were united. This is as I remember our family, and I think correct.

In 1875, John Scott went back to Mill Creek to live because of Elizabeth’s poor health. He then went back to Millville, to settle his business there, and while on this trip he caught a severe cold that developed into pneumonia. He died December 16, 1876. His funeral was in the Mill Creek ward. The speakers were: President John Taylor, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith. All spoke of his noble character, of the good he had accomplished for the church, and the community where he lived. They told of his being a man a great faith, how people would send for miles for him to administer to the sick. He was loved by all who know him, always ready to help and five comfort and cheer to those in distress, and those in worse circumstances than himself, His life as a blessing to his family and friends. He was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Jacob Scott had five brothers and four sisters. James came to Canada, and lived and died there. One brother came to the United States and was the father of General Winfield Scott. After the war in Mexico, General Winfield Scott sent his sword to his cousin, John Scott. The family has it at the present time.

Information by – Sarah M. Scott Walker, Daughter of John and Sarah Ann Scott, CH. 1972