Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 4. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 187.
 
WILLIAM J. J. SCOTT

     On the long list of Oregon's honored pioneers appears the name of William
J. J. Scott who was a public spirited and enterprising citizen and did much for
the development and upbuilding of the Willamette valley. He was born in Morgan
county Illinois October 15, 1824, his father being Levi Scott who married Miss
Ennis and reared a large family of whom none are now living. Levi Scott made his
way westward in pioneer times and became acquainted with all the different
phases of frontier life. He took up a donation land claim in Douglas county and
the town of Scottsburg has been built on the old homestead. He served as captain
of a company in the Rogue River war and thus became acquainted with all the
phases of Indian hostility. William J. J. Scott shared too in the hardships and
difficulties of founding a home in the far west and his work was at all time of
a progressive character that contributed to the public improvement as well as to
individual success.
     In 1850 Mr. Scott was married in Clackamas county Oregon to Miss Surena J.
Robinson who was born in Shelby county Ohio, December 5, 1828, a daughter of
William and Susanna Cannon Robinson who were natives of Kentucky and
Pennsylvania respectively. In their family were ten children, Mary A., who
married G. W. Cannon; James C.; Elizabeth R., who was the wife of Asbury Barbur;
Cecilia Nancy, the wife of James Butler; Richard C., who married Ann Petree;
Mrs. Scott; Clarinda, who was the wife of John Scott; William Platt; and Matilda
S., who married Washington Riggs, and since his death has become the wife of
James Haas of Cloride Arizona. By her first marriage she had three children John
Roy and Ann the last named the wife of George Hubbard of Polk county. Unto Mr.
and Mrs. Scott were born ten children, Eliza S the wife of David Trimble of
Condon Oregon; Mary A the widow of William C. Brown of Washington; Matilda J.
the wife of R. H. Landers of Creswell Oregon whose people crossed the plains to
this state in 1847; William W. and John R. both residents of Creswell; Rose E.
the wife of D.S. Brown of Condon Oregon; Dora C. the wife of C. O. Hazelton of
Cottage Grove; Viola S. who is living with her mother in Creswell; Ripley F. who
is also a resident of that place and Lillie M. the wife of Robert Dersham,
likewise of Creswell. All of the children were given good educational privileges
attending high school and college.
     In the family is a most interesting photographic group of Mrs. Surena Scott
and representatives of four generations, her daughter Mrs. D. B. Trimble the
tatter's daughter, Mrs. L. B. Tuel also her daughter, Mrs. H. Nash and Raymond
W. Nash who is a great great grandson of Mrs. Scott. Mrs. Scott is a remarkably
well preserved woman now in the eighty fourth year of her age. When eighty one
years of age she personally prepared a birthday dinner for her family of ten
children all of whom are living. The Creswell Chronicle said of her, ÒShe has
friends innumerable all of whom hold her in highest esteem and look upon her as
one who has fulfilled in every respect the highest type of American pioneer
motherhood.Ó
     The death of Mr. Scott occurred in 1896. He was a public spirited man and
was instrumental in securing the location of the State University at Eugene.
When the first building of that institution was completed funds were lacking
with which to pay for its construction. The building was to be sold to satisfy a
labor lien when Mr. Scott assumed the indebtedness saving the building from
sale. He in turn was repaid by the board of directors in later years. He was a
school director for many years and always took a most active and helpful
interest in educational work. His political allegiance was given to the
republican party and his religious faith was that of the Methodist Episcopal
church in which Mrs. Scott still holds membership. He was among the most highly
esteemed of the worthy pioneer settlers of his district and did much to build up
the Willamette valley which was a great wilderness at the time of his arrival.
His life was ever characterized by progress and improvement and while he won a
fair measure of success he left to his family the more priceless heritage of an
untarnished name.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2012 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.