The subject of this sketch was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in April 1837, the second son of Merchant Scott, of Jefferson County, Ohio, of Irish and Scotch descent. His mother’s name was Mary Stringer, of Irish descent. John attended school in Jefferson County, Ohio, until fourteen years of age, and moved with his family to Humboldt, Kansas, in 1857. Three years later he commenced business on his own account, and continued it until the town was burned by Confederate bushwhackers, after which he immediately recruited a company of Indians and entered the Federal service in May, 1862, as first lieutenant. In June of the same year he was captured and incarcerated at Fort Smith, and in August following he was exchanged at Cassville, Missouri, and returned to his regiment. In October 1862, he was mustered out by Major Van Antwerp, General Blount’s adjutant-general. In the same year he commenced the sutler business, at Bentonville, Arkansas, for the Second Indian Regiment, and moved with them to Fort Gibson in the spring of 1863, continuing in that department until 1865, when he was mustered out. After the war he went to Kansas, and returned to Fort Gibson in 1871 and there established a small store, with a limited stock of general merchandise. In the same year he married Miss Margaret Coody, daughter of Daniel Coody, a Cherokee and niece of General Ruecker’s wife. By this marriage he has one boy, Walker, born August 14, 1872. Mrs. Scott dying in 1873, he married Miss Belle Harnage, daughter of John G. Harnage, a noted man among the Cherokees, having filled almost all the principal national offices. By this marriage he has four children, viz.: Gibson R., born October 19, 1877; Emma, born August 16, 1881; John S., born June 21, 1883, and Raphael, born September 11, 1889. Mr. Scott at present carries a stock of $18,000 to $20,000 in general merchandise. He has a fine two-story brick building, fifty by seventy-five feet, an engraving of which will be found in this volume. Mr. Scott handles a great deal of cotton annually, he has considerable farm interest, and a fine two-story residence, barns, gardens, orchards, etc. He is a man of gentlemanly bearing, five feet ten inches in height and weighs 150 pounds. He is cheerful and affable in manner and very popular. As a businessman he has few superiors, possessing as he does the full confidence of the public, and the respect and esteem of all who know him. Mr. Scott is also postmaster at Fort Gibson.
