First – John Scott (1689-1749)

My “first” ancestor is the first of four John Scotts in my tree. He’s also the first known ancestor on the Scott line, and probably the first Scott to come to America. John was born about 1689, probably in Ireland, and immigrated to America at the very latest by 1745. John lived in Bucks County, PA and was a Weaver. He was also a member of and Trustee for the Neshaminy Presbyterian Church. In 1745 he and all the other Presbyterian trustees signed a deed on behalf of the church. In addition to details on the land transaction the deed gave a brief description of the church: “of the denomination of Presbyterians owning the doctrine of the Holy Scriptures, the doctrine, worship, and discipline of the Church of Scotland, as set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith, Catechisms, and Directory for worship and discipline, and also believing and owning this late work, that hath appeared in this land, New England, and Scotland in calling sinners to repentance to be the work of God, usually assembling for public worship at their meeting house in Warwick aforesaid, under the care of the Rev. Charles Beatty.” Of the eight trustees, John was one of only two who made their “mark” instead of signing. It was unusual for Scottish and Scotch-Irish Presbyterians to be illiterate as they placed a high emphasis on reading the bible.

In August of 1749 John Scott “Weak of body, but perfect of mind and memory” made his last will and testament. He gives his loom and bible to his oldest son Robert, his clothes to John jr, a heifer to William, and leaves the rest to be divided among his six other children, with some additional instructions for other children. John died October 16th1749 and his tombstone can be seen in the Neshaminy Presbyterian Church graveyard.

Though John himself appears to have been illiterate his children were well educated. His son Moses was a Doctor and served as Chief Surgeon of the Continental Army Hospital in Piscataway. John, my ancestor, was a Commissary in the Revolution and later was appointed justice of the peace.  His son Mathew was Captain in the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Regiment of the Revolutionary war and was taken captive in the battle of long island.

Various family histories, written long after John’s death, give romantic tales of John’s origins. Some say his father Robert or Walter Scott was in parliament for Scotland. Others say that John himself was close friends with an English Earl, that they went into banishment together, and that only after the Earl’s death did John come to America. None of these stories appear to have any supporting documentation and it is extremely unlikely that John would have been illiterate, if his father was really in parliament, or he had been close friend with a nobleman. One interesting connection can be documented, however, John was the great-great grandfather of Caroline Lavina Scott, who would marry Benjamin Harrison and become the first lady of the United States of America.

Sources:

• History of Neshaminy Presbyterian Church of Warwick, Hartsville, Bucks County, Pa., 1726-1876. p76, 301-307
• Photo of Grave
• Buck County Deeds v7 p513 
• Bucks County Wills vol 2 p165