DAVID SCOTT (of James,) so called to distinguish him from his first
cousin, David Scott (of John)--to a sketch of whose life the reader is
referred for other information respecting the family--was born on his
father's farm, called "Scott's Adventure," on the road leading from
Cowantown to Newark and about two miles from the former place, on
January 7, 1824 and died at Elkton, May 13, 1879.
His early life was spent on the farm, and in learning the trade of auger
making, at which his father was an expert workman. His education was
obtained at the common schools of the neighborhood, except that which he
obtained by attending Newark Academy for a few months in early manhood.
In early life he became enamoured of learning, and commenced teaching a
private school in the family mansion in the winter of 1840, when only
seventeen years old, and continued to teach in the neighborhood until
1851, when he was appointed Clerk to the County Commissioners and
removed to Elkton. Mr. Scott was a Democrat, and from early life took an
active part in the politics of his native country. After serving as
Clerk to the Commissioners for one term of two years, Mr. Scott started
a general warehouse business at the Elkton depot, in which he continued
as head of the firm of D. Scott & Bro. until the time of his death.
In 1867 he was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court for Cecil county, and
served six years with great acceptability.
In 1876 Mr. Scott was appointed Chief Weigher, and continued to have
charge of the State Cattle Scales in the city of Baltimore, until the
time of his death.
In 1852 Mr. Scott was married to Miss Mary Jane Wilson, of Newark. They
were the parents of three children, two of whom are now living. His
first wife died in 1858, and he subsequently married Miss Annie
Elizabeth Craig, who, with their four children, still survives him.
In early life Mr. Scott began to write poetry, and continued to write
for the local newspapers under the nom de plume of "Anselmo," and the
Philadelphia _Dollar Newspaper_ during the time he was engaged in
teaching school, and occasionally for the county papers until the close
of his life.
For many years Mr. Scott enjoyed the friendship of the literati of
Newark, Delaware, and was one of a large number of poetical writers who
contributed to the columns of the Philadelphia _Dollar Newspaper_, with
several of whom he enjoyed a personal acquaintance, and with several
others of whom he carried on a literary correspondence for several
years.
Mr. Scott, though not a voluminous writer, was the author of a
considerable number of poems, all of which were of a highly intellectual
character.