Biography: A 1747 graduate of the medical school at the University of Edinburgh. Involved in the brotherhood of Freemasonry by the 1760s. In 1774, he was elected to the Kent County Committee of Correspondence, and during the Revolutionary War he served as a surgeon in the Continental Army's general hospital at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Family lore holds that he also inoculated 500 soldiers for smallpox at no charge, as the Continental Army was passing through Chestertown, yet no documentary evidence has been produced to support this claim. After the war, he was a founding benefactor for Washington College and served on its very first Board of Visitors and Governors in 1782. President Washington appointed him as the First Collector at the Port of Chester on August 4th, 1789. It is evident that Scott died on December 13th, 1790, or shortly before that date, as Jeremiah Nichols had written George Washington seeking an appointment for the Collector position that had been recently vacated by Scott's death.
The following is from Dr. Edward C. Papenfuse's A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature, 1635-1789, pages 718-9:
Background: Native: third generation. Resided: George Town, Kent County, by 1756; Chestertown, Kent County, 1760 until death. His father was Edward Scott, Jr., and his stepfather was Col. Joseph Nicholson of Chestertown, a merchant. His mother was Hannah Smyth.
Married: Elizabeth, daughter of James Calder and Katherine Murray.
Private Career: Education: literate. Religious Affiliation: Anglican, St. Paul's Parish, Kent County and Chester Parish, Kent County. Social Status and Activities: Gent., by 1761; Esq., by 1784. Occupational Profile: physician; planter.
Public Career: Legislative Service: Lower House, Kent County, 1784 (Claims). Other State Office: naval officer, 8th District, 1785-at least 1789. Local Offices: justice, Kent County, 1777-at least 1780, 1782-1790; justice, Orphan's Court, Kent County, 1778-at least 1780, 1782-1790; Chester Parish Vestry, Kent County, 1779-1780, 1786.
Wealth During Lifetime: Personal Property: assessed value £903.0.0, including 22 slaves and 90 oz. plate, 1783. Land at First Election: 474 acres in Kent County, plus 2.5 lots in Chestertown. Significant Changes in Land Between First Election and Death: leased for 99 years a 1-acre lot from Washington College, Chestertown, 1784.
Wealth at Death: Died: administration bond executed on December 27, 1790, in Kent County. Personal Property: Total Estate Value (TEV), £912.16.4 current money (including 15 slaves and 145 books); Final Balance (FB), £802.13.4. Land: 474 acres in Kent County, plus 2.5 lots in Chestertown and 1 acre of leased land close to Chestertown.
The following is from Dr. Edward C. Papenfuse's A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature, 1635-1789, pages 718-9:
Background: Native: third generation. Resided: George Town, Kent County, by 1756; Chestertown, Kent County, 1760 until death. His father was Edward Scott, Jr., and his stepfather was Col. Joseph Nicholson of Chestertown, a merchant. His mother was Hannah Smyth.
Married: Elizabeth, daughter of James Calder and Katherine Murray.
Private Career: Education: literate. Religious Affiliation: Anglican, St. Paul's Parish, Kent County and Chester Parish, Kent County. Social Status and Activities: Gent., by 1761; Esq., by 1784. Occupational Profile: physician; planter.
Public Career: Legislative Service: Lower House, Kent County, 1784 (Claims). Other State Office: naval officer, 8th District, 1785-at least 1789. Local Offices: justice, Kent County, 1777-at least 1780, 1782-1790; justice, Orphan's Court, Kent County, 1778-at least 1780, 1782-1790; Chester Parish Vestry, Kent County, 1779-1780, 1786.
Wealth During Lifetime: Personal Property: assessed value £903.0.0, including 22 slaves and 90 oz. plate, 1783. Land at First Election: 474 acres in Kent County, plus 2.5 lots in Chestertown. Significant Changes in Land Between First Election and Death: leased for 99 years a 1-acre lot from Washington College, Chestertown, 1784.
Wealth at Death: Died: administration bond executed on December 27, 1790, in Kent County. Personal Property: Total Estate Value (TEV), £912.16.4 current money (including 15 slaves and 145 books); Final Balance (FB), £802.13.4. Land: 474 acres in Kent County, plus 2.5 lots in Chestertown and 1 acre of leased land close to Chestertown.
Biography: A 1747 graduate of the medical school at the University of Edinburgh. Involved in the brotherhood of Freemasonry by the 1760s. In 1774, he was elected to the Kent County Committee of Correspondence, and during the Revolutionary War he served as a surgeon in the Continental Army's general hospital at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Family lore holds that he also inoculated 500 soldiers for smallpox at no charge, as the Continental Army was passing through Chestertown, yet no documentary evidence has been produced to support this claim. After the war, he was a founding benefactor for Washington College and served on its very first Board of Visitors and Governors in 1782. President Washington appointed him as the First Collector at the Port of Chester on August 4th, 1789. It is evident that Scott died on December 13th, 1790, or shortly before that date, as Jeremiah Nichols had written George Washington seeking an appointment for the Collector position that had been recently vacated by Scott's death.
The following is from Dr. Edward C. Papenfuse's A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature, 1635-1789, pages 718-9:
Background: Native: third generation. Resided: George Town, Kent County, by 1756; Chestertown, Kent County, 1760 until death. His father was Edward Scott, Jr., and his stepfather was Col. Joseph Nicholson of Chestertown, a merchant. His mother was Hannah Smyth.
Married: Elizabeth, daughter of James Calder and Katherine Murray.
Private Career: Education: literate. Religious Affiliation: Anglican, St. Paul's Parish, Kent County and Chester Parish, Kent County. Social Status and Activities: Gent., by 1761; Esq., by 1784. Occupational Profile: physician; planter.
Public Career: Legislative Service: Lower House, Kent County, 1784 (Claims). Other State Office: naval officer, 8th District, 1785-at least 1789. Local Offices: justice, Kent County, 1777-at least 1780, 1782-1790; justice, Orphan's Court, Kent County, 1778-at least 1780, 1782-1790; Chester Parish Vestry, Kent County, 1779-1780, 1786.
Wealth During Lifetime: Personal Property: assessed value £903.0.0, including 22 slaves and 90 oz. plate, 1783. Land at First Election: 474 acres in Kent County, plus 2.5 lots in Chestertown. Significant Changes in Land Between First Election and Death: leased for 99 years a 1-acre lot from Washington College, Chestertown, 1784.
Wealth at Death: Died: administration bond executed on December 27, 1790, in Kent County. Personal Property: Total Estate Value (TEV), £912.16.4 current money (including 15 slaves and 145 books); Final Balance (FB), £802.13.4. Land: 474 acres in Kent County, plus 2.5 lots in Chestertown and 1 acre of leased land close to Chestertown.
The following is from Dr. Edward C. Papenfuse's A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature, 1635-1789, pages 718-9:
Background: Native: third generation. Resided: George Town, Kent County, by 1756; Chestertown, Kent County, 1760 until death. His father was Edward Scott, Jr., and his stepfather was Col. Joseph Nicholson of Chestertown, a merchant. His mother was Hannah Smyth.
Married: Elizabeth, daughter of James Calder and Katherine Murray.
Private Career: Education: literate. Religious Affiliation: Anglican, St. Paul's Parish, Kent County and Chester Parish, Kent County. Social Status and Activities: Gent., by 1761; Esq., by 1784. Occupational Profile: physician; planter.
Public Career: Legislative Service: Lower House, Kent County, 1784 (Claims). Other State Office: naval officer, 8th District, 1785-at least 1789. Local Offices: justice, Kent County, 1777-at least 1780, 1782-1790; justice, Orphan's Court, Kent County, 1778-at least 1780, 1782-1790; Chester Parish Vestry, Kent County, 1779-1780, 1786.
Wealth During Lifetime: Personal Property: assessed value £903.0.0, including 22 slaves and 90 oz. plate, 1783. Land at First Election: 474 acres in Kent County, plus 2.5 lots in Chestertown. Significant Changes in Land Between First Election and Death: leased for 99 years a 1-acre lot from Washington College, Chestertown, 1784.
Wealth at Death: Died: administration bond executed on December 27, 1790, in Kent County. Personal Property: Total Estate Value (TEV), £912.16.4 current money (including 15 slaves and 145 books); Final Balance (FB), £802.13.4. Land: 474 acres in Kent County, plus 2.5 lots in Chestertown and 1 acre of leased land close to Chestertown.
