Business Magnate, Assistant Secretary of War. As a boy, he worked on a farm, in country stores, and attended a village school. His job as clerk to the toll collector on the state road at Columbia, Pennsylvania, led to his becoming chief clerk to the toll collector at Philadelphia. In 1850 he began working for the partially built Pennsylvania railroad. He became its general superintendent, and then a vice-president. As the Pennsylvania Railroad was being completed to Pittsburgh, Scott took hired telegraph clerk Andrew Carnegie as his private secretary. When the Civil War began, he became part of Governor Andrew G. Curtin's staff. On April 27, 1861, the Secretary of War asked Scott to begin a new rail line from Washington to Philadelphia; he did this quickly. He was commissioned colonel of volunteers and given charge of all government railways and telegraphs. Appointed Assistant Secretary of War in 1861, Scott organized transportation in the northwest and on the western rivers. He served as Acting Secretary of War between the tenures of Simon Cameron and Edwin M. Stanton. In June of 1862 he resigned to devote himself to his private railway work. At the request of Stanton, however, he briefly reentered government service in 1863, and oversaw the transportation of two army corps to relieve General William S. Rosecrans at Chattanooga. Back in private life again, Scott insured that the Pennsylvania Railroad controlled of its western lines. In 1871, when a separate company was chartered to operate these lines, he became its president. He was also president of the Union Pacific railroad from March, 1871, till March, 1872. He was the fourth president of the Pennsylvania Railroad from 1874 to 1880.

Business Magnate, Assistant Secretary of War. As a boy, he worked on a farm, in country stores, and attended a village school. His job as clerk to the toll collector on the state road at Columbia, Pennsylvania, led to his becoming chief clerk to the toll collector at Philadelphia. In 1850 he began working for the partially built Pennsylvania railroad. He became its general superintendent, and then a vice-president. As the Pennsylvania Railroad was being completed to Pittsburgh, Scott took hired telegraph clerk Andrew Carnegie as his private secretary. When the Civil War began, he became part of Governor Andrew G. Curtin's staff. On April 27, 1861, the Secretary of War asked Scott to begin a new rail line from Washington to Philadelphia; he did this quickly. He was commissioned colonel of volunteers and given charge of all government railways and telegraphs. Appointed Assistant Secretary of War in 1861, Scott organized transportation in the northwest and on the western rivers. He served as Acting Secretary of War between the tenures of Simon Cameron and Edwin M. Stanton. In June of 1862 he resigned to devote himself to his private railway work. At the request of Stanton, however, he briefly reentered government service in 1863, and oversaw the transportation of two army corps to relieve General William S. Rosecrans at Chattanooga. Back in private life again, Scott insured that the Pennsylvania Railroad controlled of its western lines. In 1871, when a separate company was chartered to operate these lines, he became its president. He was also president of the Union Pacific railroad from March, 1871, till March, 1872. He was the fourth president of the Pennsylvania Railroad from 1874 to 1880.

Bio by: rjschatz