Last Saturday evening at 5 o’clock Robert Scott died in Ironton, and on Sunday morning at 9 o’clock, Thomas W. Means expired in Ashland. What vivid reminiscences do these names call up! How much of the past of Lawrence County is mingled in their lives!
Ironton Register, Thursday, June 12, 1890
Robert Scott was born near Paris, Ky., on September 22, 1809. While yet a young man, he became interested in the iron business and was connected with several furnaces across the river. He made iron in the old-fashioned forge and built furnaces to increase the product. In 1838, he was married to Catherine Garrett, who survives him. In 1850, he left the Kentucky furnaces and came to Ohio, settling first at Ohio furnace and then at Mt. Vernon furnace, which he owned and managed for 27 years.
Mt. Vernon Furnace Lawrence County, Ohio
During his career at Mt. Vernon furnace, the iron business of this county monopolized all attention, and Mt. Vernon was one of the leading furnaces, financially and socially.
Mr. Scott’s home at Mt. Vernon was a social center, and the furnace was constantly in the blast and making money sustained as hospitable a mansion as was known in all of Southern Ohio. Happy were those old furnace days, that mingled business and social delights on all occasions. At all the furnaces, the managers, clerks, storekeepers, and schoolteachers formed social centers to which Ironton bowed in humble admiration.
In the front of this gentle regime, Mt. Vernon, with Mr. Scott’s whole-souled family, stood. Himself a mild and quiet man, pleased with the happiness of others, gave cordial welcome to all comers. He was a man of most equable manners, considerate in the highest degree, and just in every phase of life.
In what pleasant retrospection do the people of those days indulge; and how quick now to drop a tear, over the fact that one, who figured so quietly, and yet so conspicuously, is no more? In 1867, Mr. Scott moved to Ironton and took charge of the Ironton Rolling Mill, but that institution kept up its reputation by doing a failing business, so in a few years, Mr. Scott retired and has been quietly living in town ever since.
For a year or more his health has been failing, and gradually he has been descending to the dark river, which he reached last Saturday. There were ten children in this family, six of whom are still living. There were at the funeral – George, Harry, and Miss Nora, the latter arriving from New York on Monday evening.
Mrs. Field was with a sick daughter in the East and could not leave her. The funeral took place at the residence on Tuesday at 10 o’clock, with Rev. E. E. Moran officiating, who preached a very strong gospel sermon. The Male Quartette, Messrs, Bird, Lewis, Davis, and Otten, furnished the music. Their singing was very impressive. The remains were then taken to Woodland, followed by a long line of carriages. The pallbearers were H. S. Neal, W. N. McGugin, E. C. Sloan, W. W. Prichard, D. Nixon and T. T. Johnson.
I.R. Jan. 16, 1896 – DIED – Last Monday evening, Joseph Scott, a well-known colored man of Ironton, died. He had been sick with asthma and other troubles for some time. His age was about 60. He came to Ironton in 1861 and has lived at Mt. Vernon furnace or here ever since. He was born near Grayson, Ky. He was a slave and belonged to the father of the late Robert Scott, who gave him, when a boy, to his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Scott.
“Joe” followed them to Ohio, and has ever since lived near them, and has always been a beneficiary of their bounty. When Bob Ingersoll spoke in Ironton, the platform fell, and Joe’s leg was crushed beneath the timbers. He suffered a great deal from the injury. Joe was a well-known character; he was full of humor and popular with everybody. For many years he seemed like an old man, and yet he was only 60 years of age.
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