Julia Scott Turner

This is from Rob Scott, a fellow Scott family researcher.  Rob is a descendant of William Scott born in Hamilton Bann, York County, PA March 25, 1765.

I have enclosed a letter from Julia Scott Turner.   She is writing this letter to her nieces and nephews.   Julia was Moses Scotts first child.  Moses a son of Samuel Scott, and Catherine Ellison.  The letter lists Moses as having at least one brother Thomas.  Moses  married a Nancy Daniels in Trigg Co. in 1835.   Julia was born about 1837.  Moses, I think was born about 1809 in Trigg Co.   

Julia goes on to tell about Samuels brothers Joseph, John, William, and their sisters, but does not list the sisters by name.   The letter also parallels your Thomas’s moves Virginia to Fayette Co, to Trigg.  

I think in the 1820 census Moses is living in the vicinity of “Rhody” Scott, which I assume is Joseph Scotts widow Rhoda Hale Scott.  Among other Scotts.

Moses later has 4 sons named William, Thomas, Samuel and John.   Presumably all named after his kinsmen.   So did he name a son after your Thomas?

I assume we are all related.   How, and proving it, we will just have to see.

This is the letter:

Mollie Rose Wilson died July 6,1898 at her home on Dry Creek,Trigg Co Ky.
She was born September 27,1864 in the same county, was the daughter of Irvin and Lucy (Morris) Rose, granddaughter of Merritt and Mary (Tinsley) Rose and great granddaughter of John and Jane Tinsley.
The latters father was Wm.Scott who removed from Lexington Ky about 100 years ago. His remains are interred on the farm which he owned and which is still in the possession of his descendants.
Mrs Wilson was one of the fifth generation all the above mentioned, having lived and died in the same vicinity, except Mrs Lucy Rose, who still survives.
It is a pleasure to note that without exception, the persons above mentioned embraced the Christian religion and died in all hope of eternal life..
Miss Mollie Rose and Christopher Wilson were married Dec 27, 1887. They had four children given them to share their love and care--two boys and two girls-all of whom are living. In a letter to the writer some time ago, the mother said "I have fully realized that without Divine aid we can do nothing and, oh, how I earnestly desire to bring the little ones entrusted to my care, up in the love of Jesus and have them all he would wish them to be both here and hereafter".
She taught her children at home, saying she was not willing that they be away from her protecting care until they were old enough to remember her teaching and not depart from what was right. . Having been a teacher, she was qualified to to teach her children. She regarded the profession of teaching the grandest of all worldly callings. She loved the work and with better advantages, would have taken high rank among teachers.
She was fond of reading and read with sad interest the recent accounts of famine in India, saying that it made her more thankful to God for blessings she enjoyed. She appreciated culture and the many beautiful things which our Father in heaven has provided for his children in this world, but seemed content if she did not have them.
Probably our dear Mollie had faults or weaknesses odiment of many virtues and the tender affection which her husband and children manifested for her gives evidence of rare loveliness and domestic character.
At a meeting in Cadiz about five years ago, Mollie obtained a hope that her sins were forgiven and that in Christ she was a new creature. The radiance of this new life illuminated her pathway as the years passed by and was felt by those about her.
During her two weeks illness she talked calmly of death as of other affairs; it seemed that death had no terrors for her. She said she was sorry to leave her family, but death seemed only a dream and that they must not grieve, but meet her in heaven. Then, seemingly, she fell asleep with Heaven's light beaming on her beautiful face of clay and swept thru the pearly gates into the beautiful city. Her intelligent sweet smile seemed to portray the wonderful beauty that unfolded before her raptured vision. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man In the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him" She was strong in the belief of the Primitive Baptist Faith. "Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep, from which none ever wake to weep"
written by Julia Turner  of Lincoln, Ill

The Following was apparently written by Julia Ann Turner some time later

                                                      A BIT OF FAMILY HISTORY

Written at Lincoln, Illinois August 23, 1922 by Julia Ann Scott Turner, aged 85, and completed June 8, 1923.

For Ollie, Blanche and Charles G. Scott

I want to give you another bit of history concerning your father.  When our mother died the 20^th day of August 1844, I was seven and my brother was four years old. My father’s youngest sister made her home in the family and she took charge and care of my brother.  She was very fond of him and indulgent so he could get what he wanted by teasing or even asking for it.  In later years she was very much concerned about his soul’s salvation, but as she would often say, “Will does not seem anxious at all about himself.”  This was when he was about fourteen years old.  This Aunt Polly, as we called her, would often say when anything troubled her, “I just go and give myself to prayer.”  So she no doubt offered up many prayers for her darling boy.  “Cast thy bread upon the waters and it shall return to thee after many days.”

All this came to my mind one day after reading the text on a slip placed on my breakfast table in the hospital.

During these years, our mother’s father was one of the family.  His name was William Daniel, a cabinet maker by trade, that is, he made fine furniture by hand as all furniture was made at that time.  So he took care of the garden—a large square piece of ground which was divided into four squares by two walks running the length and breadth and crossing each other at the center.  They were kept as smooth as a floor.  After a rain, we were told not to go in the garden as our feet would leave tracks in the soft ground.  It was a temptation to a boy to even walk in the garden for the walks were lined with sweet pinks, larkspur, poppies, French pinks, touch-me-nots, and other flowers besides sweet herbs, a long row of sage, a bed of thyme, camamile, balsam, lilacs, (good for honey bees) and there was a bed of calamus, tansey and rue.  Gourds of different sizes and shapes hung from vines that grew on the back fence.  Then we had pomegranites for perfume. So after a rain when sweet smelling things were at their best, Will, as he was always called, would slip through the gate.  If Grandfather happened to see him, Will knew it was time to get out and take to his heels. He could out-run grandfather with his cane, so he was not able to catch him. Besides, if he could reach Aunt Polly he was safe. Yes, all this happened seventy seven years ago.  Grandmother Scott lived with us too.  Her maiden name was Catherine Ellison.  Now the house, garden, cherry trees, peach orchard, apple orchard and well were on the South and west. North and east were the horse lot and cow lot.  This is covered by the reservoir owned by the railroad company, at this time, including the cultivated fields, lying north, in which is my mother’s grave, marked by a head-stone which can be seen from public road running north on the west side of the farm.  The grave was originally in a little grove in a piece of pasture land lying between above described part of farm and cultivated field.

The Scott family came from Virginia and were of Scotch ancestry as the name indicates.

The family settled in Kentucky where the city of Lexington now stands, while the Indians were yet making raids in that part of the country.

They carried away captives John Scott and his wife.  John Scott was a brother of William, Joseph and Samuel, the latter being our grandfather. John was the adopted son of the chief who often sent him on long hunting excursions in which he was very successful, often returning loaded with game. This pleased the chief who each time gave him greater freedom.  John shrewdly conceived the idea of getting away by going farther each time, continually drawing nearer the settlement.

At last he escaped safely to the settlement.  From there he recovered his wife through traders.

William, Joseph, Samuel and several sisters with their families removed to Trigg County and settled in homes of their own about 1801 and all owning one or two families of slaves except Samuel, he being opposed to the slavery of human beings altho they were black.

All the Scott families were Baptist except Samuel and his wife who united with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church when it was founded in 1810.  My recollection is that they were either members of some other church before or were converted during the great revival that swept over that part of country in the early days of the century.

History states that a few faithful women offered prayer at the hour of sunset for  a whole year asking for a revival of religion.  When it came the like was never known.  Sinners who came to the camp meetings to scoff and defy the preachers, fell to the ground crying for mercy.  These camp meetings were held annually and thousands were converted.  Between times services were held monthly in private homes, the home of Samuel and Catherine Scott, my grandparents being one of them which was supplied by a circuit rider.  When the Sacrament was administered two preachers came on Saturday and stayed over Sunday.

Samuel was a ruling elder till the time of his death after which he was succeeded by his son Thomas.  Thomas’ son William, served efficiently in the Methodist Church until his death.  Archie Turner, a grandson of Moses Scott who was the youngest son of Samuel Scott, was elected elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian church about 1884.  His mother, the writer of this sketch was a daughter of Moses S. and Nancy Daniel Scott.

In 1906 the Cumberland church was united with the mother church (except a small remnant) the doctrinal differences which separated them having been adjusted. In 1842 or 3 the Cherry Grove school house was erected on my father’s farm on the west side of the pasture lot where it now stands.  It was a log house, the logs having been used previously as a store house by James Davis, uncle of W. B. Davis who owned them.

It derived its name from a large number of wild cherry trees which grew near it.

The first school teacher was Elizabeth Brewer, an eastern lady who afterwards became the wife of Judge McAdow.  The next was Martha Rutherford, followed by a long list of teachers including myself.  Carrie Hull, daughter of Schuyler Hull, was one of the later teachers. 

Some of them were Mr. Griffin, Mr. McCord, Mr. Denny, Joel Smith, Miss Swett, and many other whom I don’t recall.

A third building has been erected on the same site, school having been held continuously since the erection of the log house.

Their terms were two a winter, one of six months and a spring one of three.