Lucius H. Scott (Part II)

Before Lucius H. Scott settled in Terre Haute in 1817, he had been a jack-of-all-trades: lumberjack, merchant, laborer in a cotton factory and a schoolteacher.

Described as tall, thin, "quick in his movements and precise in his speech," Scott easily adapted to multiple pursuits.

On March 10, 1819, he tendered a petition to Elihu Stout, deputy grand master of Vincennes Lodge No. 1, to charter a new Terre Haute lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons. Scott had been a Mason since 1816, joining in Otsego County, N.Y.

John W. Osborn, Scott's vagabond friend and later Terre Haute's first newspaper publisher, was employed by Stout, publisher of the Vincennes Western Sun.

Also signing the original petition were Gen. Peter Benton Allen, Robert Brasher, Andrew Brooks, Maj. John T. Chunn, Thomas H. Clark, Demas Deming, Toussaint Dubois, Curtis Gilbert, James Hall, Elihu Hovey, Zebina Hovey and Samuel McQuilken, an impressive list of Terre Haute pioneers.

Charter members of Terre Haute Lodge No. 19 were installed June 12, 1817, in the Eagle & Lion tavern. Gen. Allen was chosen grand master and Scott was elected junior warden. On Dec. 26, 1822, Scott became the grand master.

Meanwhile, on Aug. 5, 1822, Scott was elected as a Whig to a two-year term in the Indiana House representing Parke and Vigo counties. The same year, he accepted a position managing Chauncey Rose's mill at Roseville in Parke County for four years.

Until returning to Terre Haute, he found it impractical to attend lodge meetings.

A prudent investor, Scott bought and sold considerable Terre Haute real estate. In 1826, he acquired the southwest corner of Third and Ohio streets for $120. The next year he built the village's first brick dwelling on the lot. He may have married Jane Breading Barnet that year, but traditional archives do not reveal the date.

Scott operated a store at Third and Ohio for several years. For awhile, young George W. Cutter, future attorney, legislator and man of letters, managed "Scott's Corner," and William Crawford Linton was a partner for a short time.

In January 1834, Scott was selected by the Indiana General Assembly as one of the four initial directors of the State Bank of Indiana. The others were Calvin Fletcher and Seton W. Norris of Indianapolis and Robert Morrison of Richmond.

For six years, Scott was a dynamic director, frequently traveling to the East Coast on bank business. On Nov. 11, 1835, he sold a portion of his lots on the south side of Ohio Street for $1,000 to the State Bank for the site for its Terre Haute branch. The Greek Revival structure, completed in 1836, is the county's oldest commercial building.

On Aug. 18, 1835, Jane Scott died and was buried in the Indian Orchard Cemetery. Coincidentally, Scott's former partner William C. Linton, esteemed state senator and one-time state fund commissioner, died earlier the same year. On June 18, 1837, Scott wed Linton's widow, the former Eliza Perkins.

Scott did not restrict his investments to Vigo County. In 1837, he united with James B. McCall, first president of the Terre Haute board of town trustees, and the two Law brothers of Vincennes to plat the town of Lamasco on 480 acres in what is now "Evansville's west side." "Lamasco" was derived from letters in the investors' last names.

Recognized for his devoted public service, Scott was appointed April 8, 1839, by Gov. David Wallace as one of two state fund commissioners, replacing James Farrington. It was a crucial appointment as the nation was in the throes of a depression.

A cautious fund commissioner as opposed to his reckless counterpart Milton Stapp, Scott landed one of the largest loans received by the state in many years. Resigning as State Bank director in November 1839, Scott was not replaced until Jan. 28, 1840.

Scott had nothing to do with placing $2 million in canal bonds with the Morris Canal Bank of New York. However, when Morris defaulted in late 1839, he convinced State Bank directors to loan the state funds necessary to pay interest due to creditors.

Soon after resigning as state fund commissioner in 1841, he was appointed examiner and inspector of all U.S. land offices in Indiana and Illinois.

The Scotts moved to Bristol in Bucks County, Pa., in late 1847. Scott opened a dry goods store and acquired substantial acreage overlooking the Delaware River. In 1856, he founded the Bristol Gas & Light Co. and was its first president.

Renewing his interest in Masonry, he joined the Bristol lodge, becoming its grand master in 1853. Eventually, he was chosen senior grand warden (1861) and deputy master (1863) of the Grand Lodge of the State of Pennsylvania.

Elected grand master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in early 1865, Scott presided over imposing ceremonies at the Gettysburg National Cemetery on July 4, 1865.

President Andrew Johnson, Johnson's Cabinet including Secretary of Interior John P. Usher of Terre Haute, members of the U.S. Supreme Court, senators, congressmen, heads of federal departments and numerous military dignitaries, including Gens. Ulysses S. Grant and Winfield Scott, were among those present.

During his dramatic monument dedication speech, Scott predicted the observance would "relight the torch of liberty and freedom that has been extinguished under the foot of a proud oppressor; that there side by side, sleep the dust of thousands of gallant spirits who have offered up their lives in the defense of the liberties we this day enjoy."

Though seldom returning to Vigo County in his final years, Scott often wrote illuminating letters to friends about the community's pioneer days.

Scott died on April 22, 1875, and was buried in the St. James Episcopal Church cemetery in Bristol. In his will, Eliza and her children were primary beneficiaries but his coachman, housekeeper and a waiter shared in the proceeds. He owned three Philadelphia townhouses, a separate Philadelphia stable and the Bristol residence.