WI BIO - Kenosha Co - SCOTT, Thomas S.

History of Kenosha & Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Lyman. Clarke Publishing, 
1916, v 2, pp 634-635

Thomas S. SCOTT was born 15 May 1870 at Fish Creek, Door County, Wisconsin, a 
son of Thomas and Mary (BESTEDER) SCOTT, the former a native of Canada and 
the latter of New York. Mary BESTEDER was a daughter of Schuyler BESTEDER, 
who was born in 1800, and in 1837 arrived at Southport, [Racine County, 
Territory of] Wisconsin. [Kenosha County was created from part of Racine 
County 26 January 1850. Southport became the City of Kenosha on 07 February 
1850.] This was more than a decade before the state was admitted to the 
Union [Wisconsin became a state 29 May 1848], and the work of civilization 
and improvement seemed scarcely begun in the district. The greater part of 
the land in Kenosha County [then Racine County] was still in possession of 
the government, and he [Schuyler BESTEDER] secured a claim at the usual 
government price [$1.25 per acre]. He then bent his energies to the 
improvement of the land, and carried on farming until his death.

In the late 1860's Thomas SCOTT, Sr., arrived in Door County, Wisconsin, and 
it was there that he was married. His wife [Mary (BESTEDER) SCOTT] died when 
their son Thomas [Thomas S.] was but ten months old, after which the boy was 
taken to the home of his maternal grandparents. Thomas S. SCOTT obtained a 
public school education and resided upon the home farm until he reached the 
age of eighteen years, early becoming familiar with the best methods of 
tilling the soil and caring for the crops. On leaving home he went to the 
Black Hills of South Dakota and for a year was in a logging camp. He was 
afterwards assistant bookkeeper on the Board of Trade in Chicago for a short 
time, and subsequently secured employment as a brakeman on the Chicago & 
Northwestern Railroad, continuing in that position for eight years. He 
afterward entered the ice business in Ravenswood [Cook County, Illinois], 
where he continued for a year, and later he had charge of the routes of the 
Reid Ice Cream Company in Chicago [Cook County] for about a year. He 
afterward spent a similar period in Joplin [Jasper County], Missouri, where 
he was engaged in prospecting for lead and zinc for a Chicago company, and 
later he secured a situation with the Jefferson Ice Company, with which he 
continued for three years, having charge of the plant at Powers Lake [Kenosha 
County, Wisconsin].

In 1901 Mr. SCOTT returned to Kenosha and purchased the ice business of James 
O'BRIEN, conducting his interests under the name of the Scott Ice Company. 
He afterwards changed the name to the Independent Ice Company, and managed a 
good business in that connection until March 1915, when he sold out and 
turned his attention to the automobile trade. He built at Nos. 313 and [p 
635] 315 Park Street [renamed 57th Street about 1926] the only two-story 
garage in the town. This is a fireproof concrete structure owned by Mr. 
SCOTT and Dr. Fred W. B. ACHEN. The garage has a capacity for handling many 
new cars, as well as those which rent space here. They sell many cars, 
having the agency for the Chandler, Oakland, National, and Marmon automobiles.

On 23 October 1901 Mr. [Thomas S.] SCOTT was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary 
FITZGERALD, who was born at Genoa Junction [Walworth County], Wisconsin, a 
daughter of James and Mary FITZGERALD. Mr. SCOTT is well known in Masonic 
circles as a member of the lodge, chapter, council, and commandery, and of 
the council he is a past thrice illustrious master. He also belongs to the 
Elks lodge, of which he is now exalted ruler, the Eagles, and the Moose. In 
politics he is a Republican, and for one term served as Supervisor of the 
Ninth Ward, while at the present time his is a candidate for the office of 
Sheriff. Those who know him feel that he would make a most capable official 
and that his course would be marked by promptness and fearlessness. His long 
identification with the business interests of Kenosha has made him well 
known, and while progressive and enterprising in business, he has also proven 
himself a public-spirited citizen devoted to the best interests and welfare 
of the community.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly