The, Scott family of Saratoga Springs, New York, descend from an English ancestor, Benjamin Scott, who settled in Ireland in the reign of James I.
(I) George Scott, born in Londonderry county, Ireland, came to the American colonies in 1773 and located on a farm in the town of Ballston, Saratoga county, New York, near the Milton line, on the "Middle Line Road." This was then but a clearing in the great northern wilderness, and the inhabitants were in a state of constant watchfulness against the wild things of the forest. The danger from the Indians was very great, and in October, 1780, a band of Tories and Indians, under the leadership of Captain Munro, attacked the Scott homestead, which they pillaged and left the owner supposedly dead from a blow on the head from a tomahawk. It was during this raid that General James Gordon and almost every settler along the "Middle Line," was captured and taken to Canada, some being killed. George Scott married a sister of General Gordon. She was born and married in Kilcaid county, Antrim, Ireland, and was of Scotch ancestors on both sides. Her brother, General Gordon, born October 31, 1739, came to America when a boy of seventeen, went back to Ireland, then came again to America, and after being in the Indian trade at Albany and army contracting, settled in Ballston in 1771-72. He was active in the revolutionary service, and was promoted through successive rank to that of brigadier-general by Governor Clinton in 1785. On October 3, 1780, he arrived at his home in Ballston from Poughkeepsie, where he had been attending an extra session convened by Governor Clinton. Some of the Tories in the neighborhood informed Munro, and the raid was made for the purpose of capturing the general. He was awakened by bayonets being thrust through the windows of his home. After his capture the maurauders went to the house of George Scott, who was felled by the blows from three tomahawks. The Indians rushed forward to take his scalp, but were prevented. General Gordon was carried to Quebec, thence to the Isle of Orleans, from whence he escaped with some of his old neighbors taken in the second raid of 1781. He was a large land owner and erected mills in Ballston. It was through his efforts that his brother-in-law, George Scott, located in that section. He married, March 16, 1775, Mary, daughter of Rev. Eliphalet Ball, who came from Bedford, Westchester county, New York, in 1700, purchased four hundred acres of land and established the first Presbyterian church. The town of Ballston is named in his honor. Rev. Eliphalet Ball was a second cousin of Mary Ball, mother of General Washington. He had three sons, Stephen, John a colonel in the revolution, Flamen, and a daughter Mary, who married General James Gordon. General Gordon had a distinguished civil as well as military career. He was the first supervisor of the town of Ballston, a member of the assembly, state senator for nine years, and representative in the second and third United States congresses. He was honored by a visit from President Washington at his home in Ballston when the president visited northern New York. He was judge of the Saratoga court of common pleas. He died in Ballston, January 17, 1810, leaving a daughter Melinda. Children of George Scott:
- James, see forward;
- Mary, married William Marshall;
- Margaret, unmarried;
- Susan, married Daniel Starr.
(II) James, only son of George and ———— (Gordon) Scott, was born at the Gordon homestead in Ballston, New York, January 31, 1774, died in the same town in 1857. He was a well-known surveyor of his day. He married Mary Botsford, born in Derby, Connecticut, died the year of her marriage, leaving an only child.
(III) Judge George Gordon, only son of James and Mary (Botsford) Scott, was born in the town of Ballston, Saratoga county, New York, May 11, 1811, died September 7, 1886. He prepared for Union College, where he was graduated in 1831, being then twenty years of age. He embraced the profession of law, for which he prepared with Palmer & Goodrich, at Ballston, finishing his course of preparation with Brown & Thompson, of the same village. He was admitted to the bar in 1834, and at once began the practice of his profession in Ballston. He soon became well established in business and commanded universal respect for his legal ability and manly, upright character. In 1838 he was commissioned judge of the county courts by Governor Marcy, but resigned before the expiration of his term. He was an active Democrat, and was elected to the state assembly in 1856, and re-elected in 1857. In the latter year he was elected state senator from the fifteenth district, and served his term, but declined re-election. In 1861 he was the nominee of his party for the high office of state comptroller, but was defeated by Lucius Robinson. In 1859 he removed from the Milton part of Ballston Spa into his native town, and in 1860 was elected supervisor, being re-elected each year for twenty one years, generally without opposition. In 1863 and 1876 he was chairman of the board. He delivered the historical address at Ballston Spa in 1876, and in 1877 was presiding officer at Bemis Heights upon the occasion of the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of that decisive battle of the revolution. He survived all his associates on the bench, and was the last of fifteen senators of Saratoga county who were contemporaries. He married Lucy, daughter of Joel Lee, of Ballston Spa, and left issue.
(IV) James Lee, son of Judge Gordon and Lucy (Lee) Scott, was born at Ballston Spa, New York, January 9, 1856. He pre pared for college at Greylock Institute, Sout. Williamstown, Massachusetts, and entered Williams College in 1872, and was graduated from there in 1876. He prepared for the profession of law, and was actively engaged in legal practice at Ballston Spa until 1900, when he removed to Saratoga Springs. In 1886-87 he was county clerk of Saratoga county, and in 1898 was appointed referee in bankruptcy for the counties of Saratoga, Schenectady and Warren, and held that office for twelve years. He has many important business interests. He is president of the Congress Spring Company; president of the Ballston Refrigerating Storage Company, of Ballston; first vice-president of The Adirondack Trust Company, of Saratoga; vice-president of the Security Steel & Iron Company of Troy. His clubs are the University and Manhattan of New York City, the Maganassippi Fish & Game of Canada, the Saratoga and Saratoga Golf. Politically he is a Republican. He married a Miss Boone, Louisville, Kentucky, a direct descendant of Squire Boone (brother of Daniel), and Judge John Rowan, formerly United States senator from Kentucky. He has two sons, Brenton and Gordon.