Gratitude for Five Sons and Their Families

Kenneth:  Mary and I are most grateful for these wonderful sons, who have been active in our church programs and have successfully advanced in the Priesthood of our Savior to High Priests. They with their wonderful wives are rearing their children in keeping with the principles of the restored Gospel.

Through their early years, our five sons were encouraged to take music lessons.

Richard on clarinet, Wayne reading, Walt at piano, Gerald on trumpet in Taylor Street home, ca. 1937

In Pocatello, Gerald began taking lessons on the trumpet and became proficient enough to play taps at the burial of a World War I veteran in Kansas City.

Gerald

As previously mentioned, Richard took up the clarinet when he was so small his instructor would hold him on his knees. 

Gerald with trumpet, Richard with clarinet

Walter began piano lessons at an early age with a really fine teacher.

Walter at the piano

Before he graduated from high school he played in numerous recitals, rendering difficult numbers very well. Also he played the string bass very well in advanced orchestras and the tuba in school bands.

Walter's piano recital program, 1938

Wayne took up the trombone and did well with it. Once he won a contest that permitted him to play a duet with Tommy Dorsey, a renowned trombonist. Wayne also played in a number of dance bands with his friends.

Kenneth Wayne Scott

Mitchel took piano lessons but it wasn’t until he was on his full-time mission for our church that he became fully aware of how he could have become more proficient at the piano if he had only practiced more seriously. He received some voice training while attending George Washington University and since then his fine baritone voice has contributed effectively in church singing.

[Sue, Mitchel's wife, shared additional information about Wayne's and Mitch's experiences with music.  
"Wayne was a member of the Metropolitan Police Boys Club Band in Washington DC. He played trombone. Colonel Leon Bruseloff, the ex-Marine conductor came and talked to Mitch (age 12) about learning to play the French horn. He liked the idea and started practicing it. He joined the Boy’s Club Band and the orchestra at Deal Junior High. By the time he graduated from high school, he was the first chair French horn player. He also was a member of the school choir in junior and high school and sang a few solos along the way.

While attending George Washington University, he was a member of the Traveling Troubadours, a special choral group that traveled all over the world singing for troops with the USO. He didn’t go on any of those trips, but was preparing for an engagement they had to sing at Radio City Music Hall in New York City when his mission call came. While he didn’t go on any of those trips, he did sing with the group in a number of concerts including a major Christmas presentation of the Messiah."]

James Mitchel Scott

GERALD
Kenneth:  Before we moved from Kansas City, Gerald had obtained employment there, so he did not return to Washington with us.  It was there he met Betty Lue Endres and ultimately brought into our family that wonderful young lady. 

Gerald LeRoy Scott and Betty Lue Endres

Gerald and Betty, married on Sept. 24, 1949

Mary: Gerald came home to finish college. He also graduated from George Washington University with honors. He went on to become a registered professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Gerald wasn’t called on a mission because it was during the war that he could have gone and the church couldn’t send missionaries out then. While in Kansas City, he met and became acquainted with Betty Lue Endres. Later they were married. Now we had a daughter that we had wanted so very much.

Gerald and Betty with their wedding party; Richard is to the right of Gerald and Walter is on the far right

Betty's parents, William and Lora Endres, Betty and Gerald, and Kenneth and Mary Scott

Kenneth:  After Betty had been a member of our family circle about 13 years, on Mother’s Day, she called Mary and said, “Mother, I have a Mother’s Day gift for you. I was baptized in the L.D.S. Church today.” That was a great joy we always felt would occur because she always lived a truly Christian life.

Betty Lue Endres Scott

RICHARD
Mary:  Richard was awarded a scholarship in engineering at George Washington University. This helped so much because after the war it was so very difficult to get into college. He kept the scholarship the full four years, graduating with honors.

Kenneth: After completing an engineering course at George Washington University, Richard took training in higher mathematics and was sent to Oak Ridge Atomic Engineering complex where he became a nuclear engineer and an assistant to Admiral Hyman Rickover in the development of the Polaris Submarine and finally to a senior responsibility in the nuclear installation in the Navy.

Ensign Richard Gordon Scott in Navy uniform

Richard brought into the family Jeanene Watkins, the wonderful daughter of Senator Arthur and Sister Andrea Watkins. Jeanene has been outstanding in her participation with Richard in doing missionary work. She has an outstanding line of ancestors who were prominent in L.D.S. Church positions.

Jeanene Watkins (right) graduating from George Washington U. with sister Nina and mother Andrea Watkins

Before their marriage and while engaged, Richard served a three-year-mission in Uruguay and Jeanene served an 18 month full-time mission in the Pacific Northwest.

Jeanene, Richard, and Mary on the boat he took to his mission in Uruguay, 1950

Mary:  Time rushes on and Richard returned. It wasn’t long after his return that he and Jeanene Watkins were married at the Manti Temple in Utah. Andrea, Jeanene’s mother, and I chaperoned them to the West. This must be another story sometime....

Richard and Jeanene, married July 16, 1953; Mary and Kenneth (left); Andrea and Arthur Watkins (right)

Jeanene and Richard

WALTER
Mary:  Walter completed high school in Washington, D.C. He was given a scholarship [to George Washington University]. He turned it back because it was in another field. He wanted to major in an electrical engineering field.

Walter Conrad Scott

Kenneth:  After completing his studies at George Washington University, Walter took advanced training under a fellowship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He brought into our family circle June Langston, a charming young lady from Alabama and a faithful L.D.S. girl whose parents and grandparents were faithful L.D.S. members.

Walter and June, married Aug. 5, 1954

Mary: After Walter graduated, he went to work for Westinghouse. He couldn’t go on a mission either. The Korean War was on. But it wasn’t long until our third daughter joined our family, June Langston.

WAYNE
Mary:  Wayne completed his bachelors in Industrial Design after completing two years at George Washington University and the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. On November 20, 1961, he took his bride-to-be, Ann Bassett, to be sealed in the Salt Lake temple.

[Be sure to double click on the photo below to read more about Ann's and Wayne's achievements as young adults.]

Engagement announcement for Ann Bassett and K. Wayne Scott

Kenneth: After spending two years study in the Engineering department at George Washington University, Wayne entered the Kansas University where he completed a degree in Industrial Designing. During this period, he met a lovely member of our Church, Ann Bassett whom he later persuaded to join the Scott clan after he completed his two year mission in the states of California and Washington.

Wayne and Ann, married Nov. 20, 1961

MITCHEL
Mary:  About this time (1961), Mitchel received his missionary call. He had two years in college and his missionary call was to Spanish American Mission headquartered in Texas. He had met Sue Langston, who had been living in Washington with her sister, June, Walt’s wife. They had dated some.

James Mitchel Scott

He received his release and returned to college but he wanted to see Sue again so he visited her in Alabama and it wasn’t long after that we had our fifth daughter, Sue Langston Scott. He returned to college after their marriage. Sue helped him finish with the night classes.

Mitch and Sue, married Nov. 6, 1963, Br. and Sis. Langston; Front, L to R: Mary Lee, Cindy, Steven, and Debbie Scott

Kenneth:  Mitchel took a course in Banking at George Washington University. After completing a successful two year mission in the Spanish-Mexican Mission along the Texas-Mexico border. He took more advanced banking training and started work at the Union Trust Co. of Washington, DC. He learned that June had a younger sister, Sue, and shortly after completing his mission, we had two of Brother and Sister Langston’s wonderful daughter in our family circle.

Mary receives spiritual promptings about her sons
I knew Richard wasn’t going into the army. I was down stairs washing and he came down to tell me good-bye. Well, I said, "You’re not in yet." He said, "Well, Mother I’m going right now on the bus. I think you ought to know that." I said, "I know it." In about two hours became back and he said, "They didn’t take me because the bus was loaded [with volunteers]." And I knew all along that he wasn’t going into the army. I just felt that he couldn’t do it. I’ve had experiences like that quite often.

Mary Eliza Whittle Scott, Dec. 29, 1947

Another time Richard did something I didn’t want him to do....It was a beautiful day in Washington and the sky was clear and blue, extremely pleasant.... He said, “I’m going out swimming.” I said, “Richard, I wish you wouldn’t go out swimming. I just don’t feel good about it.” He said, “Mother, look at the sky. It’s blue and clear and looks good.” He was 19 and I couldn’t say, “You can’t do it.” He was old enough to know his own mind. About an hour after he’d been out, a squall came up--one of those thunder, lightening, and everything else storms. The boat they were in capsized and all their equipment was lost, and if he hadn’t had swimming lessons all summer, he would have drowned...because he was in the rough part of the Potomac River. But he made his way to a rock and pretty soon the officers came and picked him up and brought him in but he lost his equipment--his camera and his clothes. So I’ve had some very definite warnings at times and I’m grateful for them.

Richard remembers this incident:  "The young man I was with became frightened and caused the boat to turn over.  I got him to a rock where he would be safe and righted the canoe so it wouldn't be lost."

The Scott brothers remember "The Deacon," a 1936 Ford convertible

MARY LEE:  I sent the brothers some photos I had found of a car and asked them to tell me about it.  The car obviously meant a lot to them because they had a lot to say about it!

"The Deacon," a 1936 Ford convertible

GERALD
That is the famous "hoopee". Stick shift, mechanical brakes that were the very dickens to adjust, a fabulous rumble seat, well worn leather upholstery--a great car to drive. Dad bought this used car for us (for the three older boys as we were able to drive) and the first summer Richard and I drove out West in it. It had a brand new set of tires when we started. I dropped off in Kansas City to work for the summer, and Rich drove on out to southern Utah to work for UP on the North Rim. [In those days, Union Pacific ran the western national park concessions in the summer.] Obviously RG put lots of miles on our car because when he returned the tires were virtually bald. He can tell you about his excursions in the Southern Utah Desert country.

Richard as "janitor" at Bryce Canyon Lodge

I was married so did I not drive the car as much as Rich and Walt. I did contribute a gear shift knob replacement. The plain old black plastic knob was removed and replaced with a nice large carved walnut stylistic turtle head that fit into your hand just right. [The turtle was evidently the original "Deacon."]

Gerald Leroy Scott with The Deacon

Walt is the one that really kept the hoopee running for a good while. Among other things he replaced those hideous mechanical brakes with a set of air brakes. The hissing air sounded like a truck every time you stopped. Walt can tell you about some of his excursions--with his double bass when he played in a dance band and his trip up to the end of terra firma in Northeastern Canada.

Lots of great memories from Dad's investment in his boys.

RICHARD (His memories from a taped interview with Mary Lee)
That car is “The Deacon,” a 36 Ford.  The gear shift was a turtle head.  It had a rumble seat.  Boy, that was a great car!  My brothers and I shared it while we were teenagers.

I would sleep in the car when I was driving all over the canyons near Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon. I worked as a chef at the lodge in Bryce Canyon.

Richard, circa 1948

The drivers’ seat had a very high back and I would sit on the top of the back when I was driving on small roads.  I would pull out the throttle, sit on the top of the seat, and steer with my feet on back roads.  [Richard explains to Mary Lee:  The throttle has a little knob and you can adjust it for how fast the engine runs.  It's connected to the accelerator; you pull it out and it stays fixed.]

Richard in his chef's hat on a back road

One day I was following little trails and I went around the corner, and there was a sheep herder with his equipment. He was surprised and so was I!  I dropped down and put my foot on the brake.  It was the end of the road, so I turned around.

Mary Lee:  Did you make any modifications to the car or was it just Walt who made the modifications?

Richard:  He made the positive modifications, I made the negative ones.

Richard fixes a problem with the Deacon

Once a rock came up, hit the fan, bent the fan blade, cut into the radiator core.  It caused the radiator to begin to leak so I had to go in there carefully with needle nosed pliers and squeeze off all of those things that I could.  Then I got some stuff called “Never Leak” and put it in the radiator.  By carrying extra water we got around until it kind of sealed itself.

When we got back to the city [Washington, D.C.], we would divide the use of the car among us.  (Richard remembers taking Jeanene on dates in the car, sometimes accompanied by her little niece, Andrea Watkins.)

Richard and Andrea, Jeanene's niece, in the Deacon

I remember when we went to get that car.  We had a new engine put in, a rebuilt engine.  Dad was so good to let us have that car.

Walter would put his bass back in the rumble seat and go off to play in dance bands.  He really had a terrific ear for music and the ability to play string bass.  He was very good on the string bass, playing it with little musical groups.   Wayne won a contest and had a chance to sit in for an hour or two with Tommy Dorsey’s band, probably a rehearsal session.

WALTER
Well, Mary Lee got this going and Gerald added some important facts, so I guess I need to make a contribution. 

Walter in the Deacon

The mechanical brakes were awful. The air brake system was taken from an old Ford truck of the same model year (1936) and included a compressor that ran off of the intake manifold vacuum, a storage tank and some actuators. It was a fun modification but still used the mechanical brakes so it didn't solve the problem. Friend of mine told me that the 1939 Fords had hydraulic brakes that would fit directly on our car without modification except for adding hydraulic brake pedal, master cylinder and lines. Finally we had brakes. The next problem was the steering. The original steering column had a really poor friction gearbox. I was able to replace it with a steering column from a junked car, which had a much better ball bearing gear box. For a while I had the original steering column "installed" in the rumble seat area so we looked like one of those big hook and ladder fire trucks with two steering wheels. The generator was also a very poor design. I did a number of things with that thing trying to solve the problem, including a separate manually controlled field excitation circuit, different pulleys to increase the speed, etc. Never got it quite right.

One summer Craig Carpenter, the son of our stake president, and I drove out to Utah to get him to BYU. We camped along the way. One night, in the middle of the night we were very rudely awakened by a speeding train. Seems we stopped after dark and didn't realize that we were only a few feet from the train tracks!

Gerald also mentioned a trip I made to Canada that followed the Erie canal route clear to the Northeastern tip of Canada to Riviere du Loup, a Catholic shrine in French speaking Canada. I recall going into a little country store one morning to buy some cereal and milk. Before I realized what was happening, they had spread a table cloth on the little counter and had filled a cereal bowl with rice krispies and milk! My communication skills were a bit wanting. At another point on the trip I was watching a boat go through one of the locks along the water way. I turned around to find several young men, carefully examining the car. They wanted to buy it on the spot! In Montreal I was trying to see the sights by following two American tour buses. At one point they stopped and suggested that I get between the two buses to complete the "guided tour." Some fun!

That car held a lot of memories!

Richard and Walter

MITCHEL
The turtle’s head was the Deacon. The car was the Deacon’s masterpiece.

It was a dream to drive. You could jump start it in the Porter street driveway with a roll of less than one foot.

I can tell you how it left the family. I have never had a car that was as much fun to drive. I was the last driver. One day, Dad told me he thought we needed a station wagon to take things back and forth to the farm. The next thing I knew, he told me we were going to buy the station wagon. He had found a used Rambler wagon and already made the deal to trade in the masterpiece. I remember well the look on the used car lot guy as he got in the car to drive it behind his building.

A Cheshire cat couldn’t grin like he did. He had that “I’ve just won the lottery” look on his face. I am sure he thought he had pulled one over on Dad, but that never happened.

I have reflected on why he sold the car. As was Dad’s habit, he didn’t say much about it, but as I learned by observing him in other such situations, he always did things in what he considered the best interests of his boys. My conclusion: he just didn’t want there to be any chance at all that his boys might ever have a disagreement over who would be the ultimate owner. The vehicle was never as valuable as his boys in Dad’s mind and he wasn’t going to take a chance on that ever happening, so he sold it as I approached time to leave home.

The Deacon

We are blessed to have parents who were totally focused on their family and especially giving their boys an opportunity to develop their talents, to learn how to do things for ourselves and along the way, taught us to be honest and to be responsible. They trusted us to do what was right and enforced it with Mom’s gentle reminder to “Remember who you are” as we would leave home.

They were the perfect parents for me and I suspect my brothers feel the same way.

Back to Washington, D.C. in 1947

KENNETH:
In 1947 Farm Credit was moved back to Washington, where housing was so limited that we could find only a furnished house large enough for our needs at 4540 South Chelsea Lane, Bethesda, Maryland. There was no storage space available in the Washington warehouses and we had to store our large supply of household furniture in Baltimore.

4540 South Chelsea Lane, Bethesda, Maryland, circa 1947

MARY:
Our transfer to Washington D.C. came in 1948. We were very happy to be returning to the nation’s capital. We had sold our home in 1944 so we had to look for a place to live when we returned to Washington.

Gerald decided he would remain in Kansas City and go to junior college. This was the first break in the family. The rest of us moved into a house in Bethesda, Maryland. We had to rent a furnished home and store our furniture. It was difficult to move into a small house after our large and beautiful home in Kansas City.

KENNETH:
On March 18, 1948, we purchased a 2 1/2 story house at 3510 Porter Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. We then had enough room for our family and a good-sized garden space with many permanent fruit plantings.

3510 Porter Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., circa 1948

The boys and I made many improvements in the house, mainly by using good lumber we salvaged from wartime buildings that were being dismantled not very far from our home.

Kenneth helping with housework at the Porter Street house.

Mary's stationery with Porter street address

MARY:
We found that living in Washington brought with it interesting and exciting happenings to our lives. Living in the nation’s capital was an education that can only be found where so much is going on. Foreign embassies gave us a glimpse of their people. We became acquainted with the habits, dress, and foods of other nations.

Scott boys looking towards the Washington Monument, circa 1935

Mary, Walter, Richard, and Gerald in an undated photo, likely taken in Washington, D.C. , circa 1935

Here, too, the opportunity for the cultural side of life could be developed. Washington was a good place in these times to give the boys a varied interest in most every type of education. The zoo was handy and we spent time there.

Walter, Richard, "Lieutenant" in the school safety patrol, and Gerald ready for school; Wayne looks on

Gerald looks on as Richard prepares to cream Wayne and Walter with a snowball.

Richard and Gerald

As they grew older, the museums and art galleries were of prime interest, later libraries. Their musical education wasn’t neglected with school bands, police boys bands, orchestras, and public solo appearances.  The family became acquainted with many good friends.

Whose birthday?! I count eight candles. Walter's? He would have been eight in 1939 and Wayne three.

Scott boys on Christmas morning, circa 1939, in house on Taylor Street, Washington, D.C.

GERALD:
I believe [the photo above] was taken on Christmas morning and by Dad, as an re-enactment of what had occurred several hours earlier. In the wee hours of Christmas morning, the three of us (Rich, Walt and GL) had stealthily descended the stairs to see if Santa had done his work. We experienced a parental arrest and were sent back to bed--to our chagrin. In this photo, Wayne joined in the background, as he was asleep when the real excitement occurred.

I believe this would have been at 1735 Taylor Street.

Why a parent's hair goes grey.

KENNETH:
A major part of the boy’s home training was provided by their good mother who was very skillful in keeping those young lively spirits under control often by rather ingenious but effective means.

Richard, Walter and Gerald with sail boats. They would sail them in the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Gerald and Richard work on a complex airplane model.  The skeleton was later covered with tissue paper and strengthened with a banana derivative called "Dope," according to Richard.

When Gerald and Richard became old enough to use simple workshop tools, we started them with simple tools and gradually provided power tools until they had a shop where they could make many fine wood and metal objects of real worth and value. They were receiving expert training in the supervised manual training shops at school.

Richard and Gerald in workshop at Blagden Terrace, Washington, D.C., circa 1941

Richard sharpening scissors in workshop at Blagden Terrace

Walter, Wayne, and Mitchel, as they became old enough, applied their own individual aptitudes with coaching of their older brothers. This shop proved to be a means of the boys wanting to work there and inviting their friends there instead of wanting to be away from home.

Wayne and his grandfather, Elzumer, in the workshop, circa 1941

Especially after we moved to Porter Street, the boys were of great help in improving our home. They did a splendid job of installing a chain-link fence.  Walter built a large fireplace and retaining wall from a big load of native stone.

Gerald, Richard, and Walter building the outdoor fireplace at Porter Street

Walter shaping a stone for the fire place

Wayne? helps mix cement

Walter puts the final touches on the stone chimney

Kenneth places the "S" cap stone

Mitchel? seated in front of the fireplace; Gerald laying sod.

Wayne and Mitchel did their full share of repairs, painting and additions to our houses when they reached the appropriate age.

Wayne and Mitchel collecting wood scraps

The Scott Family Reunion Tradition

Comments by Mary Lee Scott Call, unless otherwise noted:
We are greatly blessed to belong to a family that for generations has loved getting together to laugh, sing, and tell stories.  Elzumer Scott, Kenneth’s father, seems to have had an especially keen interest in organizing and documenting family gatherings.  In notes he kept for the reunion in 1939, he indicates that his old camera was used to take photos at “our first reunion in 1907.”  Elzumer was the oldest child of Aaron Graham Scott, and perhaps that is one reason he felt responsible to promote family unity.

Children and grandchildren of Aaron Graham Scott (seated on porch), 1909.  Kenneth, age 10, is 2nd from left

Aaron Graham Scott and family, circa 1917

From Aug. 6th to Aug. 11th, 1939, many of the descendants of Aaron Graham Scott gathered at Big Springs, Idaho.

Family member examining "Scott Reunion" notice on Big Springs Inn sign

There was a printed program booklet, including blank pages for notes on each day’s events. Elzumer, who organized the reunion, took careful notes of those in attendance, as well as the activities every day. Notice how the women are always wearing dresses and the men are in suits! 

1939 Scott Reunion program booklet.  The photo of Big Springs is very similar to the ones at the web site linked above.

The “Reunion Song,” printed in the inside cover of the reunion booklet, really captures the spirit of the Scott family and some of their favorite past times.. It was written by Carrie Mae’s sister-in-law, Evelyn Sallee, “for the Sake of Old Lang Syne,” or in other words, “for old time’s sake,” and sung to the tune of “Oh, Susanna!”

1939 SCOTT REUNION SONG
We’ve gathered from California, we have come from Buffalo,
From Chicago and from Washington, and Indianapolis too;
From Utah, Colorado, and we’ve come from “Old Mission.”

CHORUS
Happy greetings. Welcome every one.
We sing for “Auld Lang Syne’s sake”
And we’re having lots of fun.

‘Twas back in 1874 that father built a home. [“Father” is Aaron Graham Scott.]
Near the church in Pleasant Valley, and ‘twas there we all were grown;
‘Twas many happy years we spent ere we began to roam.
And even now our memories take us back to that old home.

There was skating in the winter time and there was lots of snow.
In Summer the “Ole Swimmin’ Hole” where we all loved to go.
In daytime there was work to do and we were busy boys,
But evening brought the “Singin’ School” and all the other joys.

We girls were busy every day when we were not in school,
A cookin’ for the harvest hands and minding every rule.
We had to wash, we had to iron, we had to bake and sew,
But with it all we had our fun and lots of parties too.

In these beautiful surroundings: mountains covered o’er with pine,
With their frangrance on the breezes and the lovely columbine.
Who could ask for greater happiness than we’re enjoying here.
Recalling days of long ago, and friends we love so dear.

We know that our reunion here will soon be at an end.
We know not how, or where or when that we shall meet again.
So let’s be merry while we may and laugh and sing and play.
So we’ll recall in coming years our happiness today.

Elzumer had everyone attending the reunion sign their name, including the children who had learned to write. In the next colum, he wrote their birth dates, followed by the city and state where they lived at the time of the reunion. According to this record, there were 42 family members in attendance.  Elzumer himself was the oldest, age 65, and Billie Joe Scott, age 2 1/2, was the youngest.  Many family members lived in Idaho, where Aaron Graham Scott had moved with his family, while others came from Washington, D.C. (Kenneth, Zene and Myrtle, or Mildred, as she was known at the time), Chicago, Towner (Colorado), Indianapolis, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles.  Only one family member, K. Lewis Weary, still lived in Missouri.

1939 Register of those attending, including signatures, birth dates and current residence.

Scott family members at 1939 reunion.  Elzumer is 2nd from the left and Kenneth is 5th from the right in the back row.

According to Elzumer’s notes, there was a similar pattern for each day of the reunion:  In the mornings, a group of family members would drive over to Yellowstone Park or Jackson Lake, while other family members remained at camp, enjoying each other's company. In the evenings, the family would gather to sing and tell stories. On one evening, the “young folks” were in charge of the program.

Songs suggested for "Group Singing":
Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All here
I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad
Home on the Range
She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain
The Old Gray Mare
There’s a Long, Long Trail
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow
Now the Day is Over
Blest Be the Tie

Another Sallee relative, Ethyl Sallee–Snow, wrote a song for the reunion.  Following is one of the verses:

THE GATHERIN’ O’ THE CLAN
Tune–“The Wearin’ o’ the Green”
Oh, listen friends and you shall hear
The news that’s going round:
The Scotts’ll be a meetin’
From all the world around.
Oh, the Scotts have lads and lassies,
That are worthy of the name,
and for beauty and for numbers,
They can put Dionne to shame!
There’ll be happiness and merry smiles,
To Joy, there’ll be no ban,
When the Scotts will be a-meetin’
At the Gatherin’ o’ the Clan.

NOTES BY ELZUMER SCOTT:
Aug. 7th: A very fine day...Visiting, reminiscing and taking pictures occupied most of the day. Group meeting at Inn again tonight with logs burning in the huge fireplace. Stories were told of by-gone days & songs were sung.

Elzumer (on the left next to his brother Charles) with his Premo camera, purchased about 1895 in Chicago.

Aug. 8th: ...”A fine day... Had a good group meeting tonight–no set program but several present made interesting talks and we all sang songs.

Elzumer and his younger sister Edna Scott Smith

Aug. 9th: A nice day.  Another party go to Park today with Irvin in his car....Others visited around camp & took pictures.
...Had our big bonfire outside 6:30 to 8 pm. & roasted weiners & marshmallows.
After that was over we went inside Inn for singing and business session.
At this meeting the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:
E. Scott, Pres., Edna Smith, V. Pres. and Zene W. Scott, Secy-Treas.
It was suggested our organization be named “Scott Family Association”.
...This meeting was one of the best had.--Great interest was taken by all–with the thought that the Scott family reunions should be continued at intervals of not longer than 5 years.

The Scott sisters:  Minnie (1882-1964), Edna (1889-1971) , Eva (1889-1961) (twins), and Mary (1893-1977).

The Scott brothers:  Ralph 1894-1972), Zene (1887-1969), Nick (1880-1961), Ote (1878-1943), Chas (1876-1951), 'Zumer (1874-1961)

Aug. 11th: A fine day...About 8:30 pm. all that was left at camp got in cars & drove to Pond's Lodge, 10 miles away, to enjoy program put on by the young folks.
...Roland played the piano, several of the young people, in fact all of them, gave numbers...& then all sang songs. Not having time to rehearse & some leaving, young folks did not put on their musical act, but the script was filed with our Sec’y Zene.

Ruth Elizabeth, age 13, and her mother, Mary L. Abbey wait for train to return to Los Angeles.  Elzumer noted that Ruth passed away suddenly less than a month later on Sept. 5, 1939.

This “Benediction” was also included in the printed program:
The Lord bless thee and keep thee;
The Lord make His face shine upon thee.
And be gracious unto thee.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee,
And give thee peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

We have a copy of a “Scott Reunion Song,” to be sung to the tune of “Sidewalks of New York,” which was composed, played and sung by Roland and Helen Scott at Signal Moutain Lodge, Jackson Lake, Wyoming, during the family reunion, Aug. 11th to 16th, 1946.

1946 SCOTT REUNION SONG
East coast, West coast, We’re here from all around,
The Scotts are having a rosy time;
There’s not a single frown,–
It’s swell to be together in nature’s wonderland,
And greet the folks from far and near
Among the Tetons Grand.

East coast, West coast–we’ve come by car and train;
And those who had the “bank-roll”--
Came in by a-e-r-o-p-l-a-n-e; There’s Alice, Ruth & Minnie
And Zene and Howard too,--
We’d like to mention the others, but
‘T would take all night if we do.

East coast, West coast, We’re here at Jackson Lake,
Eva Grace had a birthday–And Aunt Edna baked a cake;
The squirrels are taking over; They are smoking pipes
I see,–Uncle Zumer had quite a time
Chasing his pipe up a tree.--

Carrie Mae and Elzumer at camp.  Not sure if photo is candid or staged!

East coast, West coast; So now the time has come
To pack the old jalopy and take it on the run;
And those who missed this meeting, should make a
Solemn vow,–that next time they will be on hand
If they have to sell the cow.

The reunion of Aaron Graham Scott's in 1946 is the last one we have on record. Kenneth and Mary, however, continued the family tradition and held reunions with their sons and families throughout their lives. We will share photos of those reunions in future posts.