John Witherspoon Scott

A family portrait titled “Four Generations” included (left to right) First Lady Caroline Harrison, grandson Benjamin Harrison McKee, daughter Mary Harrison McKee, granddaughter Mary Lodge McKee, and and father Reverend Dr. Scott, 1889

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http://www.lanepl.org/scanned/BUTLER%20BIOS/butler%20bios%2037-42.pdf

John Witherspoon Scott, was a Presbyterian minister and a Miami University faculty member from 1832 until 1845. At various times, he taught mat\ geography, astonomy, political economy, natural philosophy and chemistry on the Oxford campus. Her mother, Mary Potts Neal Scott, was a daughter of John Neal, a prominent Philadelphia banker and businessman.

In 1845, political differences contributed to Dr. Scott's dismissal from the Miami faculty. As an abolitionist, his views clashed with those of Dr. George Junkin, the university president. There is some circumstantial evidence that Scott may have punctuated his controversial anti-slavery feelings by hiding run-away slaves in his Oxford home.

In 1831, the Rev. John W. Scott had "bought a choice lot at a tax collector's sale for a nominal sum." explained Ophia D. Smith in Old Oxford Houses and the People who Lived in Them.

"It was on the southwest corner of High Street across from the Universrty Square. Here he built a substantial Virginia-style house," said Mrs. Smith. "'When completed, it was assessed for taxation at $1,700, second only to the assessment of $1,800 on the house of William H. McGuffey at Oak and Spriog streets."

In 1845, Dr. Scott moved to College Hill -- then a community north of Cincinnati -- to teach at Farmers College and to help start the Ohio Female Institute.

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In 1849, Dr. Scott returned to Oxford as princlpal of the Oxford Female Institute, a move which also atfracted Ben Harrison to Miami, where he graduatedin 1852. When the family returned to Oxford in 1849, "Scott was faced with providing a boarding departrnenfto r his school,"M rs. Smithw rotE. "He boughtt he rarnbling Old TemperanceT averna t the corner of West High and South College, and also the residence of Rebecca Teal which stood behind ig facing the Institute across the sfreet (South College Avenue). He joined the two structuresb y addinge xfarooms betweenth em." The Old Temperance Tavern became the Scott house,...