Walter Lee Scott Home Page

Short History by Walter Charles Scott
Obituary

Essay by son Walter C. Scott on Walter L. Scott's skill with the shotgun.

      Walter and Ruth lived in the oldest Stith settlement in Stith Valley, Meade County, except for 2 years in 1913 and 1914 when they lived in Van Buren Arkansas. They had seven children.  They moved to Brandenburg in December 1933 for Walter to take a job as Deputy Sheriff.
    Classification notice from draft board in 1918.
 

Walter age 43 on the South side (back away from the road) of his house in Stith Valley in November 1929. For more history see Scott Hill Farm chapter in Walter C. Scott's book.  Visible in the full picture is the porch on the back of the house. Close-up view.  Stamp on back of photo: "GUARANTEED For Life  DEC 1929 This is Genuine BORDER (on a fox outline) Fox Tone made by Fox CO. San Antonio, Texas, Established 1897 By Carl D. Newton."  Hand writing on the back of the photo (probably Aunt Jessie): "Cousin Henrietta took this of Daddy, the pigeon and Cousin Jim Hardaway when he was here in Nov." This was one of four photos in an envelope in a small basket with Aunt Jessie's most personal keepsakes including a red heart-shaped box containing letters between Jessie and Frank in 1934 and 1935.

Walter Lee Scott, age 48, in 1934 as deputy sheriff in Meade County Kentucky.  Here is the full picture taken in his office. Walter Lee Scott pictured with other Meade County officials in 1935.

Walter Lee Scott pictured about 1936 (age 50).  (Date per Jack Scott, Mar 1998.)
 
Walter died March 27, 1937, possibly due to blood infection picked up during cleanup from the 1937 flood in Brandenburg, Kentucky.  Obituary.

Walter L. Scott
(written by Walter Charles Scott for the "Meade County History" by Laura Young Brown and Marie Coleman)

Walter L. Scott (January 1886 - March 1937) was the oldest son of Charles L. Scott and Laddie 'Adlisa' Louise (Hardaway) Scott.  His younger brothers were Winfield, Harold, Fletcher, and a sister, Margaret.  He grew up in Stith Valley and attended the Shumate School.  He liked to hunt and trap and was an expert marksman.  He liked to read and always wished he could have been a pioneer.
     In 1908 he married Ruth Fontaine, the daughter of C. B. Fontaine and Irene Stith Fontaine.  Ruth was teaching at Shumate school at the time.  He started farming on the Jesse Stith farm in 1909. Jesse Stith's wife Lucinda and Walter's grandmother Margaret were sisters and his grandfather Jim Hardaway was buried in the small graveyard on the hill behind the house.  The farm was a part of the 430 acres bought by Richard Stith in 1811.  Richard was the first Stith to settle in the county and had been here since about 1804.  Walter and his father bought the 240 acre farm for $1267 in 1910 when it sold at the court house door to settle the estate.  Jesse Stith had owned slaves and his wife Lucinda had plenty of help to grow every flower, shrub and fruit available at that time.  However, by the time Walter got the farm it had been rented for many years and was poor as any in the country.
     He raised corn and tobacco and an extra good garden; kept a few cows a few hogs, sheep, and some chickens and turkeys.  Of course he kept horses to do the farm work an raised a colt now and then and sold it.  He always had plenty for the family to eat because he raised it and stored it or Ruth canned it.  There was never much money, but kerosene for the lamps was ten cents a gallon.  Sugar was 5 or 10 cents a pound, but you could use sorghum molasses, and he raised sorghum cane and made molasses.  Salt was about 50 cents for 100 pounds and coffee about a nickel a pound.  Taxes for the farm were about $25 a year and that had to be paid.
     He took the daily paper and there was always something for the children to read.  The children went to school "rain or shine" and knew he would come after them if it was raining or snowing.  He would be there at the close of school riding a horse and leading one, with a blanket to go over each child.  It was possible to get 3 children on 1 horse and one in front and one behind Walter.  Most parents kept their children at home on bad days.  Walter C. and Rena Lou went to the two year high school at Big Spring, riding horseback over the hill to school.  They rented a room at Brandenburg and finished there; Walter C. in 1927 and Rena Lou in 1928.
    When county agricultural agents came to the county the children joined the 4-H Club.  When the U. S. Government started the Rural Electric Administration, Ruth worked with the County Agent and others in the county and got the Meade County Rural Electric Co-op started.
     Walter was elected deputy sheriff in 1934 with Ned Brown as sheriff, and moved to Brandenburg.  (election actually 1933 and move in December 33 ... JBS)  He enjoyed working with people.  One of his best friends had this to say about him: "If I asked Walt something he does not want to tell me, he won't tell me but I won't know it until he is gone."  He was a member of the Big Spring Masonic Lodge, the Big Spring Methodist Church and a lifetime Democrat.  He died in March of 1937, and his son William F. finished his term.
     Ruth, with two boys still in high school, kept on with the boys carrying newspapers.  In 1940 she and son Jack bought the grocery at the top of the hill, across the street directly in front of the street going to the river.  With Jim helping, she and Jack ran the store until Jim finished high school.
     Ruth got an appointment to West Point Military Academy for William after he went to the University of Kentucky one semester.  Walter C. had graduated from the University of Kentucky, was married and in agricultural work.  Rena Lou was married and living in Elizabethtown.  Jessie Virginia was married and living in Washington D. C.   Mary was married and living in Breckinridge County.  Jack married and joined the Navy and James F. joined the Army.  Both Jack and Jim finished at the University of Kentucky after the war and Jim got married there.
 
 

Newspaper clipping in Jessie Virginia Scott (Williams) file:

Passes Away   Funeral Services Held At Methodist Church Here for Deputy Sheriff (Probably from Brandenburg Kentucky newspaper shortly after Monday March 29, 1937.)

    Funeral services were conducted at the Methodist Church Monday afternoon for Walter Scott, deputy sheriff, who passed away at the Baptist Hospital in Louisville, Saturday noon.
     A large crowd attended the services not more than half of whom were able to get in the church, and all the aisles were crowded with persons standing to pay their last respects to an esteemed and beloved citizen.
     An unusually sad part of the funeral services was Mrs. Scott's being unable to attend because of ill health.  Despite her wish to go, Dr. Stith, who attended Mr. Scott, forbade it.
    The funeral services were conducted by his pastor, Rev. Irving H. Owen, assisted by Rev. V. P. Henry, former pastor, and Rev. Z. T. Connaway, pastor of the Baptist church.
     Walter Lee Scott was born January 13, 1886 near Big Spring, Ky., the eldest son of Charles L. Scott and Louise Hardaway Scott.  He departed this life March 27, 1937 in Louisville, Ky., where he was taken during his short illness.  He is survived by his mother and the following brothers and sister: Winfield Scott, Advance, Ind.; Harold Scott, Goldfield, Iowa; Fletcher Scott, Stith Valley, on the home place; and Maggie, Mrs. John Witt, Lyndon, Ky.
     He was united in marriage to Ruth Fontaine, January 25, 1908 (Harriet Fast Scott cites January 22 and is probably more reliable.)  She and the following children survive: Walter, who married Amanda Love and lives in Louisville, Ky.; Rena Lou, Mrs. Russell Parks, who also lives in Louisville, Ky.; Jessie Virginia, Mrs. Francis Williams, Washington, D. C.; Mary, Mrs. Gerard Foote, Detroit, Mich.; William, Jack and James, who are in school here; and four grandchildren.
     He united with the Methodist Church in Big Spring, November 8, 1903 at the age of 17 and became a Mason there when he was of age.  He resided in Stith Valley all his life until he moved to Brandenburg to become Deputy Sheriff in 1934, which office he capably filled until his death.
     Mr. Scott was a man of sterling character and his friends were numbered by his acquaintances.  While he was a man of very few words and undemonstrative, he was a devoted husband and father, and conscientious in the performance of his official duties.