Angelo Cyrus Scott (September 25, 1857 – February 6, 1949) was an American educator, politician, lawyer, and businessman influential in Oklahoma Territory and later early Oklahoma. He served in the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature between 1894 to 1897 and founded the The Oklahoma Times.
Angelo Scott | |
|---|---|
| President of Oklahoma State University | |
| In office 1899–1908 | |
| Preceded by | George E. Morrow |
| Succeeded by | John H. Connell |
| Member of the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature | |
| In office 1894–1897 | |
| Preceded by | J. W. Clevenger |
| Succeeded by | H. S. Hanner |
| United States Commissioner for Oklahoma Territory | |
| In office 1891–1892 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Angelo Cyrus Scott September 25, 1857 Franklin, Indiana |
| Died | February 6, 1949 (aged 91) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Resting place | Highland Cemetery in Iola, Kansas |
| Spouse |
Lola Smeltzer Scott (m. 1894) |
| Education | University of Kansas George Washington University |
Originally from Indiana and educated in Kansas, Scott migrated to Oklahoma during the Land Rush of 1889. He was an early peace-keeper in the city of Oklahoma City in charge of handling land disputes. He was the appointed United States Commissioner for Oklahoma Territory between 1891 and 1892, after an appointment by President Benjamin Harrison. He was elected to the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature's upper house in 1894 and lost reelection in 1897. While serving in his political roles he also ran a law firm, a hotel, and Oklahoma's first newspaper The Oklahoma Times.
He retired from politics after losing reelection and accepted a professorship at the Oklahoma State University, then called Oklahoma A&M. He later served as the university's president between 1899 and 1908.
Early Years
editScott was born outside of Franklin, Indiana and his family moved to Iola, Kansas shortly after. He was educated in Iola in public school and by private tutors. He attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1877 and a Master of Arts in 1880. He worked as a school teacher for three years and was elected court clerk of Allen County, Kansas. He later moved to Washington, D.C. to attend George Washington University where he earned two law degrees. He returned briefly to Iola to practice law before moving to Oklahoma Territory during the Land Run of 1889.[1]
Years in Early Oklahoma
editWhen Scott came to Oklahoma Territory, there was an ongoing feud with the Boomers, then led by William Couch, and the settlers who followed the rules of the Land Run. Couch and the Boomers had snuck into Oklahoma Territory before it was legal to do so and divided the land that would become Oklahoma City to fit their vision before any legal settlers arrived causing near instantaneous disputes between the heavily armed Boomers and their rivals on the evening of April 22nd, 1889. Scott decided to pay several young boys to run around with bells attached to themselves while calling for a town meeting. On the second official day of settlement Scott held a grand meeting with thousands of citizens in attendance who would create a committee, led by Scott, to settle land disputes and create roads and alleys.[2] President Benjamin Harrison officially appointed to a board in charge of settling land disputes in 1890.[1]
Shortly after moving to the city, Scott turned his focus to his law firm, hotel, and the newspaper he founded with his brother, The Oklahoma Times. He also helped organize the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, was a charter member of the First Presbyterian Church, and founded the Oklahoma Institute of Arts and Sciences. He was appointed U.S. Commissioner for Oklahoma Territory by President Harrison in 1891 and served until 1892. In 1893, Governor Abraham J. Seay appointed him executive commissioner to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and he was elected to the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature's upper house in 1894. He lost reelection in 1897.[1] Scott was known for his progressive thinking in early Oklahoma, one such story recounted how Scott stopped a group of white teenagers from abusing a black teenager. Scott soon employed this black teenager as well as other members of his family while serving as a mentor.[2]
President of Oklahoma State
editScott first came to Oklahoma State in 1897 after he was offered an English professorship. He soon accepted the position of president of Oklahoma State only two years after joining the university.[1] He realized that the main mission of the university was to fulfill the educational and research needs of the agricultural and engineering industries in Oklahoma while also expanding the breadth of the university by introducing liberal arts education. The campus of the university was expanded greatly during his nearly decade-long tenure which coincided with the faculty doubling.[3] One of these buildings, Morrill Hall, is one of the oldest on campus and still serves as the home of the university's English department. He is also responsible for creating many traditions including writing the university's fight song while also investing into the athletic program.[4] His wife, Lola, was also a key figure in the university's early history as she established the music department and other social clubs.[1]
Later Years and Death
editAfter leaving Oklahoma State in 1908, he officially retired from politics just as Oklahoma was officially brought into the Union as a state. He returned to his law practice in Oklahoma City which is now the modern-day headquarters of the petroleum company Continental Resources.[5] Soon after moving back to Oklahoma City, Scott accepted a role as the head of the English department at the University of Oklahoma. Before he could assume duties, however, he accepted an offer from Oklahoma City University to serve as the head of the graduate school.[6] He eventually made his way to the University of Oklahoma after leaving Oklahoma City University in 1913 to head OU's extension programs.[1] After serving in that post for ten years, Scott returned to Oklahoma City University to chair the English department until he retired in 1931. Scott lived in a house that he and his wife Lola built on N.W. 16th Street in the illustrious Heritage Hills neighborhood from 1915 until his death in 1949.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Hanneman, Carolyn G. (January 15, 2010). "Scott, Angelo Cyrus (1857–1949)". Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
- ^ a b Anderson, Sam (2018). Boom Town: The Fantastical Saga of Oklahoma City, Its Chaotic Founding , Its Apocalyptic Weather, Its Purloined Basketball Team, and the Dream of Becoming a World-class Metropolis. New York : Crown.
- ^ a b Loudenback, Doug (June 21, 2009). "Angelo C. Scott's Story of Oklahoma City". Retro Metro OKC. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ Stillwater, Oklahoma State University; Campus, OK 74078; Maps744-5000, Parking (2018-12-01). "Past Presidents of OSU - Oklahoma State University". go.okstate.edu. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Angelo C. Scott". 89er Trail. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ "Angelo C. Scott, Class of 1933 | Oklahoma Hall of Fame". www.oklahomahof.com. Retrieved 2023-12-29.