Born September 16, 1855, in Chester, Pennsylvania, and his parents, John T. and Martha J. (Campbell) Scott, were both members of Scotch families. When William J. Scott was a child of five his father died, and at the age of nine years he entered Girard College in Philadelphia. After his graduation from that noted institution he returned to Chester and served a four years' apprenticeship to the drug trade. On the expiration of that period he journeyed to the west and for a year was clerk in a drug store at Glidden, Iowa. He came to Ida Grove in the spring of 1878 and made his home in this community, which numbers him among its honored pioneers. Mr. Scott is a stanch republican in his political views and in 1907 was appointed postmaster of Ida Grove, acting in that capacity until 1915. He was city recorder for more than eighteen years and county recorder for fourteen years. He was a member of the twenty-eighth assembly of Iowa and gave his earnest support to all measures which he believed would prove of benefit to the commonwealth. In the fall of 1914 he was elected clerk of the district court of Ida county. He never used public office as an avenue to personal aggrandizement, regarding it rather as a trust given to him by the people, and his honor and integrity have ever been above question. Along fraternal lines he is connected with the Ida Grove camp of the Modern Woodmen of America and Lodge No. 259 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a prominent Mason, belonging to Kane Lodge, No. 377, F. & A. M., of which he was secretary for forty-one years; Tyrea Chapter, No. 105, R. A. M.; Maple Valley Council, No. 25, R.& S. M.; Commandery No. 41, K. T.; Sioux City Consistory, No. 5, A. A. S. R.; and Abu-Bekr Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., also of Sioux City. He is a worthy exemplar of the craft and his influence upon the life of his community has been of the highest order. Mr. Scott was married February 23, 1880, at Glidden, Iowa, to Miss Lillian Bruner, a daughter of Elias D. and Caroline (Baird) Bruner.