Representative Oliver Hazard Perry Scott View All Years

Oliver Hazard Perry Scott

Van Buren County

Born in Ohio, March 3, 1815. He entered into the active business of life at an early age. In 1839 he was superintendent of a contract on the Muskingum river improvement and was living with his parents at McConnelsville, Ohio. A year later he was contractor on the Hocking Valley canal. Afterwards he owned and operated a merchant flouring mill at Malta, Ohio. He was married to Ellen Fay at McConnelsville in 1845. He came west early in the '50s, and for many years thereafter was contractor on various public works. At the breaking out of the late civil war, Mr. Scott volunteered in the Third Iowa Cavalry, served with distinction and was promoted, ranking as major when he retired from the service. After an active life of nearly half a century, a few years ago, he purchased a valuable farm near Farmington: He devoted his time mostly of later years to the improvement of his farm and to the development of coal mines that were opened on his place. In 1877 the people of Van Buren County elected him to the legislature by a flattering majority, he being a democrat and the county largely republican. He served his constituents faithfully, and could have been returned had he not declined a renomination.

House District 5