Lettice (Denny) Scott (abt. 1743 - abt. 1785)

Born about 1743 in County Londonderry, Ireland

Wife of Patrick Scott — married 1763 in Chester, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died about 1785 at about age 42 in Pennsylvania, United States

Biography

Lettice Denny was born in County Derry, Ireland. 1743 is a wild guess at her birth date. Lettice married Patrick Scott about 1763, probably in Chester County, Pa.

Lettice Denny Scott died about 1785. Martha "Mattie" (Cotton) married Patrick Scott of Washington County, Pennsylvania, probably soon after their ante-nuptial agreement of 12 October 1787.

Donald O. Saul sent the following with the note, "There were a number of holes in this publication..." The material appears on pages 178 and 179 of Some American Farrars by Calvin Lyle Farrar, 1948.

"William Scott was born in Ireland or Scotland, if in Ireland of Scotch parents, about 1710. With his wife, Margaret, he came to America in 1734, and settled in Pennsylvania, probably Lancaster County, where there were quite a number of Scotch-Irish. It is related that it was near the Susquehana River, but it may have been in a locality then in Lancaster and which was later cut off and is now under another county name. He died in 1790, at the age of 80. I heard my Grandfather Thompson say in 1888 the he believed William Scott to be born in Ireland, but my mother wrote him down as of Scotch birth. The Rev. John McMillian, a pioneer Presbyterian preacher of Western Pennsylvania, lodged with Patrick Scott, son of William, in Washington County, Penna., in 1775, and recorded in his diary that the parents of Patrick Scott came from County Tyrone, Ireland. No doubt he got this directly from Patrick. Nothing further is known of these ancestors. There is a record of only one child, given below:

Patrick Scott, son of William, and a twin sister, were born in 1734, during the voyage to America. The sister died soon after birth, and our legend has it that his mother despaired of the life of the son, 'and so she named him Patrick'. What the significance of the name Patrick under such circumstances may be I am unable to state, but as some one else may understand it I am quoting the legend as it was given to me. Patrick was married, probably in Chester County, Pa., in 1763 to Lettice Denny, who was born in County Derry, Ireland. In 1772 Patrick and his family moved from Chester County to Washington County, and settled in the vicinity where Pigeon Creek Church was afterwards located. There were no roads for wagons at that time and they traveled on horseback, and used pack horses to carry everything they took with them. He became one of the best know and leading citizens of that new country, a true pioneer."...

"In its History [of Washington Co., PA] Patrick Scott is mentioned many times. On pages 15 and 250, as one of the first Ruling Elders of Pigeon Creek Church; on page 18, as a delegate to the General Assembly; on page 252, as present in Redstone Presbytery, 1781; on page 201, giving a short history of his life and children."...

"Mary Scott, daughter of Patrick, born Sept. 21, 1787 in Washington County, Penna., and married George T. Thompson, and had twelve children, one of whom was my Grandfather."..."Mary Scott Thompson died October 7, 1859, aged 72."

"Martha Scott, daughter of Patrick. (No record)."

"Francis Scott, son of Patrick. (No record)."

"William Scott, son of Patrick. Was born in Washington Co., Penna. Was at one time an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, but later transferred into the M. E. Church. Moved to Ohio and died there."

"James Scott, son of Patrick. Was born in Washington Co., Penna. Studied law and moved to Indiana and became a judge of the State Supreme Court. He was a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church all his life. Died in Indiana."

"Margaret Scott, daughter of Patrick. Born in Washington Co., Penna. Married David McCombs, a farmer, and an Elder in the Upper Buffalo Church. One of her sons, David Scott McCombs became a noted Presbyterian preacher in the State of Iowa, and one of his sons was a Presbyterian Missionary at Lodiano, India. Some others of her descendants also entered the ministry in the Presbyterian Church."

The following comes from Descendants of Henry Cotton by Roger Joslyn.

"MARTHA "MATTIE" COTTON, (HENRY), born about 1753 in Cumberland Twp., York Co., PA; died October 1830 in Neshannock Twp., Mercer Co., PA. She was married before 1787, in Wash. Co.?, PA to PATRICK SCOTT, son of WILLIAM SCOTT and of MARGARET '______'.

Martha "Mattie" (Cotton) Scott: Martha, was born in Cumberland (now Franklin) Township, York (now Adams) County, Pennsylvania about 1753 and she was probably living in 1830 with her son Francis in Lackawannock Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

Martha married Patrick Scott of Somerset Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, probably soon after their ante-nuptial agreement of 12 October 1878 [sic], discussed below.

Patrick and a twin sister were born at sea in or about 1734 or 1735 and he died 19 February 1820, aged 86, probably in Lackawannock Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, the son of William and Margaret ______ Scott. By his first wife, Lettice Denny of County Derry, Ireland, whom Patrick married in 1763, he had three children: James, William and Margaret.

Patrick's family settled in Cumberland County where he and his father were members of Captain Joseph Armstrong's Company, hastily formed 7 August 1755 to fight the Indians. The father was later killed and administration was granted to his widow Martha and son Patrick on 10 June 1756.

In 1772 Patrick Scott became an early settler in what became Somerset Township, Washington County. Here in 1776 he was one of the first four elders chosen at the organization of the Pigeon Creek Church, one of the others being Hugh Cotton, his future brother-in-law. Patrick was the ruling elder at the organization of the Redstone Presbytery at Pigeon Creek 19 September 1781 and was on the formation committee of a Presbyterian Church in Washington County that same year. Also in 1781 he was on a venire facias panel and the grand jury.

Patrick served in the Washington County Militia. In 1782 he was a private in Captain John Gutrage's Company of the 5th Battalion and in 1784 he was a private in Captain Robert Ramsey's Company in the same Battalion. In 1874 [sic] Patrick was taxed in Somerset Township for 100 acres, three horses, two cattle and two sheep, valued at Pound Sterling 59. He was issued a warrant for 204 1/2 acres there on Pigeon Creek, which he called "Carmel," on 29 August 1786, and it was surveyed 28 June 1787 and a patent issued 14 June 1793.

By their ante-nupial agreement, Martha was to inherit Patrick's estate if they had children, otherwise his property went to the children of his first wife. Shortly after they were married, Martha and Patrick sold his Pigeon Creek land to John Kerr Sr. and they moved to Canonsburg. In 1790 their household consisted of one male aged 16 and upwards, one male under 16, and two females.

Patrick purchased land in Canonsburg from John Canon and his wife and sold it to William McLaughlin and others. By 1793 the Scott family was back in Somerset Township where Patrick was taxed that year. In 1800 his household was enumerated there with two males under 10, one 45 and upwards, two females under 10, and one 45 and upwards.

The Scotts moved to Mercer County, Pennsylvania in 1807, perhaps attracted by Martha's brother William, and here Patrick, at aged seventy-two, purchased 110 acres in Lackawannock Township. The family's entry there on the census for 1810 showed one male 16-25, one 45 and upwards, and one female 16-26, Martha evidently having not been counted. Patrick was elected an elder in the Neshannock Church about 1812 and served until his death.

Patrick Scott made his will on 16 January 1816 and it was proved 23 February 1820. He bequeathed to daughters Mary Thompson and Martha Wilson one hundred dollars each, which he had already given them. Mary was to receive another dollar at his death and Martha a saddle, cow, two sheep, fifty dollars cash, and twenty-one dollars at her mother's death "if not before". To son Francis he left "the tenement that I now live upon," Francis was also to have a horse, saddle, and bridle, a milch cow, flax and wool as necessary, and bed and bedding. Patrick was supposedly buried in the Neshannock Churchyard, but there is no stone there now to confirm it.

Martha Scott was apparently living with her son Francis in 1820, when his household included a female aged 45 and upwards, and in 1830, when there was a female aged 70-80. She was named in her brother Hugh's will of 1820 and seems to have died within the next decade, as no elder female was in Francis or his sisters' households in 1840. More likely she died before 1833, as her name is not found that year on the Neshannock Church list.

Children of Patrick and Martha "Mattie" (Cotton) Scott were as follows:

+ 20. I. Mary "Polly" Scott, born 21 September 1787.

+ 21. II. Francis Scott, born about 1789.

+ 22. III. Henry Scott, born about 1792.

+ 23. IV. Martha "Mattie" Scott, born about 1794."

A correction to the date of Patrick's ante-nupial agreement is contained in another entry from the above genealogy: "LYDIA COTTON, (HENRY), born about 1755 in Marsh Creek, Lancaster Co., PA; died about 1825 in Strabane Twp., Washington Co., PA. Lydia Cotton: Lydia, born about 1755; died unmarried, probably in South Strabane Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, between 1820, when she seems to have been enumerated there in her sister Mary's household, and 7 February 1829, when she was not named in brother Hugh's will.

The only other record of Lydia is in 1787, when she witnessed with her mark the ante-nuptial agreement between her sister Martha and Patrick Scott."

Patrick Scott's life left traces in other documents:

The Pennsylvania Archives, Series 5 Volume 1, contains on pages 37 and 38: "'A NUMBER OF THE INHABITANTS OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY HEARTILY JOINED AS A COMPANY.'-AUG. 7, 1755. (a.)

Captain-Joseph Armstrong.

Privates.

Armstrong, John.

Armstrong, Thomas."

...

"Robertson, Barnt.

Scott, Francis.

Scott, James.

Scott, Patrick.

Scott, William.

Shields, David."

...

"Wilson, Jon."

Recently published was a reprint edition of Virginia Court Records in Southwestern Pennsylvania by Boyd Crumrine. The only mention of Patrick Scott in the index of that book refers to an entry in Minutes of Court of Yohogania County. On page 110 is, "The Court met in persuant to adjournment Oct 29th 1777." On pages 111 and 112 are, " The Last will & Testament of Joseph Kirkwood deceased was proved by the Oaths of Nicholas Little and Geo Gillespie two of the Subscribing Witnesses and ordered to be recorded. James Allison and Margaret Kirkwood came into Court and took the Oath of Executor and Executrix of the Estate of Joseph Kirkwood, deceased, whereupon the said James Allison and Margaret Kirkwood with George Gillespie and John McDowell, their Sureties come into Court and enter into Bond for the due performance of their said trust. Ordered that Nicholas Little, Patrick McCollock and Patrick Scott or any two of them, being first sworn do apprais the Estate of Joseph Kirdwood deceased, and make return to next Court."

Patrick Scott's name was published by Shirley G.M. Iscrupe in a list of taxable inhabitants of Somerset Township, Washington Co., PA in 1781.

Patrick Scott and Mary Stevenson were administrators for the estate of John Stevenson (File #/Year = S-06-1786); this was listed in Index to Washington County Accounts 1781-1790 published in the Volume V, Number 4, May 1985 edition of Old Westmoreland, the History and Genealogy of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, copyright by Southwest Pennsylvania Genealogical Services.

There was a Patrick Scott who bought land at the office at Steubenville, Ohio in 1810; I wonder whether this is the same Patrick Scott as above. The following information comes from Early Ohioans' Residences from the Land Grant Records compiled by Mayburt Stephenson Riegel and published by the Ohio Genealogical Society. All the Scott/Scot entries for the Steubenville Land Office in the above publication are:

"SCOT, John 9-24-1805 S2 T12 R3 432 60 WP

SCOTT, Andrew 5-28-1806 S28 T14 R3 432 81 WP

SCOTT, John 5-7-1805 S28 T19 R7+ 432 49 WP

SCOTT, Patrick 5-2-1810 S20 T14 R3 432 108 WP

SCOTT, Thomas 1-4-1806 S14 T19 R7 432 71 ST

SCOTT, William 9-25-1805 S32 T11 R3 432 60 WP"

The WP code for residence refers to Washington County, Pennsylvania. The last three columns of each entry are the book #, page #, and residence code.

Sources