Scott-Arnett Family Reunion held Thursday, August 27, 1908
This newspaper clipping is from unknown paper, unknown date. From papers of my Grandma,
Estella Blanche Horner Fleenor.
FIRST SCOTT-ARNETT REUNION SUCCESS
Half Thousand Relatives Gathered at Fairmount Fair Ground Thursday of Last Week
The Scott-Arnett reunion held at Fairmount, Thursday, August 27, was a great success.
Less than three months passed since the work of organizing began, yet some 500 relatives
from Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio and many other sections of the land were brought
together. Parents and children and brothers and sisters and cousins, and others, many of
whom had long been separated or who had never before seen each other, met, and many happy
surprises were witnessed.
B.F. Scott of Waverly, Kas., his son W. M. Scott, and grandson, Charles A.
Scott, of Burlington, Kansas; Cyrus B. Scott of Momence, Ill., E. H. Scott of Goodland,
Ind., and their sister, Lucinda Coates, of Ekin, Ind., children of the late Anderson W.
Scott, were present. Mrs. F.M. Lowes and two daughters from Chicago, and Mr. and Mrs. U.
J. Wi__ts of Indianapolis, children of the ____ Louisa Hall, another one of the Scott
sisters, were also present. A. W. Scott was an older brother of James and Stephen Scott,
well known in Grant County. Miss Helen and Blanche Scott were present from Salina, Kas.
Others came from Chicago and Utica and Washington, Ohio, and from other sections.
While many came from Geneva, Hortonsville, Alexandria, Brookston, Lafayette,
Richmond, Muncie, Tipton, Anderson, Kokomo, Greentown, New London, Sweetser, Upland,
Amboy, Paoli, Amo, and other surrounding towns and cities, the great majority were from
about Fairmount and Marion, where many hundreds of the descendants of these two great
families reside.
Numerous descendants of the Arnett family were present. From Washington,
Kas., came Addison Arnett, the only living child of Jesse Arnett, grandfather of the
oldest living generation, and two of his sons, J. W. and E. C. Arnett. From Howard County
were Valentine Scott and his wife, William Arnett and wife, Willis Arnett, Mrs. Lizzie
Arnett Bull, Jason Bull, Roma Bull, Richard and Eunice Sturgeon, Sarah A. DeLong, Rachel
A. Stack and others. Of the Edward Arnett descendants quite a number were present from
about Marion and Jonesboro. The oldest living representative of this family present was
Jehu Andrews, who married a daughter of Edward Arnett.
The meeting being called to order, the congregation sang, "We Praise Thee
O God." Prayer by Rev. E. J. Scott. Address of welcome by Rev. Elwood Scot. {sic}
Response by Valentine Arnett of Greentown. Brief talks on various branches of the Arnett
family were given by E. A. Arnett, Valentine Arnett, Addison Arnett, and others, after
which descendants of these branches of the great Arnett family were presented.
The secretary then explained how Arnett blood was coursing through the
descendants of James Scott, Stephen Scott, and Nancy Scott Hoggatt Arnett - by marriage
into the family. The recognition ??? separated relatives, or those who ___ met for the
first time, was an occasion of great rejoicing. Amid tears and exclamations of joy many
greeted each other. It was a heart-melting time long to be remembered and seemed akin to
the anticipated joy when we shall meet in the heavenly reunion.
Echoes were read by the secretary from absent relatives scattered from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, and even to Central America. The words of greeting were full of
hope and encouragement as well as expressive of love and sympathy. Some 2,000 names have
been enrolled by the secretary, and yet the work seems but begun.
The secretary, in giving a brief history of the Scott and Arnett ancestry,
said, in part: "I once thought that the Scott name was taken from Scotland. I have
since learned better, for since we have traced the genealogy of the Scotts back for two
thousands years, I see that Scotland took its name from the Scotts, and if there never had
been a Scott family, there would never have been a Scotland. Many illustrious names of
the great family in Scotland are on record, of whom we may feel justly proud. This is
especially true of Sir Walter Scott, of whose lineage our immediate family are
descendants,"
"The Arnett (Arnot, Arnote, or Arnott) family was once famous in
Scotland. The Arnett family also did much in the making of Ireland, from which country our
immediate ancestor came. On coming to this country he settled first in Maryland. Here he
owned a large landed estate. His legal heirs are justly entitled to millions from this
estate, which was never justly settled. Later, he lived in North Carolina, where he
raised a family of one daughter, and, perhaps, eleven sons. Of these some settled in
Virginia, others in Tennessee, some in Kentucky, others in Ohio and Indiana, and one in
Illinois. From these have sprung a numerous posterity, now scattered from east to west.
Along the Pacific coast, and at some points in Kansas, they seem to almost make up certain
rural routes. In western Virginia, they are also numerous, and one town is named
Arnettville." So the two families not only helped to make Scotland and Ireland, but
came to America to help make this c!
ountry good and great. Let us therefore hold our heads up and look the world square in
the face, and strive to make it better and better." The secretary then read from the
letters written by Rev. J. A. Arnett, pastor of the First M. E. Church of McAllister,
Oklahoma, and from Loten P. Arnett, treasurer of a board of trustees, Chattanooga,
Oklahoma, expressing strongest sympathy with the reunion and the plan for a book; also
sending remittance to aid in the work.
On motion, by the secretary, a message of greeting was wired to the Arnett
reunion to be held at Arnettsville, Augst 30, care of Rev. E. S. Arnett. It was
unanimously endorsed and read as follows: "Fraternal greetings from the Scott-Arnett
reunion now in session at Fairmount, Ind., with suggestion for a two days joint reunion
next year. More than 1,000 Arnetts already enrolled. Rev. E. J. Scott; general
secretary."
The noon hour was greatly enjoyed as a social time by all. An abundant meal
was spread on long tables in the leafy grove. Around these tables about 500 persons
gathered and feasted sumptuously, and yet there was an abundance left. At a special table
for the aged, some thirty persons, ranging from about 70 to 83 years, were seated. Here a
touching scene occurred when the three brothers, B. F. Scott, C. B. Scott and E. H. Scott,
were introduced to their sister, Mrs. Lucinda Coats, whom some of them had not seen for
fifty years, and of whose presence they were not apprized until at the close of the meal.
Then followed tenderest embraces long to be remembered.
The afternoon session opened with music and a duet by the Misses Barber
sisters of Richmond, Ind., followed by a reading by Miss Ethel Sanbourn of Fountain City.
The committee on reorganization recommended for president the name of Elwood Scott;
vice-president, E. A. Arnett; secretary, E. J. Scott; assistant secretary, Miss Dora
Bogue; recommendations unanimously adopted and they were appointed. Special committees on
finance and publication and a statistical committee to aid the secretary in gathering data
and history for the book, were also appointed. To the last named committee the secretary
was granted privilege of adding such other names from time to time as he may deem best.
The secretary presented the plan and scope of the book, with probable cost.
It is intended to make it far more complete than any family record to be found among us,
showing births, deaths, marriages, places of burial, occupations, church relation,
addresses of all living members of these two great families. The book will also contain
many half-tone pictures of historic places, persons, tombs, ancient relics, committees,
groups of this and perhaps the next reunion, etc. The book will be sold by advance
subscription orders, blanks for which will be supplied by the secretary.
A liberal subscription to aid in preparation of the work for the book, and for
the next reunion, was taken. It was voted to hold a two days' reunion next year. The
place will probably be Fairmount. The meeting closed by singing "God Be With You
Till We Meet Again," and all went away feeling this had been one of the very best
reunions they ever attended, but expecting a still better time next year.