James A Scott was the son of Dr. George Lackey Scott (born in Dresden Tennessee) and Mary Applewhite Manion. His grandfather was William Shanks Scott who is interred in the Scott Family Cemetery in Weakley county.
In this letter James mentions Uncle Rufi and Aunt Mat. Rufi was Rufus Franklin Scott, George Lackey Scott's brother, who married Martha Helen Moran, John W. Moran's sister. You may remember that Rufus and Martha made the move to Texas in 1858. James also mentions Bettie Watkins, a girl he danced with and apparently had been sweet on but was too slow to take action since he says another man moved in and took her. That's actually kind of sad considering that his death certificate indicates he was single. It also tells us that he was Court Clerk at the Court of Civil Appeals and that he died from pneumonia with contributing factors being a fractured hip and diabetes. He was born March 24 1864 and died January 23 1942. James A Scott is interred at Fairview Cemetery in Gaineseville Texas with his parents and many other Scott relatives.
Gainesville Texas
June 4 1891
Miss Fannie Moran,
Dresden Tenn.
My Dear Cousin,
You did not keep your word old girl, you promised to send me one of your pictures when I sent mine, and you had better start it down here or I will come over there and make things pretty warm for you. (So he sent Fannie a picture which means we might actually have him here but he's not identified)
Cousin Fannie I appreciated your nice and interesting letter very much, was glad to know my Coz would answer my letter.
Uncle Rufi and Aunt Mat are in Kansas City and everything seems very lonesome up at his house now. I was up to see Cousin Annie yesterday evening a little while made a fashionable call something like the one I made in the evening when you were here and left without any on knowing I was going.
The young people had a picnic yesterday and the Christian Church one to day, up on Washita River in the
Say Coz Fan, did my Tennessee Cousins think I ought to have horns? because I was raised in Texas well anyway I suppose you have convinced them that Texas people look like any other people have you not?
What do you think Miss Bettie Watkins (the girl I danced so much with) has gone back on me, I let another fellow get ahead of me, as usual I was too slow.
Well give my kindest regards to Cousin S- and little Marion and your father and write soon to your
Texas Cousin
James A Scott
The Scott Family Cemetery is located near Martin Tennessee on private property.
