Tarrant County TXGenWeb

Winfield Scott, 64, Fort Worth's heaviest taxpayer, died Thursday afternoon at St. Joseph's Infirmary, leaving a fortune estimated at between $4,000,000 and $5,000,000. Scott had been in poor health several years and confined to his room for the past month. His condition became serious Wednesday night and he was taken to the Infirmary for surgery, but his weakened condition could not stand the shock. It was believed that his death was hastened by worry and grief over the death of Capt. E. B. Harrold, (last August), his friend and partner in many enterprises. Mrs. Scott and his 10-year-old son, Winfield, Jr. were at his bedside.

Winfield Scott was born in Kentucky March 4, 1847, and moved with his parents at an early age to Barry, Mo. Just past age 21, he came to Texas and earned his first money chopping wood along the Trinity River in Tarrant County. He could not read or write but he had an ambition to amass a great fortune.

He returned to Missouri where he married a Miss Colley, his youthful sweetheart, who she died a year later. Mrs. Georgia Townsend is a daughter by this first marriage. Nineteen years ago he married Miss Elizabeth Simmons, a daughter of Dr. J. W. Simmons of Weatherford, Tex.

Mr. Scott's funeral will be conducted Sunday afternoon from the residence of the late Capt. E. B. Harrold on Summit Ave. Burial will be in a vault in Oakwood Cemetery and a lot will be selected by Mrs. Scott for permanent interment. His brother and sisters from out of town probably will be unable to attend and his sister in Benbrook is confined to her bed.

Many friends throughout Texas and other states have either arrived or are en route to attend the funeral. Mrs. Scott has received large numbers of condolence messages from her husband's business acquaintances and friends in Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Joseph, Denver, Oklahoma City, and from all over the country. Rev. J. B. French, pastor of the Broadway Presbyterian Church, will conduct the funeral service. Honorary pallbearers include A. B. Robertson, Capt. M. B. Loyd, S. B. Burnett, S. B. Canter, William Edrington and Joe W. Allison.

The Mutual Cotton Seed Oil Mill of this city and the East St. Louis Oil Mill Company, of which Mr. Scott was president at the time of his death, have shut down until Monday morning, while the eight mills in West and Central Texas formerly owned by him were ordered stopped upon receiving the news of his death.

Mr. Scott early saw the future of Fort Worth and invested heavily in city property, most of which he owned at the time of his death. This included the Worth, Metropolitan, Terminal and Majestic Hotels, the building occupied by Washer Bros., a portion of the Scott-Harrold building and a number of other large properties in the city. One of his chief ambitions was to erect a magnificent structure on the site of the present Hotel Worth. During the last year he purchased the Wharton home at Pennsylvania and Summit Avenues, for $90,000 and was spending thousands of dollars for improvement which were only half completed when he died.

Within the past twenty years, he became interested in cotton seed oil mills, cotton mills and gins. When he died he was President of the Mutual Cotton Oil Company of Fort Worth and the East St. Louis Cotton Seed Oil Company and also joint owner of big gins at Stamford and Anson. He owned a 14,000 acre ranch in Tarrant and Parker Counties as well as other large ranch interests in West Texas. Two years ago, he decided to retire from active business and took his wife and son on a European tour. In his later years, Mr. Scott entrusted a great deal of his property dealings to his friends. Judge B. D. Cramer has managed Mr. Scott's interests for quite some time.

According to his father's will, Winfield Scott, Jr. will receive the bulk of the estate. The property left is estimated to be worth nearly $43,000,000. The entire estate is left to Winfield, Jr., Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Georgia Townsend of Denver, with a few small bequests to other relatives and intimate associates. This will probably make Winfield Scott, Jr. the richest boy in Fort Worth and among the richest in Texas.

In compliance with terms of the will, the son can neither sell, convey nor mortgage any portion of the property, and, should he attempt to do so, will forfeit his claims. He can dispose of the property only by will. Among the properties left to him are the Worth and Terminal hotels, all of the Metropolitan Hotel except the northwest portion of the building which went to his mother; the New Century building, occupied by Washer Bros., and the ranch located in Tarrant and Parker Counties.

Among the properties transferred to Mrs. Scott were lots 7 and 8 of block 115, which is the northwest corner of the Metropolitan Hotel, the Majestic Hotel, the Elizabeth Building and a brick building on Main Street. In addition she receives the White Elephant building, the east half of the Scott-Harrold building and another building adjoining the White Elephant as well as the residue of the estate after all debts are paid in full. This includes the $90,000 residence at Summit and Pennsylvania Avenues now under improvement [and today known as Thistle Hill]. Mr. Scott's will specified that his debts were to be paid out of his $100,000 life insurance and expressed the wish that his wife qualify as guardian for their son. A. B. Robertson and Mrs. Scott were named executors without bond.

Winfield Scott was very devoted to his wife and son. The Majestic Hotel is really the Winfield, Jr., - the inscription can be seen above the building. The Elizabeth Building, at the corner of Thirteenth and Main, is named for his wife.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Georgia Townsend of Denver; son, Winfield Scott, Jr.; brother, Vince Scott of Waggoner, Okla.; and three sisters, Mrs. A. T. Wooten of Benbrook, Mrs. Camden and Mrs. Williams of Pierce City, Mo.

	Tarrant County TXGenWeb Winfield Scott Cattleman and Capitalist Fort Worth Star Telegram October 13, 1911
	Winfield Scott, 64, Fort Worth's heaviest taxpayer, died Thursday afternoon at St. Joseph's Infirmary, leaving a fortune estimated at between $4,000,000 and $5,000,000. Scott had been in poor health several years and confined to his room for the past month. His condition became serious Wednesday night and he was taken to the Infirmary for surgery, but his weakened condition could not stand the shock. It was believed that his death was hastened by worry and grief over the death of Capt. E. B. Harrold, (last August), his friend and partner in many enterprises. Mrs. Scott and his 10-year-old son, Winfield, Jr. were at his bedside. Winfield Scott was born in Kentucky March 4, 1847, and moved with his parents at an early age to Barry, Mo. Just past age 21, he came to Texas and earned his first money chopping wood along the Trinity River in Tarrant County. He could not read or write but he had an ambition to amass a great fortune. He returned to Missouri where he married a Miss Colley, his youthful sweetheart, who she died a year later. Mrs. Georgia Townsend is a daughter by this first marriage. Nineteen years ago he married Miss Elizabeth Simmons, a daughter of Dr. J. W. Simmons of Weatherford, Tex. Mr. Scott's funeral will be conducted Sunday afternoon from the residence of the late Capt. E. B. Harrold on Summit Ave. Burial will be in a vault in Oakwood Cemetery and a lot will be selected by Mrs. Scott for permanent interment. His brother and sisters from out of town probably will be unable to attend and his sister in Benbrook is confined to her bed. Many friends throughout Texas and other states have either arrived or are en route to attend the funeral. Mrs. Scott has received large numbers of condolence messages from her husband's business acquaintances and friends in Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Joseph, Denver, Oklahoma City, and from all over the country. Rev. J. B. French, pastor of the Broadway Presbyterian Church, will conduct the funeral service. Honorary pallbearers include A. B. Robertson, Capt. M. B. Loyd, S. B. Burnett, S. B. Canter, William Edrington and Joe W. Allison. The Mutual Cotton Seed Oil Mill of this city and the East St. Louis Oil Mill Company, of which Mr. Scott was president at the time of his death, have shut down until Monday morning, while the eight mills in West and Central Texas formerly owned by him were ordered stopped upon receiving the news of his death. Mr. Scott early saw the future of Fort Worth and invested heavily in city property, most of which he owned at the time of his death. This included the Worth, Metropolitan, Terminal and Majestic Hotels, the building occupied by Washer Bros., a portion of the Scott-Harrold building and a number of other large properties in the city. One of his chief ambitions was to erect a magnificent structure on the site of the present Hotel Worth. During the last year he purchased the Wharton home at Pennsylvania and Summit Avenues, for $90,000 and was spending thousands of dollars for improvement which were only half completed when he died. Within the past twenty years, he became interested in cotton seed oil mills, cotton mills and gins. When he died he was President of the Mutual Cotton Oil Company of Fort Worth and the East St. Louis Cotton Seed Oil Company and also joint owner of big gins at Stamford and Anson. He owned a 14,000 acre ranch in Tarrant and Parker Counties as well as other large ranch interests in West Texas. Two years ago, he decided to retire from active business and took his wife and son on a European tour. In his later years, Mr. Scott entrusted a great deal of his property dealings to his friends. Judge B. D. Cramer has managed Mr. Scott's interests for quite some time. According to his father's will, Winfield Scott, Jr. will receive the bulk of the estate. The property left is estimated to be worth nearly $43,000,000. The entire estate is left to Winfield, Jr., Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Georgia Townsend of Denver, with a few small bequests to other relatives and intimate associates. This will probably make Winfield Scott, Jr. the richest boy in Fort Worth and among the richest in Texas. In compliance with terms of the will, the son can neither sell, convey nor mortgage any portion of the property, and, should he attempt to do so, will forfeit his claims. He can dispose of the property only by will. Among the properties left to him are the Worth and Terminal hotels, all of the Metropolitan Hotel except the northwest portion of the building which went to his mother; the New Century building, occupied by Washer Bros., and the ranch located in Tarrant and Parker Counties. Among the properties transferred to Mrs. Scott were lots 7 and 8 of block 115, which is the northwest corner of the Metropolitan Hotel, the Majestic Hotel, the Elizabeth Building and a brick building on Main Street. In addition she receives the White Elephant building, the east half of the Scott-Harrold building and another building adjoining the White Elephant as well as the residue of the estate after all debts are paid in full. This includes the $90,000 residence at Summit and Pennsylvania Avenues now under improvement [and today known as Thistle Hill]. Mr. Scott's will specified that his debts were to be paid out of his $100,000 life insurance and expressed the wish that his wife qualify as guardian for their son. A. B. Robertson and Mrs. Scott were named executors without bond. Winfield Scott was very devoted to his wife and son. The Majestic Hotel is really the Winfield, Jr., - the inscription can be seen above the building. The Elizabeth Building, at the corner of Thirteenth and Main, is named for his wife. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Georgia Townsend of Denver; son, Winfield Scott, Jr.; brother, Vince Scott of Waggoner, Okla.; and three sisters, Mrs. A. T. Wooten of Benbrook, Mrs. Camden and Mrs. Williams of Pierce City, Mo.
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Winfield Scott Cattleman and Capitalist

Winfield Scott
Cattleman and Capitalist