Scott-Arnett
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 country 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, August 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.