John Scott

1966

John Scott, frontier printer and editor, was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania on May 9, 1793. John Scott was among the earliest printers and editors in the Indiana portion of the Whitewater Valley. He was associated with the publication of the first newspapers at Brookville, the "Plain Dealer" in 1816 and Richmond, the "Weekly Intelligencer" in 1820 and he appears to have founded the initial paper at Centerville, the "Western Emporium" in 1824. He established the first newspaper in Indiana north of the old National Road, which crosses the state via Richmond, Indianapolis and Terre Haute.

In 1826, Scott published a map of Indiana and also published Indiana’s first Gazetteer, the "Indiana Gazetteer or Topographical Dictionary," both extremely important sources of information concerning the early history of the state.

Wherever he was, Scott was active in community affairs: In Brookville, he served as a county commissioner; an associate judge in Wayne County; a commissioner of the Wabash and Erie Canal. He was the first probate judge in Cass County and he served for several years as chairman of the board of trustees of Logansport. Scott was a devout Methodist and occasionally occupied the pulpit. Scott died July 15, 1838 in Logansport at the age of 45.

John Scott, frontier, editor and printer, contributed much to the establishment and advancement of the press in Indiana. His role with the frontier newspapers at Brookville, Richmond, Centerville and Logansport, as well as his publication of an early map and the states first Gazetteer, marked him as one who made significant contributions, both as a printer and editor.