John B. Scott was an American lawyer and politician from New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

.

Life

He was for more than twenty years a justice of the New York City Marine Court. In May 1840, Scott and Effingham Schieffelin were removed from office on the allegation that the Court had supplied foreigners with letters of naturalization before their legal term of probation (5 years) had expired. After the removal, Scott published An Appeal to the People, from the Decision of the Senate, in the Case of the Removal of the Justices of the Marine Court (New York City, 1840; 30 pages). Half a year later, Scott was elected to the State Senate.

Scott was a member of the New York State Senate

New York State Senate

The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...

 (1st D.) from 1841 to 1844, being a member of the Barnburner

Barnburners and Hunkers

The Barnburners were the more radical faction of the New York state Democratic Party in the mid 19th century. The term barnburner was derived from the idea of someone who would burn down his own barn to get rid of a rat infestation, in this case those who would destroy all banks and corporations,...

 faction of the Democratic Party. In 1846, he was appointed by Gov. Silas Wright

Silas Wright

Silas Wright, Jr. was an American Democratic politician. Wright was born in Amherst, Massachusetts and moved with his father to Weybridge, Vermont in 1796. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1815 and moved to Sandy Hill, New York, the next year, where he studied law, being admitted to the bar...

 as Recorder of New York City

Recorder of New York City

The Recorder of New York City was a municipal officer of New York City from 1683 until the early 20th century. He was at times a judge of the Court of General Sessions, of the Court of Special Sessions, and the New York Court of Common Pleas; Vice-President of the Board of Supervisors of New York...

, the last holder of this office appointed by the governor and confirmed by the State Senate, remaining in office until the end of 1848. On January 1, 1849, he was succeeded by Frederick A. Tallmadge

Frederick A. Tallmadge

Frederick Augustus Tallmadge was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a Member of the U.S. House of Representativesfrom New York's 5th congressional district from 1847 to 1849.-Biography:...

, the first Recorder elected by popular ballot.

Scott lived at 11 Albion Place in New York City, but died in East Hampton, Long Island

Long Island

Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...

, returning from his summer vacation. His remains were deposited in the receiving vault of the 2nd Street Protestant Episcopal Cemetery and later transferred to the Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum.

Sources

• The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 133f and 428; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
• Death of Ex-Recorder Scott in NYT on September 21, 1854
• Funeral of Ex-Recorder Scott in NYT on September 21, 1854

External links