Edith Scott Magna (November 15, 1885 – October 19, 1960) was an American civic leader who served as the 15th president general of the

Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promot ...

(DAR).

Early life and education

Magna was born on November 15, 1885. She was the daughter of Colonel Walter Scott, a businessman and philanthropist for whom the

Scott Medal The Walter Scott Medal for Valor is a medal awarded for acts of bravery by the Garda Síochána. It is not a state award, being in the gift of the Garda Commissioner. History The Garda medal was instituted at the behest of Colonel Walter Scott, ...

was named, and Sarah Dean Campbell. She graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from

Smith College Smith College is a private liberal arts women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith and opened in 1875. It is the largest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite women's c ...

in 1909.

Music

Magna was a soprano singer who specialized in Scottish songs. She also wrote songs and poems.

Clubwork

Magna was vice-president general of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in the 1920s, and served as the DAR's president general from 1932 to 1935. She made it official that presidents general should visit all of the states during their term, and was the first president general to travel by plane to state conferences. During the Great Depression, before her presidency, she raised funds to furnish the library at

Memorial Continental Hall The Memorial Continental Hall in Washington, D.C. is the national headquarters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). It is located at 1776 D Street NW, sharing a city block with the DAR's later-built Administration Building, and Cons ...

. In 1927, a bronze plaque was installed to mark Magna's work in preserving Crafts Tavern, the old post tavern in

Holyoke, Massachusetts Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,238. Located north of Springfield ...

. (The tavern was demolished by 1950, but the plaque was displayed in the school that was built in its place.) The Massachusetts chapter of the DAR funded a college scholarship in her name in 1939. She commented on the honor in 1940, "Faith in our schools is faith in our youth. They need us in these serious times, even as we need them." Magna was made a knight of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

. She was a member of the

National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century The National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century, also referenced as National Society Colonial Dames 17th Century, is an American genealogy, lineage-based heraldry societies, heraldry society and non-profit service organization for women who are d ...

and the

Mayflower Society The General Society of ''Mayflower'' Descendants — commonly called the Mayflower Society — is a hereditary organization of individuals who have documented their descent from at least one of the 102 passengers who arrived on the ''Mayflower'' ...

. A building at Clarke School in Northampton was named for her.

Personal life

Scott married Russell William Magna on March 28, 1910. After being hospitalized for a month following a hip fracture, she died on October 19, 1960, in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magna, Edith Scott 1885 births 1960 deaths American recipients of the Legion of Honour Knights of the Legion of Honour Members of the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century People from Holyoke, Massachusetts Presidents General of the Daughters of the American Revolution Smith College alumni Clubwomen