Matthew Thompson Scott (1828–1891) was an American agriculturist and real estate operator during the 19th century. Born and raised in

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

he attended college at

Centre College Centre College, formally Centre College of Kentucky, is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, United States. Chartered by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1819, the col ...

also in

. After college he spent several years tending to his father's lands in

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. He then journeyed to

Central Illinois Central Illinois is a region of the U.S. state of Illinois that consists of the entire central third of the state, divided from north to south. Also known as the ''Heart of Illinois'', it is characterized by small towns and mid-sized cities. Agri ...

to develop prairie land into farmland as well as build houses. While doing this he created and developed the city of

Chenoa María Laura Corradini Falomir (born June 25, 1975), known professionally as Chenoa, is an Argentine-Spanish music artist who rose to fame as a contestant on reality television singing competition '' Operación Triunfo''. Her music style could b ...

. He also developed the McLean County Coal Company with Adlai Ewing Stevenson I. Scott also was the founder of the ''Bloomington Bulletin'' a Democratic daily newspaper. He died in Bloomington in 1891.

Early life

Matthew Thompson Scott Jr. was born February 24, 1828, in

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

, as the fourth son to a wealthy banker Matthew T. Scott Sr. Scott Sr. was president of the Northern Bank of Kentucky. The Scott family was of Scotch-Irish descent who was a direct descendant from the old Covenanter hero, Robert Scott, a member of the Lower House of the

Parliament of Scotland In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

. Robert Scott lived during the latter part of the 10th century and fought at the

Battle of Bothwell Bridge The Battle of Bothwell Bridge, or Bothwell Brig' took place on 22 June 1679. It was fought between government troops and militant Presbyterian Covenanters, and signalled the end of their brief rebellion. The battle took place at the bridge ove ...

College and early career

Matthew T Scott Jr. attended

, and graduated in 1846. During his time at Centre College he met his soon-to-be wife Miss Julia Green. Julia Green was daughter of the

president Rev. Lewis W. Green. They would marry in 1859. After college he headed north to manage his family's land in

. Between 1848 and 1859 the Scott family bought over of western land, with much of it being in

. The base of what Matthew T Scott's personal holdings were a tract of land near the present town of

Chenoa, Illinois Chenoa is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2020 census. The city is located at the intersections of Interstate 55, Historic Route 66, and U.S. Route 24. Founded in 1854 by Mathew T. Scott, Chen ...

Development of Chenoa

In 1855 news of the

Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway The Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway , formerly nicknamed the "Tip-Up", is a shortline railroad that operates of trackage between Mapleton and Peoria in Illinois, and Logansport, Indiana. TP&W also interchanges with multiple surrounding railr ...

extending through

to intersect with the current

Chicago and Alton Railroad The Alton Railroad was the final name of a railroad linking Chicago to Alton, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; and Kansas City, Missouri. Its predecessor, the Chicago and Alton Railroad , was purchased by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1931 an ...

, Scott began to plat the city of

. He established the first trackside grain storage facility in northern McLean County. He also launched the most extensive advertising campaign ever seen in

of that time, to promote the development of his town. In his advertisements, he told prospective buyers "The lack of local timber would be offset by the cheap coal that would be shipped in on rail from

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

and stressed that local farmers and merchants would be at a distinct trading advantage". He dug a cistern and offered to stake a quarter interest in a steam-powered mill. He also donated land for a church and burial sites. He also built his personal house in 1855 known today as the Matthew T. Scott House. During 1855, 12 houses were built by Scott and over of prairieland was broken as agriculture began to boom in the area. By the 1850s Scott had broken and fenced more than of land, most of it located within modern day Chenoa Township. By 1890 50 tenants were farming of Scott's land, most of it being in

Later career and death

In 1867 Matthew T Scott founded the McLean County Coal Company in conjunction with Adlai E. Stevenson I. Mclean County Coal Company was the most successful coal mine in McLean County. He also established the ''Bloomington Bulletin'' which was a Democratic Daily newspaper based in

Bloomington, Illinois Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census showed the city had a population of 78,680, making it the List of municipalities in Illinois, 13th-most populous ci ...

. Matthew T. Scott died May 21, 1891. He is buried in the city he loved and developed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Matthew T. 1828 births 1891 deaths Centre College alumni People from Lexington, Kentucky People from Chenoa, Illinois