William Henry Scott (September 1, 1840 – January 11, 1937), born in

Athens, Ohio Athens is a city in Athens County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 23,849 at the 2020 United States census. Located along the Hocking River within Appalachian Ohio about southeast of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, Athe ...

, was the seventh President of

Ohio University Ohio University (Ohio or OU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Athens, Ohio, United States. The university was first conceived in the 1787 contract between the United States Department of the Treasury#Re ...

from 1872 to 1883, and the third President of

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

from 1883 to 1895. Scott received his college degree from Ohio University. He was the first alumnus of the university to be its president. Scott was born in

Chauncey, Ohio Chauncey ( ) is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 959 at the 2020 census. Geography Chauncey is located along Sunday Creek just above its confluence with the Hocking River. A small portion of the village is in ...

which is in

Athens County, Ohio Athens County is a county in southeastern Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 62,431. Its county seat and largest city is Athens. The county was formed in 1805 from Washington County. Because Ohio's first state university, Ohio ...

as is Ohio University. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, his great-grandfather Andrew Scott and his grandfather John Scott having immigrated from Ireland in 1790. His father Alexander Scott was born in

Zanesville, Ohio Zanesville is a city in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located at the confluence of the Licking River (Ohio), Licking and Muskingum River, Muskingum rivers, the city is approximately east of Columbus, Ohio, Columb ...

in 1808. His father was a miller and moved the family to McConnellsville, Ohio when he was two. His early education was at a Methodist run school in McConnelville until he was 10 when a public school was opened in that place. He began at the high school there when he was 12 in 1852. He began as a teacher at a small rural school at age 16 in 1856. In 1859 his family relocated to

and he enrolled in Ohio University. Scott earned his college degree in 1862. He was the same year he was made superintendent of public schools in Athens, Ohio. In this position, he taught most of the courses at the high school and oversaw all the other schools and teachers in the district. He then became a Methodist minister in 1864. He was made the pastor at

Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe ( ) is a city in Ross County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 22,059 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along the Scioto River 45 miles (72 km) south of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, ...

. In 1867 he was made a pastor in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

. In 1869 he was made a professor of Greek language at Ohio University. He became president of Ohio University in 1872. As president of Ohio University he managed to get the endowment reorganized and also get legislative support for the university. In 1883 Scott left Ohio University to take the lead of Ohio State University. He was given a chair in philosophy at the same time he was made university president. He only was president of the university for two years but continued with the chair of philosophy until he retired in 1910 at age 70.Cope, ''Ohio State'', p. 360

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, William Henry Ohio University Ohio University alumni Ohio University faculty Presidents of Ohio State University 1840 births 1937 deaths Presidents of Ohio University Ohio State University faculty Christians from Ohio

See also

References