Rutgers
College takes its name from him. He left many Revolutionary papers,
which have been unfortunately lost.

SCOTT, GENERAL JOHN M.--Born in New York in 1730; died September 14th,
1784. He was the only child of John and Marian Morin Scott, and fourth
in the line of descent from Sir John Scott, Baronet of Ancram, County
Roxburgh, Scotland, who died in 1712. At the age of sixteen he
graduated at Yale College in the class of 1746, and took up the
profession of law in New York, where he rose steadily in practice and
reputation. With Wm. Smith, the historian of New York, and Wm.
Livingston, he became identified with the Whig element in the colony,
and at an early date advocated principles which paved the way for the
final opposition to ministerial measures. These three--Smith,
Livingston, and Scott--became leaders at the bar, and the two latter
also in politics. Scott's residence stood at about the corner of
Thirty-third Street and Ninth Avenue, as appears from Ratzer's
official map of the city and island in 1766-67, and contained 123
acres. At that date it was some three miles out of town. From papers
still preserved it appears that, very soon after the Revolution, this
fine estate, which had become embarrassed, was sold for $8250, and
that as early as 1813 it was worth $100,000. Scott associated himself
with enterprises that contributed to the progress and social
advancement of the city, becoming in 1754 one of the founders of the
Society for the Promotion of the Arts, and also of a City Library.
From 1757 to 1762 he was alderman of the Out-ward of New York. He
contributed to the _Watch Tower_ and _Reflector_, and was the author
of several official and literary papers and reports during his
lifetime. When the Revolutionary troubles opened, he was made one of
the committee of one hundred citizens in 1775, took a foremost part
against England's designs, and, as a powerful public speaker in favor
of the colonial cause, might be called the Samuel Adams or James Otis
of New York. As stated in the text, he became a member of the
provincial committee and Congress in 1775-76, and brigadier-general of
State troops in March, 1776, taking active part in the campaign around
his native city. At the close of the year he offered his last month's
salary to those of his troops who would remain in the service a few
weeks longer, and served himself a month without pay. In 1777 he was
appointed secretary of the State, and continued in th