California Biographies

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


WILLIAM STODDARD SCOTT, who has been identified with the business interests of 
Fresno since the age of nineteen years, has spent his entire life in California. He is a native of 
Woodland, Yolo county, where he received a public-school education. He learned the brick- 
layer's trade under his father, the late C. C. Scott, whose sketch appears on another page in 
this work. When sixteen years old he began to do journeyman work, being thus engaged in 
Selma and later in San Francisco. On coming to Fresno he took charge of C. J. Craycroft's 
brick buildings as foreman and continued in the same position for five years. Since 1895 he has 
engaged in contracting for himself and in the interval has erected, among other structures, the 
Santa Fe round house and depot, the Methodist Episcopal Church South, Baptist Church, Sani- 
tarium, Kinspiel building, O'Neill, Carnegie, Wenner, Rosser, Cooper and Porteous buildings, 
Episcopal Church, Risley building (now the Union hotel), Forsythe building, and numerous 
residences in Fresno, besides being foreman in the construction of both wings of the court house. 
Out of the city his contracts have taken him to Sanger, Reedley, Madera, Clovis, Selma, Merced 
and other towns where building enterprises are being pushed with energy and success. 

An active worker in the Republican party. Mr. Scott was its candidate for county clerk in 1902, 
but was defeated by one hundred and eighty-four votes. The Fresno Chamber of Commerce 
numbers him among its members. His fraternal relations include membership in the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of the Maccabees, Knights of Pythias (in which he has offi- 
ciated as captain of the Uniform Rank). Foresters of America, Modern Woodmen of America, 
Fraternal Brotherhood, Rebekahs, Degree of Honor, Ancient Order of United Workmen and 
Native Sons of the Golden West. Since 1890 he has been connected with the California Nation- 
al Guard and at one time was drum major of the Sixth Regiment. During the Spanish-American 
war he enlisted as a private in Company C, Sixth California Infantry, and rose to be sergeant, in 
which capacity he was serving at the time of his honorable discharge from the volunteer organ- 
ization. Afterward he renewed his membership in Company C, Sixth National Guard, and held 
a commission as first lieutenant of his company. He is connected with the Spanish-American War 
Veterans. During the progress of the war he acted as a correspondent for the Fresno Repub- 
lican, to which, as to other local papers, he has also been a contributor on other topics. On the 
organization of the Bricklayers & Masons International Union No. 1, at Fresno, he became 
a charter member, was elected its first secretary, and has continued to fill that office up to the 
present time. He also holds office as vice-president of the state union of the same organization 
and is further connected with the Building and Trades Council of Fresno as its secretary.