Mr. Scott's grandmother, nee Ann Shaw, on the maternal side, was also Protestant Scotch-Irish. Her parents, John and Isabella Shaw and family came from County Atrium, Ireland, in 1800, and settled in Cayuga county, N.Y., Mrs. John Shaw was Isabella Tennent, daughter of a member of Parliament and owner of large landed estates in northern Ireland.

The subject of this sketch in his boyhood worked on his father's farm in Dryden and went to the district school. At about sixteen, and for several years after, he attended the Ithaca Academy, at Ithaca, N.Y., directing his studies in large part to mathematics and surveying. While attending the academy he generally taught school during the winters.

In the spring of 1866 he made a trip to the Northwest and at St. Paul joined a party then organizing there under Gen. G.K. Warren of the U.S. Corps of Engineers, for a survey of the upper Mississippi river. Upon the disbanding of this party at St. Louis late in 1866, Mr. Scott returned home and renewed his studies at the Ithaca Academy. While at school in the fall of 1867, General Warren offerred him a position as assistant engineer on the improvement of the upper Mississippi, then getting under way. This position he accepted with much hesitation, as it broke in on his plan of study, which included a course at college. He remained on the Mississippi work for several years. The latter three years of that time he was employed as assistant engineer on the construction of a large railroad and highway bridge built by the United States across the Mississippi river at Rock Island and Davenport. He was on this work from the first survey for the location of the bridge until its completion in the spring of 1873. On the completion of the bridge General Warren, who had been transferred to the East with headquarters at Newport, R.I., tendered Mr. Scott a position under him there. This would have been accepted but for another, and what appeared a more promising offer, made about the same time.

In that year, 1873, the United States Government undertook the improvement of the Great Kanawha river, which was in the Ohio River Department, then in charge of Col. William E. Merrill, Corps of Engineer, with headquarters at Cincinnati, and Mr. Scott was placed in local charge as resident engineer. Through several changes that took place in the organization of the river improvement force, Mr. Scott was continuously retained in his position as chief assistant or resident engineer.

During his long service here, he devoted himself with persevering zeal and energy to the duties of his professional position, mastering thoroughly the theory and practical details of the Chanoine movable dams which the Government adopted in the movement of the Great Kanawha river. The first movable dams in America were built in this river. For a full description of the Chanoine dams and a history of the improvement of the Great Kanawha river, see a separate article elsewhere in this volume.

To all his subordinates Mr. Scott was always courteous and kind, winning their respect and esteem, while he himself possessed the unbounded confidence and kind regards of superior officers. In his profession he has achieved an enviable reputation for capacity, skill, and executive ability. In his general intercourse with the public Mr. Scott is a modest, unassuming, courteous gentleman. He is accurate, prompt, and thoroughly reliable in all business engagements and transactions.

Mr. Scott remained in local charge of the Great Kanawha River Improvement until the fall of 1901, when he resigned, making a continuous service of over twenty-eight years on that work and of thirty-four years as civil engineer in the U.S. Corps of Engineers. A reference to his professional service should not omit the following tribute paid him by the distinguished engineer officer, the late Gen. William P. Craighill, under whom he served for twenty-one years, a period embracing the beginning and nearly the entire completion of the lock and dam system of the great Kanawha. As noted elsewhere, Gen. Craighill gave up command of the Baltimore Division of River and Harbor works, which included the Great Kanawha Improvement, in 1895, when promoted to the highest office in his corps, the Chief of Engineers of the Army. In an article on the Kanawha Improvement, that appeared in the "Engineering Record" of June 17, 1899, General Craighill says: "I desire also to call attention in the most emphatic way to another member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, who has for more than twenty-five years been connected with this important improvement which has been most successful from a commercial as well as an engineering standpoint. I refer to Mr. A.M. Scott, who was a principal engineer on this work when I took charge of it for the United States in 1874; he has remained on it up to the present time when it is completed. The conduct of the work has been most economical, wise and excellent in every way. Mr. Scott has exhibited an unusual degree of skill as a designing and constructing engineer in the management of the improvement and in dealing with the many perplexing problems, which have presented themselves for solution in its progress. To him is due, more than to any other person, the success of this work. I say what I know, and it gives sincere pleasure thus to bear record to the merit of a most faithful and deserving man."

Mr. Scott has continued to make Charleston his home since giving up active work in the river improvement. He had faith in the future of the city and valley from the first, and proved it by early and judicious investments of his savings in real estate here, that have made a fair provision for his declining years. He has been a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers since 1886; and is Vice President of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce; he is a Mason of long standing - past High Priest of Royal Arch Masons, and past Eminent Commander of Knights Templar of the Charleston Commandery. Though not a member of any church, he has been identified with the Kanawha Presbyterian since first coming to Charleston, and is a member of the board of trustees of that church.

He was married in 1907 to Miss Florence L. Jeroloman, a daughter of Judge John Jeroloman of New York City.

Mr. Scott has always been a democrat, and though never prominent in politics, he takes a real interest in all public matters, and, as indicated above, is active in various lines of civic duty.