Judge Leonard W. Scott and The Scott Family of Caldwell County Texas. (original) (raw)

by Wayne & Ricke Scott Photos courtesy the Scott Family

Leonard W. Scott, wife, son and baby Leonard W. Scott with family c. 1947

The Scott Family Saga began in the late 1850s - early 1860s when Daniel Bradford Scott and his wife Sara came to Texas from Mississippi to reunite with family members already here.

Lon Walker Scott (Father of Judge Leonard Scott) was only about a year old when the family arrived - moving first to Milam County and then to Caldwell County.

Lon Scott met Lou Ella Crunk Vaughan, a part of the Bagley family who lived outside of Martindale. They married and had five children, including Leonard, who was born on a farm near Staples, Texas on April 25th 1914.

The family moved briefly to Karnes County where Leonard met Bonnie Hinkle Scott from the Pawnee community of Bee County.

Leonard W. Scott and Bonnie Hinkle, lockhart, Texas 1940 Bonnie Hinkle and Leonard W. Scott c. 1940

Leonard didn't come to Lockhart until 1934 or 35 when he brought in a load of cattle (by horseback) to sell. He broke his thumb during the trip, so he dropped off the cows and spent the night behind his Uncle Walter Scott's Magnolia Service Station where Walter helped him get to a doctor the next day. He stayed a few days, helping out, then later returned to work for Uncle Walker for about $30.00 a month as a gas attendant. From that job he was recruited by Goodyear to manage their Lockhart store.

Leonard W. Scott (center) with employees in front of Lockhart's Goodyear store.

Leonard was mostly self-educated and his formal education was only to the eighth grade. He put his life-experience to work managing his store, while still farming and raising cattle. He watched his Goodyear outlet outsell much larger stores in Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. He served in WWII and finally retired after 35 years with Goodyear. He immediately went straight into public service and was popular enough to get elected three times, helped revise the EMS system for the county, improved fire service, obtained grants for agriculture, and tried in vain to improve growth for the county.

County judge Leonard W. Scott swear-in, Caldwell County, 1975 "Leonard W. Scott's swearing-in as County Judge, on January 2nd, 1975. Sworn in by then County Attorney Bill Fieldler, he served for three more terms until his death on November 28, 1987."

During all this time this layman held court then helped establish the first County Court at Law for Caldwell County in 1987. He also set up the first modern County Fire Marshal for the county. He served as Judge from 1974 until early 1987 when he retired. He died of cancer in November of 1987.

Leonard & Bonnie have three sons. Leonard Wayne, a longtime Professor of Law & Mediation at St. Mary's in San Antonio, Mike, a Pharmacist with a local pharmacy for thirty years in Lockhart, now living in Grapevine, and Ricke, a retired Police Officer and the (past) second county fire Marshall for the county.

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