Scott, Phil.

Phil Scott, born in Joliet, Illinois, on May 3, 1848, was a prominent pioneer upbuilder of Fresno and Fresno County, California. As the son of Jediah Hubbard Scott and Anna Chamberlain, he was brought across the plains by ox team as a child of three in 1851 and was reared on a farm near Sacramento. At seventeen, he became the seventh man hired by the old Central Pacific in its train department, serving for years as a conductor on construction trains and running the overland passenger between Oakland and Bakersfield. He began investing in Fresno County land by purchasing a forty-acre vineyard in the Nevada Colony in 1893, later partnering with his brother Jay Scott and son-in-law J. C. Clark in 1906 to transform 160 acres in Lone Star into a model vineyard. Beyond his agricultural ventures, he served with distinction as supervisor of the Third Supervisory District in Fresno County, eventually becoming chairman of the board before retiring in 1904.

On December 23, 1873, Mr. Scott married Alice Leonard, a native of Sacramento who was born on August 11, 1852, to Argonaut Albert Leonard and Caroline Merrill. Mrs. Scott was educated in Sacramento, survived the historic flood of 1861-62, and stood as a faithful helpmate throughout his career. Together, they raised four children: William M., Jessie, Nan C., and Blanche, who passed away in March 1906. Following his public service, Mr. Scott returned to his vineyard on Lone Star and Las Palmas Avenues before purchasing a home on Wishon Avenue in Fresno, where he passed away on January 18, 1919. Mrs. Scott continued to reside in Fresno as an esteemed member of the community and a benevolent Christian Scientist. His legacy endures through his valuable contributions to regional infrastructure, county leadership, and agricultural development.