Draft:Angelo C. Scott

• Comment: large paragraphs go uncited. Be sure to cite all content in a biography. microbiologyMarcus ^{(petri dish·growths)} 21:24, 29 December 2023 (UTC)

---

Angelo Scott
President of Oklahoma State University
In office 1899–1908
Member of the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature
In office 1894–1897
United States Commissioner for Oklahoma Territory
In office 1891–1892
Personal details
Born	Angelo Cyrus Scott (1857-09-25)September 25, 1857 Franklin, Indiana
Died	February 6, 1949(1949-02-06) (aged 91) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Resting place	Highland Cemetery in Iola, Kansas
Nationality	American
Spouse	Lola Smeltzer Scott ​ (m. 1894)​
Education	University of Kansas George Washington University

Angelo Cyrus Scott (September 25, 1857 – February 6, 1949) was an educator, politician, lawyer, businessman, and civic leader who was instrumental in the founding of Oklahoma. Originally from Indiana he was educated in Kansas before migrating to Oklahoma during the Land Rush of 1889. He was an early peace-keeper in the city of Oklahoma City during the unruly first years following the Land Run. He was known for his booming voice and stature which led many to believe he was a natural born leader. This resulted in him assuming many roles within the early government of both Oklahoma Territory and the State of Oklahoma. While serving in his political roles he also ran a law firm, a hotel, and Oklahoma's first newspaper The Oklahoma Times. He was an educator in the latter half of his life serving as a professor and president of Oklahoma State University, then called Oklahoma A&M. He also served as a professor at both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University. He was named Oklahoma's "Most Useful Citizen" in 1937, six years after retiring from Oklahoma City University.

Early Years

Scott was born outside of Franklin, Indiana before moving to Iola, Kansas at a young age. He was educated in Iola and had a few private tutors to stimulate his appetite for knowledge, particularly law. He attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1877 and a Master of Arts in 1880. He served as a school teacher as well as the court clerk of Allen County, Kansas. In 1883 he moved to Washington, D.C. to attend George Washington University where he earned several law degrees, including a Bachelor of Laws, a Master of Laws, and a Doctor of Letters. He returned briefly to Iola to study law before deciding to try his fortune in Oklahoma Territory during the Land Run.

Years in Early Oklahoma

Like many, Scott was interested in Oklahoma Territory due to its undeveloped nature. He brought with him his education and not much else. Upon settling in Oklahoma City on April 22, 1889, he realized the chaotic nature of the other citizenry. There was an ongoing feud with the Boomers, then led by William Couch, and the settlers who followed the rules of the Land Run. Couch and the Boomers had snuck into Oklahoma Territory before the time frame that the federal government had determined the Land Run was to start. The Boomers then divided the land that would become Oklahoma City to fit their vision before any legitimate settlers arrived. This led to almost instantaneous disputes between the heavily armed populace of the Boomers and their rivals on the evening of April 22nd, 1889. Scott decided to pay several young boys to run around with bells attached to themselves while calling for a town meeting. On the second day of settlement, Scott held a grand meeting with thousands of citizens in attendance. This led to a committee, led by Scott, that would try to determine which claims were legitimate and which would need to be moved to create roadways and alleys for the city. Many credit Scott with preventing a civil war from breaking out over the first several years of Oklahoma City's history. President Benjamin Harrison even went as far as to appoint him chief authority in handling land disputes in 1890.

Once those early disputes quited down Scott turned his focus to his businesses which included Oklahoma's first newspaper, the Oklahoma Times, a law firm, and a hotel. Scott was known for his progressive thinking in early Oklahoma, one such story recounted how Scott stopped a group of white teenagers from abusing a black teenager. Scott soon employed this black teenager as well as other members of his family while serving as a mentor.

Scott was also a political leader holding many unofficial roles, federal roles, and roles within the legislature of Oklahoma Territory. He revisited Washington D.C. many times in his role as the U.S. Commissioner for Oklahoma Territory. He was also in charge of Oklahoma Territory's exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago during 1893. He was defeated for reelection for Senator of Oklahoma Territory in 1897.

President of Oklahoma State

Scott first came to Oklahoma State in 1897 after he was offered an English professorship. He soon accepted the position of president of Oklahoma State only two years after joining the university. He realized that the main mission of the university was to fulfill the educational and research needs of the agricultural and engineering industries in Oklahoma while also expanding the breadth of the university by introducing liberal arts education. The campus of the university was expanded greatly during his nearly decade-long tenure which coincided with the faculty doubling. One of these buildings, Morrill Hall, is one of the oldest on campus and still serves as the home of the university's English department. He is also responsible for creating many traditions including writing the university's fight song while also investing into the athletic program. His wife, Lola, was also a key figure in the university's early history as she established the music department and other social clubs.

Later Years and Death

After leaving Oklahoma State in 1908, he officially retired from politics just as Oklahoma was officially brought into the Union as a state. He returned to his law practice in Oklahoma City which is now the modern-day headquarters of the petroleum company Continental Resources. Soon after moving back to Oklahoma City, Scott accepted a role as the head of the English department at the University of Oklahoma. Before he could assume duties, however, he accepted an offer from Oklahoma City University to serve as the head of the graduate school. He eventually made his way to the University of Oklahoma after leaving Oklahoma City University in 1913 to head OU's extension programs. After serving in that post for ten years, Scott returned to Oklahoma City University to chair the English department until he retired in 1931. Scott lived in a house that he and his wife Lola built on N.W. 16th Street in the illustrious Heritage Hills neighborhood from 1915 until his death in 1949.