J. Young Scammon

Early life and education Scammon was born in Whitefield, Maine, on July 27, 1812. His father was Eliakim Scammon, who spent stints serving in both the Maine State House and Maine Senate. working under Richard J. Hamilton (the clerk at the time). He, therefore, became an early settler of Chicago.

In approximately 1837, Scammon would join a business venture. Ogden's grandnephew would later marry Scammon's sister-in-law. When Eastern financiers refused to support the railroad, Ogden and Scammon raised the money by riding on horseback along the proposed route and taking donations from the farmers he passed. He, for a time, served as the railroad's director. from 1839 through 1845. Scammon served as a Chicago alderman (city councilor) from 1845 through 1846. As an alderman, Scammon advocated for public schools, and helped to secure the construction of new schools in the city. He would later found the Mechanics National Bank in 1865, and would also found the Chicago Fire and Marine Insurance Company, also serving as the president of these two ventures. He was a strong critic of the Know Nothing Party.

He helped create Oak Woods Cemetery in 1854 and was the cemetery's first president. Scammon was involved in the founding of the Chicago Historical Society,

Scammon was apparently active in the Underground Railroad, although he never publicly admitted as such. When he was accused of working to help slaves escape from law officers, he was asked what he would do if called upon to be part of a posse to capture fugitive slaves. Scammon replied, "I would certainly obey the summons, but I should probably stub my toe and fall down before I reached him."

Scammon wrote pieces on his view about economics and religion, and was a frequent contributor to newspapers.

Scammon was involved in the founding of Chicago's Hahnemann Hospital,