John M. Scott

John Milton Scott (August 1, 1824 – January 21, 1898) was an American attorney, judge, politician and philanthropist from Illinois. Although he did not win election to the Illinois Senate from Bloomington, Illinois, he served on both the Illinois Circuit Courts (1862-1870) and the Supreme Court of Illinois (1870-1888), including three one-year terms as chief justice. The trust he established in his will funded the first hospital in Bloomington and continues to fund local healthcare today.

Early life John Milton Scott was born on August 1, 1824, in Belleville, Illinois. His parents were wealthy and could afford to send Scott for private schooling. Scott studied law in Belleville under Kinney & Bissell.

Career

Admitted to the bar in 1848, Scott moved to McLean County to establish a law practice with Asahel Gridley in the Miller–Davis Law Buildings. A year later he was elected county school commissioner, a position that he held until 1852. Scott also owned and managed several farms in the Bloomington area. He also served as Bloomington city attorney before being elected judge of the McLean County court. Scott admired the political philosophies of Daniel Webster and thus affiliated himself with the Whig Party. When the party dissolved in the 1850s, Scott became a Republican. He was nominated by the party for the Illinois Senate in 1856, but lost narrowly to William C. Goudy. The Scotts adopted and raised another daughter. Judge Scott enjoyed reading in his free time and owned a large collection of books.

Final years and death

After retiring from the court, Scott traveled. He also wrote two books, and helped found the McLean County Historical Society in 1892 (and remained its president until his death). Scott died in Bloomington on January 21, 1898, and was buried in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. His will directed that part of his estate be used to establish a hospital; the trust to support local healthcare still exists today but local courts have twice revised its terms to account for changed circumstances. His papers are held by the McLean Historical Society, now the McLean County Museum of History and housed since 1991 in the former 8th Circuit courthouse where Judge Scott once worked (a more modern facility having been constructed for the judiciary in 1976).