William A. Scott

William Anderson Scott (January, 1813 – January 14, 1885) was an American Presbyterian minister and author.

Biography

William Anderson Scott was born in Rock Creek, Tennessee, in January 1813 to Eli and Martha Scott, although sources differ as to the exact date. He graduated from Cumberland College in 1833 and attended Princeton Theological Seminary from 1833-34.

Scott served the church in the southern states of Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana, notably serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of New Orleans.

Scott traveled to England to serve a congregation in Birmingham in 1861, returning to America to serve a New York congregation from 1863-1870. Returning again to San Francisco, he served as the first pastor of St. John's Presbyterian Church from 1870 until his death. Scott helped found San Francisco Theological Seminary, and served on the faculty and board of directors of the institution.

He wrote a number of books including Daniel, a Model for Young Men (1854), Achan in El Dorado (1855), Trade and Letters (1856), The Giant Judge (1858), The Bible and Politics (1859), Esther, The Hebrew-Persian Queen (1859), The Church in the Army, or the Four Centurions of the Gospels (1862), Moses and the Pentateuch (1863), and The Christ of the Apostles Creed (1867). He also wrote for and edited various church periodicals.

He received honorary degrees from the University of Alabama in 1844 and the University of New York in 1872.

Scott died in San Francisco on January 14, 1885.