Scott, Ralph Henderson [1]
Scott, Ralph Henderson
12 Dec. 1903–2 Apr. 1989
Ralph Henderson Scott, dairyman, political leader, and legislator, was born near Haw River [2] in Alamance County [3], the son of Robert Walter and Elizabeth Jessie Hughes Scott. His brother, William Kerr Scott [4], and his nephew, Robert S. Scott, were governors of North Carolina during the years 1949–53 and 1969–73, respectively. A 1924 graduate of North Carolina State College [5], he owned and was president of Melville Dairy, Inc., a milk distributor in Burlington [6]. [7]
A Democrat [8], Scott served consecutive terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives between 1951 and 1956 and between 1961 and 1980; serving one term in the senate, he was president pro tem in 1963. He was a member of such committees as Agriculture, Propositions and Grievances, Rules, Higher Education, Finance, Education, and Appropriations. At various times he held a seat on the Advisory Budget Commission and on the North Carolina Department of Human Resources' Council on Developmental Disabilities. In the General Assembly [9] in 1953, Scott introduced the bill that created the State Milk Commission and he was vocal in his opposition to the Speaker Ban bill. He was a member of or served in advisory and official capacities numerous organizations, among which were those concerned with education, citizens with disabilities, agriculture, senior citizens, and health care.
As a relative of two governors, Scott worked effectively between the legislative and executive branches during their incumbency. He played significant behind-the-scenes roles in the resolution of a strike by food workers at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill [10] and in questions concerning the creation of a medical school at East Carolina University [11] in Greenville [12]. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Elon College [13] and received the North Carolina Award in 1981 [14].
Scott married Hazeleene Tate of Alamance County in 1925, and they were the parents of a daughter, Marian, and two sons, Ralph H., Jr., and William Clevenger. Scott was a Presbyterian and an active member of the Hawfields Church.
References:
Charlotte Observer, 4–5 Apr. 1989.
John L. Cheney, Jr., ed., North Carolina Government, 1585–1979 [15] (1981).
Durham Morning Herald, 15 Apr. 1973, 13 Dec. 1975.
Gayle Lane Fitzgerald, Remembering a Champion [16] (1988 [portrait]).
Stephen E. Massengill, Biographical Directory of the General Assembly of North Carolina, 1963–1978, vol. 2 [17] (1979).
North Carolina Award, 1981 (1981).
North Carolina Manual [18] (1971).
Raleigh News and Observer, 8 May 1956, 7 Jan. 1979.
Southern Pines The Pilot, 10 Apr. 1989.
Jean Speck, The Gentleman from Haw River [19] (1990 [portrait]).
Additional Resources:
North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. "North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductees." NCDA&CS. http://www.ncagr.gov/paffairs/aghall/rscott.htm [20] (accessed July 15, 2014).
Ohio, State Board of Agriculture. 1912. Annual report of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture. Columbus: C. Scott's Steam Press. https://archive.org/details/annualreportohi00agrigoog [21] (accessed July 15, 2014).
Scott, Ralph Henderson. Agromeck 1924. [Raleigh, N. C.: Student Publication Authority, North Carolina State University]. 1924. https://archive.org/details/agromeck1924nort [22] (accessed July 16, 2014).
Scott, Robert Walter. 1991. Remarks and tribute to Ralph Henderson Scott, Sr. (1903-1989): on the occasion of his induction into North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame. https://www.worldcat.org/title/remarks-and-tribute-to-ralph-henderson-scott-sr-1903-1989-on-the-occasion-of-his-induction-into-the-north-carolina-agricultural-hall-of-fame/oclc/024577429 [23] (accessed July 16, 2014).
Vincent, William Murray, 2009. Historic Alamance County: an illustrated history. San Antonio, Tex: Historical Pub. Network. https://www.worldcat.org/title/historic-alamance-county-an-illustrated-history/oclc/424455420 [24] (accessed July 15, 2014).
Image Credits:
Scott, Ralph Henderson. Agromeck 1924. [Raleigh, N. C.: Student Publication Authority, North Carolina State University]. 1924. https://archive.org/details/agromeck1924nort [22] (accessed July 16, 2014).
1 January 1994 | Powell, William S.