Shenandoah County Library Archives

Shenandoah County Library Digital Archives

Preston W. Scott & Family

Files

Title

Preston W. Scott & Family

Subject

Scott, Preston Wilson (1886-1975)
African Americans - Virginia - Shenandoah County

Description

Photograph of Preston W. Scott seated in the yard of his home at 120 S. Water Street in Woodstock and surrounded by his children and their families.

Preston was born in Mt. Jackson to Washington and Nannie (Reeves) Scott. His wife was Fleeta Mae (McAfee) Scott and grew up in Woodstock, the daughter of John and Emma (Witherall) McAfee.

The couple married in 1909 and raised eleven children in Woodstock. At first, Preston worked as a porter in a hotel. In subsequent records, he held a variety of other jobs, even running his own pressing shop in the 1930 census.

A few years later, the Northern Virginia Newspaper published this on May 27, 1933: "Raymond L. Miller has rented the O.K. Cleaning and Pressing Establishment on Court Street and has employed Preston Scott, an experienced cleaner and presser."

But Preston was mostly known for his baritone voice, his ability to bring singing groups to local events, and his successful catering services around the Woodstock area.

In his later years, Preston had a leg amputated. The Northern Virginia Daily published a short note about the operation on January 9, 1962. The article began, "Preston Scott, Woodstock, probably the most highly respected colored citizen in Shenandoah County...".

In this photograph, Preston Scott is sitting in a wheelchair suggesting the image was made after that surgery.

The eleven children of this couple were:

Robert D. Scott
Elizabeth Odessa (Scott) Turner
Dorothy V. Scott
Della Mae (Scott) Tucker
Roseanna (or Rosie) (Scott) Fields
Preston Wilson Scott, Jr.
Harry Scott
Lewis Scott
Fleeta Rebecca (Scott) Ruffin
Emma (Scott) Maynor
John Gilbert Scott

Other than Preston Scott (who is seated in the center of the photograph), we are unsure who is who in this photograph.

Creator

Morrison Studio

Source

Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society

Publisher

Shenandoah County Library

Date

Undated

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED

Identifier

029659

Original Format

Film Negative

Citationzork

Morrison Studio, “Preston W. Scott & Family,” Shenandoah County Library Archives, accessed December 5, 2025, https://archives.countylib.org/items/show/72975.

Comments

Allowed tags: <p>, <a>, <em>, <strong>, <ul>, <ol>, <li>