A Brief Biography of Anna Mackie Scott

 

First a Note from the Author and Great Grandson of Anna:  I have linked to this biography digital copies of some of the documents associated with Anna’s life.  Most of those files are less than 100KB, so if you are interested please be patient to let them load up.  I hope you enjoy this enriched version of the biography.

 

Anna Mackie Scott was born to David Scott and his wife Agnes, born Agnes Arnott, on the 6th of April 1886 in Auchterderran, Fifeshire, Scotland.[1]  David and Agnes had a total of seven children with Anna being the 6th.[2]  David was a coal miner that lived in the Denend Colliery and he apparently met his wife in the Auchterderran area, as the couple was married in 1872 in Denend.[3]  Agnes was the daughter of Alexander Arnott and Janet Moyes of Auchterderran, her father being a miner at the Denend Colliery.[4]  David was the son of Andrew Scott and Ann McKay/Mackie.[5]

 

The first mention of Annie, other than her birth entry noted above, was in the 1891 Census.  At the age of 4, Annie Scott is listed with the David and Agnes Scott family living at “Denored” Colliery.  Her two older brothers, Alexander and Andrew, were both working in the mines despite Andrew’s age being 14 – something today that would not be allowed, but was common during the period.

 

Prior to 1916, Annie was living in Cowdenbeath and working as a weaver.  According to family tradition, Annie had met the man of her dreams as a young teenager – William Shanks Reid of Cumbernauld, Dunbartonshire, Scotland.[6]  William was one of four children born to William Shanks Reid, an Engine Keeper, and Elizabeth Gray Maxwell, a former domestic servant.[7]  Supposedly the two families knew each other and met on a regular basis.  Whether or not there was a family relationship between the two families is not known.  What is known is that William Shanks Reid immigrated to America on 20 May 1910 from Liverpool, England.[8]  He arrived in Detroit, Michigan on the 28th of May and a year later filed his intentions to become a citizen of the U.S. in Springfield, Illinois.  By 1912, William was living in Strool, South Dakota and begun the process of homesteading property he obtained from the U.S. Government.  According to the family stories, the two corresponded during the time he was alone in America.

 

By 1916, William’s efforts must have been paying off.  Annie left Cowdenbeath and obtained passage aboard the vessel California and departed from Glasgow to the United States.  She arrived in New York, probably passing through customs at Ellis Island under the watchful eye of Lady Liberty, on the 25th of September 1916.  Four days later, she was present at the Circuit Court in Perkins County where she filed her declaration of intent to become a U.S. citizen.[9]  She probably did this so quickly in order to become eligible to obtain a land patent. 

 

On the 22nd of October 1916, the two were married in Strool, Perkins County, South Dakota.[10]  Both she and William homesteaded a series of large tracts (almost 600 acres) in Perkins County, South Dakota.[11]  The homesteads were under the jurisdiction of the Black Hills District of the Department of the Interior, however the area is much flatter than the area of the true Black Hills.[12]  The work, like the land itself, was hard.  On 13 January 1920, the couple had a son, Wilbur David Reid, who was born in Reeder, Adams County, North Dakota.[13]  The family is listed in the 1920 Census for Perkins’ County, South Dakota.[14]  fShortly after Wilbur’s birth, the couple sold their property and moved to Stanwood, a city located in Snohomish County, Washington.

 

On the 16th of April 1922, the couple had their last child, Ann Margaret Reid – who would go be the name Margaret Ann Reid all of her adult life.  Three other children had been born but had not survived according to a note made by Annie in 1940.[15]  The family purchased property in Island County in 1926 and later purchased additional acreage, which remained in the hands of the children until the mid-1950s.[16]  The family was proud of its Scottish heritage.  William went by the name “Scotty,” and the family attended various “highland events.”  It was at these that Margaret learned traditional Scottish dancing.  Margaret also talked about her mother’s ability to “read the leaves” – tea leave reading.  According to Margaret – “we descend from a witchy folk.”  Whether that is referring to the Reid’s or the Scott’s in unknown.

 

Annie Mackie Scott Reid died on 4 January 1944 in Stanwood.[17]  Her obituary, published in the Twin City News of Stanwood, noted that she was a pioneer in the Black Hills – thereby confusing her great grandson’s efforts to locate where the couple originally lived.  She is buried in the Conway Lutheran Cemetery.[18]  William Shanks Reid met another women a few years later and moved to Hartley, Iowa where he and his second wife Ida ran a nursing home.  William died on 21 April 1952 in Ashton, Iowa.  His health had been failing and his children were rushing to Iowa to see him, unfortunately, they would learn as they traveled that their father had past away.[19]  William, pursuant to his wishes, was buried next to Annie in the Conway Lutheran Cemetery.[20]

 

Wilbur David Reid married twice.  Wilbur and his second wife Norma Jensen had two children, Dale and Gail.  Wilbur died at the age of 45 due to heart problems.

 

Margaret Reid also married twice.  She had four children, two with Gary Walls (Gary and Sandra), and two with Clifford Fleck (Gordon and Bonnie).  Sandra, Gordon and Bonnie were raised by Margaret and Clifford in Concrete, Washington.  When Margaret passed away in 1997, she left behind four children, seven grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.  Her husband Clifford passed away in 1998.

 

Written by Rod Fleck, grandson of Ann Margaret Reid and great grandson of Annie Mackie Scott.  Contact Rod at rodfleck@olypen.com

 


[1]            Extracts of Births, Scottish Registry House, 1886 for Auchterderran, Fifeshire, Sct. No. 54-1886.  See also the letter from Ms. Garven who obtained this certificate.

[2]            These children were:  Andrew, born illegitimate on 27 Dec 1871; Alexander born 29 Jan 1873, Jessie ca. 1877, David, born in Beash ca. 1880; Charles, ca. 1885; Anna (Annie) born 6 April 1886; and Lizzie born ca. 1890.  With the exception of David, all were born in Auchterderran.  1881 Census, Auchterderran, E.D. 3, Pg. 13, and 1891 Census, Auchterderran, E.D. 2, Pg. 7.

[3]            1881 and 1891 Censuses sited above, and also Marriages in the Parish of Auchterderran, 1872, Page 1 (LDS Film No. 0300220).  Married after recording of Banns in the Church of Scotland on the 1stof January 1872.  William and Alexander Arnott were the witnesses to the marriage.  Agnes’ mother Janet (Moyes) Arnott was noted as being deceased., and her father Alexander Arnott was working as a coal miner.  David Scott’s parents were Andrew Scott, a “banksman on a coal hill” and his wife was Ann (McKay/Mackie) Scott.

[4]            Id., marriage record.

[5]            Id, marriage record.  Ann Scott died on the 13th of July 1875 after a six month battle with “ovarian disease” Her parents are listed as being Robert Mackie, a deceased agricultural laborer, and Janet Inglis, also deceased.  The Mackie family lived in the Auchterderran area, in 1841 at New Bigging, from 1802 until the 1860s when they died.

[6]            Story of Ann Margaret Reid.  This story was echoed in her obituary published in the 13 Jan 1944 edition of the Twin City News:  “Her marriage with Mr. Reid was the result of a romance started in Scotland six years before.”

[7]            Extract of the 1882 Marriage, Church of Scotland Banns, for Cumbernauld, Dunbartonshire.  William Shanks Reid was 23, and the son of James Reid, also an engine keeper, and Margaret Swan.  Betsy G. Maxwell was born in Mearns to Daniel Maxwell, a wagon driver, and Margaret Smith.  William’s sister Jane was a witness to the union.  1891 Census, 27 Crow Row, Village of Croy, Cumbernauld, E.D. 6, Pg. 89.

[8]            Petition for Naturalization dated 10 Feb 1917 and filed in the Perkins County Circuit Court, South Dakota.  Declaration of Intent, dated 31 May 1911, Springfield, Illinois.

[9]            Declaration of Intent, dated 29 September 1916, filed in Perkins County Circuit Court, South Dakota.

[10]           Marriage License, Circuit Court, Perkins County, South Dakota dated 22 October 1916.

[11]           Anna’s obituary, sited above, notes that:  Settling in South Dakota, she filed on and secured a patent to 640 acres of government land in the Black Hills District.  Yet, see below.

[12]           Dept. of Interior Tract Books, Perkins County, South Dakota, pgs. 199, 201, 202, 203.  Land Patent No. 496313, dated 29 Oct 1915 for William Reid, Land Office of Lemmon, South Dakota; Land Patent Nos. 874480 and 784481 for Annie Reid, formerly Annie Scott, dated 29 November 1920, Land Office of Lemmon, South Dakota.

[13]           Certificate of Birth, State File no. 14354 – filed in 1940 from Stanwood, Washington – Dr. Dasch of Reeder, Adams County, North Dakota delivered the baby.

[14]           1920 Census, Perkins County, South Dakota, ED 170, Page 1B, Lines 79/80.  Note that Wilbur is not listed in the Census.

[15]           Id.  She notes that 3 children were born alive but now dead when filing the information on Wilbur’s birth in 1940.  Where these children were born is unknown at the time of writing this.

[16]           Warranty Deed between Edward Iverson and William Shanks Reid filed on 22 April 1926.  Mortgage with the State Bank of East Stanwood associated with the sale.  This was approximately 18.8 acres located in Section 5, T 31 N, R 3 East, Island County.  Probate Inventory of William S. Reid, Ida H. Reid executrix, recorded in the District Court for Osceola County Iowa - listing six parcels of property, including that immediately above, plus two parcels in Iowa (one in Spencer, Clay County, and the other in Ashton, Osceola County), and three other parcels in Island County totaling 52+ acres.  Total value of his estate in 1952 was $29.488.33.

[17]           Certificate of Death, Washington State Dept. of Health, State File No. 3, Registrar’s No. 21, dated 7 Jan 1944.  Cause of death coronary thrombosis.  Died on 4 January 1944, 11:45 p.m.  Occupation, Housewife.  Father David Scott of Fife Shire, Scotland, mother, unknown.  Buried at the Island Co. Cemetery on 7 Jan 1944.

[18]           Id.  However a visit in 1997 to the cemetery revealed that the name had been changed.  Here is what her obituary states, source cited above: 

 

             DEATH SADDENS MANY HOMES PAST WEEK

Anna Scott Reid

Anna Scott Reid, wife of "Scotty" Reid of Camano Island, died January 4 in the 56th year of her age, following a lingering illness of the past three years.

 

Mrs. Reid was born in Fifeshire, Schotland in 1888, coming to America in 1916.  Settling in South Dakota, she filed on and secured a patent to 640 acres of government land in the Black Hills District.

 

Her marriage with Mr. Reid was the result of a romance started in Scotland six years before.

 

The family moved to Camano Island in 1921, where they have since resided as farmers.

 

Besides her husband, deceased leaves to mourn a son, Bill Reid and family, and a daughter Mrs. Robert Walls and family.

 

Funeral services were held from the Methodist church Friday at 2:00 p.m. with the REv. Robins conducting the service.  Burial was in the Anderson Cemetery.

 

Pallbearers, all neighbors, were Ed Iverson, Wm. E. Terry, Gus Lehman, Victor Lund, Wm. Strevers, and Robert Spence.

 

[19]           In the early edition of the Twin City News just prior to his death the following was published:

 

             MUCH IMPROVED - Mr. and Mrs. Bill Reid of Camano Island have just returned from a hurry-up trip to Ashton Iowa, where they were called by the sudden illness of Mr. Reid's father, the well-known and widely esteemed Scotty Reid, who for many years lived on Camano Island, where he still owns his farm.  Good news to his many friends is that he is showing a steady recover and baring setbacks, should soon be his old self again.  We sure hope so.

 

             Unfortunately – the Editor’s hopes were not fulfilled.  On either the 24th of April or 1st of May 1952, the newspaper ran the following obituary:

 

"SCOTTY" REID PASSES - William Shanks (Scotty) Reid died in Ashton, Iowa, April 21, 1952.  He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, May 24, 1887.

 

Deceased was a resident of Camano Island from 1921 until 1946, when he remarried and moved to Ashton.  His first wife died in 1943.  He had a fine farm on the Island near Sunrise Point.

 

Left to mourn besides his widow is a daughter, Mrs. Margaret Ann Fleck, and a son Wilbur David Reid both of Route 1, Camo Island.  There are five grandchildren.

 

The body was brought to East Stanwood for burial in the Camano Island Lutheran Cemetery where the Rev. Neiser conducted graveside rites.  The funeral service was held in Iowa.  Among the pallbearers were Ed Iverson and W.E. Terry, former neighbors.  The Gunderson Funeral Home was in charge of the burial.

 

[20]           Certificate of Death, State file no. 72 – 24.  His social security number was 539-01-1826.  Birth date given as 24 May 1887, and place of birth as Edinburgh, Scotland.  His cause of death was coronary thrombosis, and he had suffered from heart disease for 10 years prior to his death.  He was buried in Stanwood on 28 April 1952.