Scott, John F. Papers

File — Box: Multi-collection box 39

Identifier: RG-1587

Staff Only

Dates

Existence: 1979-2008

Language of Materials

All materials within this collection are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and copyright holder. Staff may refuse copying of fragile or at-risk materials.

Materials may be accessed by request at the American Baptist Historical Society. For more information on accessing collections or obtaining copies, visit http://abhsarchives.org.

Biographical / Historical

Before serving in overseas mission work he was an Area Director for the Illinois Baptist State Convention from 1947 to 1955. He served as a missionary to Japan for 12 years. When he retired from missionary service he returned to the American Bapitst Churches of the Great Rivers Region where he served as Missionary in Residence for a year. He then served as area minister for 24 Florida churches for a season. He was known for the orchids he raised and for his paintings, examples of which are included in his papers.

Biographical / Historical

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Scott became a Baptist in 1937 while at Eastern Baptist College. He attended Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary and was ordained in 1941. He pastored First Maine Larger Baptist Parish, served as a Chaplain in the U.S. Army, on staff as Town and County Director and Area Representative for the Illinois Baptist State Convention and as administrator for the Upstate Baptist Home for Children in New York before appointed by the ABFMS to serve as Treasurer for the Japan Baptist Mission in 1964.

Scott’s work in Japan encompassed many fields. He served two one-year interims as Mission Correspondent, taught English at Kanto Gakuin High School and Soshin Girl’s School and spent many evenings entertaining and teaching English to groups of young adults, doctors, college professors and housewives. He hosted visitors and volunteers from the U.S. and brought tour groups to the southwestern part of the country, where they became acquainted with American Baptist Church youth. During summers, he taught English and Bible camps for high school and college age youth.

John Scott never married, but adopted two sons officially in Maine and one unofficially in the Philippines. Scott often took his vacation around Christmas time, boarding a ship for the cruise in Southeast Asia, looking in on his son there and visiting other mission areas. After his retirement in 1978, he spent eight months visiting American Baptist overseas missionary work in Asia and Africa. Scott like to raise orchids and also paint them in oil.

Biographical information; Certificate Shepherd’s Center of Orange Park; Correspondence 1982-2002 and undated; memorial service programs; News clippings; Orchids; Paintings (photographs); Photographs; DVD, writings and Japanese prints with annual reports and sermons