Creemore’s paved roads opened with gold scissors

 In Community

When we think back through Creemore’s history and the people who contributed to its development we remember the Websters who are said to be the founders in the 1840s and 50s. And most certainly we think of Jake and Sam Hisey who with their thriving shipping business are truthfully said to have “made Creemore.” But there are others and one is Isaac Scott. What follows is from his obituary that appeared in a 1936 Creemore Star:

Mr. Isaac Scott died at his home on Saturday night. His death terminated an illness with which he was stricken in 1933. At the time his health broke down, Mr. Scott was in the midst of an active municipal career. He was then the warden of the County of Simcoe after having served on many important committees.

He was widely known and respected as a capable official whose judgment was always fair and usually right. In politics he was a Liberal but could not be termed a strong partisan. He had independence to stand for principle above party and this won him the respect of a wide circle of friends irrespective of political allegiance.

Mr. Scott was born in Nottawasaga near Maple Valley in 1865, and what education he had was received at the local public school. He married Emma Marion Kingshott of Sault Ste. Marie in 1896 and started a life for himself.

He proved himself a successful farmer as a tiller of the soil until 1919 when he retired and moved into the village of Creemore. Here he purchased an insurance business, which he managed up to the time of his death.

Mr. Scott had a lengthy experience in municipal affairs. He first entered public life as a councillor in his native township of Nottawasaga in 1902.

He made his debut in county council affairs in 1911 when he was made Deputy Reeve. In 1913 he reached the Reeve’s chair, which he filled until 1916 when he retired. During his service in Nottawasaga he won his seat seven times by acclamation.

During the period 1916 to 1923 he was not in public life except for his venture into politics when he was the Liberal candidate at the 1918 election in West Simcoe. He was defeated. In 1919 he retired from the farm and became a resident of Creemore. He was elected Reeve of this village in January in 1924 filling this office up to the time of his breakdown in health.

Mr. Scott was not long a member of Simcoe County Council until his ability was recognized. He was a chairman on the committee of Roads and Bridges in 1914-15-16 and on his return in 1924 he was made chairman of a special committee that revised and consolidated the county bylaws. In 1925 he was chairman of the county equalization committee.

In 1926 he again became the chairman on roads and bridges and also chairman of the special county road committee. This latter appointment he held until chosen warden of the county in 1933. His term was not completed when he was suddenly overcome with a heart condition.

His desire at all times was to do all that was possible for his home municipality. One of his first achievements was to get action on the county road from Maple Valley to Creemore.

He personally supervised the building of this road and it will be an everlasting monument to him. For the village of Creemore, he headed the council that extended the waterworks project and gave the citizens a system unsurpassed in Ontario.

He also carried out the street paving in Creemore and accomplished this without increased taxation.

Helen Blackburn is a retired teacher, avid gardener and a long-time contributor to the Creemore Echo. She writes about local history.

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