Agricultural Hall of Fame - WILLIAM KERR SCOTT

WILLIAM KERR SCOTT
April 17, 1896 - April 16, 1958

A man of vigor, integrity and purpose, Kerr Scott stamped his image indelibly on a State that will travel improved rural roads for many a year. As the son of a successful politician and farmer, he early set his unswerving goal of a better life for farm families, serving as County Agent, Master of the State Grange, President of the State Farmers Market Convention and President of the N.C. Jersey Club - all while taking an active interest in his dairy farm.

He was Commissioner of Agriculture from 1936 to 1948, and in 1947 was elected president of the National Association of Commissioners, Secretaries and Directors of Agriculture. In 1948, he was elected Governor and inaugurated his "Go Forward" program, including a multi-million-dollar bond issue to build 15,000 miles of roads in order to get the farmers out of the mud. This man of tremendous energy and drive during his gubernatorial term saw 31,000 rural telephones added and 150,000 more rural power connections made.

Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1954, Scott served until his death. He amazed Washington sophisticates by walking almost daily the five-mile span from his apartment to his office. Rough, tough, canny and effective - this was Kerr Scott, "The Squire of Haw River."

Elected to the North Carolina
AGRICULTURAL HALL OF FAME
1966