I received an email today from my second cousin, Bill Howbert, with this photo of the lovely painting of Rebecca Nixon Scott and my great-grandfather. Bill tells me the painting in now in the possession of Maria Leake (see below)

Rebecca Nixon (1813-1897) was originally from South Carolina. She was the second wife of Alfred Vernon Scott (1802-1860) of Lowndes County, Alabama where his father divided a large tract of land obtained from the Creek Indians among his numerous children. Alfred used his resources well and was quite wealthy. He sold everything off and moved to Washington, DC with Rebecca and their 3 children in the 1850s having realized there would be a Civil War and the south would lose. He died before the war broke out. When it did, Rebecca took the children south to live with her uncle, William Owen Nixon, in Alabama. Rebecca and WON (1850-1913) returned to DC as the war was ending and were able to retain their property. My great-grandfather, father and myself are named WON Scott after the uncle.

The painting is one my Dad inherited from his father that was a part of the collection of paintings belonging to William Owen Nixon Scott, our great-grandfather.  Dad later gave to his first cousin, Carolyn Leake as a gift and there is not another similar one. The other paintings are now at my home in Baton Rouge, the most recent being the portrait of WON Scott as an adult. The resemblance of that portrait to Frank K. Scott is most striking. That painting was at my parents' home until a month ago when I had it shipped to Baton Rouge.

I made a special trip to visit Carolyn, whom I had not previously met, in Columbus, Ohio, about 10 years ago. During a lovely visit, I saw the painting in her apartment at an assisted living community. Carolyn organized a little party for her friends in the community in her apartment and I had a most enjoyable time assisting and chatting with Carolyn and her guests.