Tea with Margaret, Posted on March 3, 2026

• March 3, 2026
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• Posted By: Scott Family Collection

Sometimes a small object can tell a big story.  The silver spoons pictured here are made of silver, but they are not sterling silver. Rather, they are made of coin silver.

Coin silver is 90 percent silver; sterling silver is 92.5 percent silver.

What is the difference?

Before 1859 when the Comstock Lode was discovered in Nevada, silver was hard to come by. If you wanted sterling silver, you would have to import it from another country, such as England. To save time and money (on tariffs), people who wanted objects made from silver would often save up a pile of silver coins. When they had enough of them, they would take the coins to a silversmith to have them fashioned into some other object or objects.

These two spoons were owned by Margaret Scott (1822-1892).  They were made by a silversmith named Thomas Nowlan who lived in Virginia.

How do we know this particular silversmith made these spoons? We know this because if you turn them over, Thomas Nowlan’s name is stamped on the back!

Not only were coin silver implements useful on a daily basis, having the stamps on the back was a form of security. If they were stolen, marked silver would be easier to identify and hopefully recover.

First Class Dentist, Posted on February 25, 2026

• February 25, 2026
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• Posted By: Scott Family Collection

Photo: Dr. Ludwig Gaston Scott, his wife Vivian, and their four children in his Model T Ford.

Ludwig Gaston Scott, pictured here with his wife Vivian and their four children was a doctor, but not a physician. His father and brothers were all physicians, but Lud as he was called, wanted to be a dentist.

That was a problem. North Carolina did not have a dental school! However, in 1949 the NC State Assembly voted to create a new school to address the dental care needs of the state. The reason? During World War II it was discovered that many recruits had such bad teeth, they failed the physical and could not serve.

 Dr. John Brauer was appointed as the first dean of the School of Dentistry. It was his job to establish the curriculum and faculty. The first faculty were brought up from Emory University in Atlanta to get the school going.

So, in September of 1950 the first class of UNC School of Dentistry began classes in two Quonset huts. It would not be until 1952 that classes would be held in a brick and mortal building. These first 40 were called trailblazers and or pioneers. Fifty years later, they held a reunion and Dr. Lud was there.

One of Dr. Lud’s hobbies was old cars. Although large for its time, this Model T only held 5 people. Hence the youngest child was perched on her mother’s lap.

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A Smile is Just a Smile, or is It? Posted on February 19, 2026

• February 19, 2026
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• Posted By: Scott Family Collection

Recently, I came across this photograph of Dr. S. Floyd Scott (1894-1972) and his wife Frances Somers Scott. What struck me was that I had never seen a photo of Dr. Floyd smiling. And not just smiling, he is actually beaming!

I knew this must be a special occasion, as Frances is wearing a corsage. And, Dr. Floyd’s older sister, Josephine Scott Hudson, then 89, (pictured on right) had traveled all the way from Raleigh to be with them. What could this be about?

At first, I thought it might be an important wedding anniversary, or birthday. You know the kind, the ones that end with a zero.

But no. I turned the photograph over, looking for clues. As it turns out, the photograph was taken on April 20, 1969, fifty years to the day that Dr. Floyd arrived in the community of Union Ridge. Although he was a native of North Carolina, Dr. Floyd was a stranger to the people of Union Ridge. By the end of his first day, however, he had found a place to live and had seen two patients. Which was a good thing as he had spent his last few dollars on some new shirts.

And of course, the rest is history, as the 6000 babies he delivered, and their descendants, can tell you.

Photo: Frances Somers Scott, Dr. Floyd Scott, The Reverend Winfred Bray, Josephine Scott Hudson, unidentified parishioners of Union Ridge Christian Church.

Surprise, Surprise! Posted on February 10, 2026

• February 10, 2026
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• Posted By: Scott Family Collection

Having a summer birthday has its good points. The weather is nice, and you can have your party outdoors. However, if you were hoping to have a big crowd, everyone might be on vacation.

Not the case for Dr. Floyd Scott, who turned 70 in 1964. His family arranged for a surprise family birthday party for him at his home in Union Ridge, Alamance County, North Carolina. It is a good thing that his birthday was in the summer, because there were more than 100 guests! 

Dr. Scott was of course the guest of honor. Everyone is at their own birthday party. But there were some other special guests as well.

One was Governor Terry Sanford, one was Ernest Melville, and one was Ernest’s granddaughter.

We all know who Governor Terry Sanford was, but what about the Melvilles?

The Scotts and the Melvilles go way back.

In 1907 a group of twenty young men from Scotland boarded the Astoria, a ship bound for America. They were sent to families around the United States, to work and to learn about farming. One of the names on the list was chosen by Robert W. Scott. Robert did not know Ernest, but he was intrigued by the boy’s last name, which was Melville, the same as Robert’s farms. Ernest stayed with the Scott family for almost a year before starting a career in Boston, Massachusetts.

Ernest was deployed all around the world during World War I. He was a witty and insightful correspondent, sending letters to family and friends when he could. Some of the letters he sent were to Floyd and his siblings.  The Scotts and the Melvilles kept in touch over the years, and Ernest was pleased to see Floyd again in 1964. Ernest passed away only two years later, so this was a very special visit. I wonder what kind of cake was served? I think I might know. I was told Dr. Floyd’s favorite cake was caramel.