James Scott

James Scott, Sr.
Born in: Jonesborough, TN
Lived here: 88 years
Interview location: Mill Springs Park, Spring Street
“Can’t think of another place I’d wanna be.” James grew up in Jonesborough. He attended Booker T. Washington School and remembers going down to Mr. Beckett’s store to get bologna. His son and two daughters grew up here too. He now has many grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His youngest daughter teaches at Daniel Boone High School. James works as a carpenter.
“Everybody was like family. There was no issues of any kind. Everyone got along just fine. One of the most important things that I liked about Jonesborough was the water fountain we had in front of the courthouse. And everybody drank from it. Everybody. White, black, and a dog got up there and got water if it could, but anyway. You know, and that’s what made, I think, Jonesborough unique from all other counties in the state… The only thing that we didn’t do—we played together—but we didn’t go to school together. But we could have, I’d say, about twenty years before anybody else, because everybody got along. Everybody got along.”