Russell Scott

Russell Scott (1760-1834) married Sophia Hawes, Harriet Hawes’s older sister, in 1790. His older sister was Mary Scott (1751-93), poet and author of The Female Advocate (1774() and a prominent member of the Steele circle emanating from Broughton, Hampshire, and two other Baptist poets, Anne Steele (1717-78) and Mary Steele (1753-1813). Russell Scott pastored the Unitarian (Presbyterian) meeting at High Street in Portsmouth from 1788 to 1834.  He studied at Daventry, Homerton, and Hoxton academies, the latter under Drs. Savage, Kippis, and Rees.  He remained in London, studying anatomy and medicine, and soon became acquainted with Dr. Hawes and his family. Scott’s publications include The Nature, Origin and Effect of the Creation made by Jesus Christ considered, in a Discourse, delivered at Ditchling, in Sussex (1808); Coercion in Propag­ation, Defending and Supporting the Religion of Jesus, shewn to be in direct opposition to his teaching and practice, in a Discourse, delivered before the Supporters and Friends of the Unitarian Fund (1820); and The Pure Humanity of Christ shewn to be a Scriptural Doctrine (1826).  Sophia Scott (1761-1828), much like Eliza and Benjamin Flower, was known for her benevolent activities as well as her firm defense of Unitarian doctrines. Exhibiting “much genuine piety,” she valued “all whom she found acting under its guidance, whatever the form of their religious creed; nor did she withhold the expression of her disapproval of whatever appeared to her to result from the absence of this principle.  She considered the essence of religion to consist in the attainment of the spirit and temper of the gospel, and deemed purity of faith no justification of a love of disputation and controversy” (Monthly Repository 2 [1828], 421-22).  See also Christian Reformer (1834), 259-62.