John Morin Scott (October 25, 1789 – April 3, 1858) was an American politician who served as a Whig Party member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1815 to 1816, and again in 1839. He served several terms in the Common and Select Councils for Philadelphia and as president of the Select Council for Philadelphia from 1826 to 1832.
He served as the 63rd mayor of Philadelphia from 1841 to 1844 and was the first mayor of Philadelphia elected by popular vote rather than through appointment by the city councils. As mayor, he oversaw a turbulent time in Philadelphia history including the Lombard Street Riot and the Philadelphia Nativist Riots. He survived an assassination attempt in 1843 when he was shot in the back by a visitor to the mayor's office.
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Early life and education
Scott was born on October 25, 1789, in New York, New York, to Lewis Allaire Scott and Juliana Sitgreaves. He graduated from Princeton University in 1805, and moved with his mother and sister to Philadelphia around 1807. He read law at the office of William Rawle, was admitted to the Philadelphia bar on September 2, 1811, and the bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on December 28, 1811. He worked as a lawyer in Philadelphia. He served as a lieutenant in the Second Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry regiment at Camp DuPont during the War of 1812.