Tomfoolery: April 2011

Pictured above is Thomas Marion Espy. He was an older brother to my great-grandfather, John Jolly Espy, Sr.. In fact, the two of them were partners in a law firm in Dothan, Alabama before my great-grandfather relocated up the road to Headland, which is where I was born and where my father lives today.

Thomas Espy's home in Dothan, AL

As a result of my family research, I have connected with a couple of Thomas Marion Espy's grandchildren: Griggs Espy and William (Bill) Gray Espy. Griggs is a financial investor and resides in Dothan. He's actually the one who sent me the photo of his grandfather. His brother Bill Espy is a former actor who starred in some day-time soap operas in the '70s and '80s. The rest of this post reveals more about Bill and his career. I would encourage you to google William Gray Espy to find more information about him. Here's an autograph he signed for a fan. Since his retirement Bill has done some wonderful work raising awareness and money for Alzheimer's research.

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Bill played Snapper from 1973-1975. Click here for the very first episode of Young and the Restless, and see if you can spot Bill. The actor who followed him in that role was David Hasselhoff. Click and scroll here for a picture of Bill and David. Later, Bill played Mitch on Another World. Bill also appeared in a couple of Miami Vice episodes and some other TV and film roles.

Watty Espy's maternal grandfather was Dr. Walter Scott. Dr. Scott married "Bunch" Lindsey and they had one daughter, Mary Jordan Scott, Watty's mother. Dr. Scott and Bunch divorced. Bunch moved back into her family home - the home Watty inherited, and where he founded his Capital Punishment Research Project in the 80s.

Henry County Siftings

T. Larry Smith

Vol. 13, No. 39

Dr. Walter Scott of Headland and Newville

Dr. Walter Scott was the youngest of three Scott brothers who became Henry County doctors; the three doctor brothers once practiced medicine at the same time in Headland, Alabama. These three doctor brothers were Dr. Marcus Tullis Cicero Scott (1870-1927), Dr. Marvin Scott (1877-1954) and Dr. Walter Scott (1884-1951). The attached image depicts Walter Scott as a young man. The three doctors were sons of Angus McAllister Scott (1840-1915) and Susan Amelia Stovall Scott (1847-1926). The three Scott doctors were paternal grandsons of Henry Kay Scott (1799-1875) and Celia Carter Scott (1802-1899) who had settled in northern Henry County by 1830. The doctor’s maternal grandparents were Thomas Stovall and Lucinda Key Stovall. The two older Scott brothers were born at Scottsboro located in the Screamer section near the Barbour County Line, and northwest of the present Liberty United Methodist Church. Scottsboro was named for the Henry Kay Scott family; the village stood at the present crossroads of county roads # 92 and #204. Scottsboro later became known as Dewitt, Alabama when the post office opened at Scottsboro in 1903. The little Town of Dewitt was named after Dewitt Scott, the first postmaster. Scottsboro a.k.a. Dewitt is now among Henry County’s dead towns.

Angus M. Scott moved his family to Headland, Alabama in the late 1890’s. He was appointed Grand Lecturer of the Masonic Lodge of Alabama in 1901, traveling extensively over the state. On January 13, 1902, Angus Scott purchased a house and lot from Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Wyatt S. Oates that was known as the former J. E. Grice house, it stood on the present corner of Cleveland and Scott Streets. The home later became the home of the youngest of the three doctors, Dr. Walter Scott. This writer purchased the Dr. Walter Scott house and large lot in 1986 from his step-son, Charles Gary, in order to design and construct Headland’s first townhomes and garden homes after the old home was razed. The rear Victorian screen door on the former Dr. Walter Scott house is now hinged on this writer’s front door in Tumbleton. Scott Street in Headland was named for the Angus M. Scott family. The first commercial hospital within the boundaries of present Henry County was organized and operated by Dr. Marcus Tullis Cicero Scott and his Brother, Dr. Marvin Scott in 1907 in Headland. This two story frame hospital faced Mill Street, now called Forrest Street, and stood behind the old Methodist Church that was across the street from the present Headland National Bank and behind the present Landmark Church. This first Scott Hospital burned in 1915. The second Scott Hospital was located in an existing large house at the corner of present East King and the former Depot Street which is now called South Main Street. Dr. Marcus Scott sold his half interests in the hospital to his brother Dr. Marvin Scott in 1922. Dr. Marcus Scott died in 1927. Dr. Marvin Scott later closed the Scott hospital and opened his private office in a small house that still stands on the north side of Scott Street and behind the present Sam Vann house. Dr. Marvin Scott practiced until 1953 when he closed his office. He died in 1954. Dr. Marvin Scott was married to Clyde Stovall Scott who became the historian of Henry County; she compiled the first history book on Henry County in 1961 titled History of Henry County, Alabama. Dr. Marvin Scott’s house remains today and stands on the west side of his father’s former house site on Scott Street where it remains today.

The youngest of the three Scott doctor brothers, Walter Scott (1884-1951), was born in the Clopton, Alabama area in Dale County in 1884. He came to Headland during his youth in the late 1890’s with his parents. Walter Scott was married to (1) Malinda Oates “Bunch” Lindsey (1882-1970) of Headland on November 1, 1908, by Probate Judge John B. Ward at his home. Bunch was the daughter of Edgar Lindsey (1854-1942) and Margaret Oates Lindsey (1859-1939). Bunch was a grand daughter of Ephraim and Mary Ann Ward Oates of Abbeville. After finishing the Atlanta Medical School, now Emory University, Dr. Walter Scott settled in the Town of Newville, Alabama in Henry County, where he opened his first medical practice in May of 1910. By 1920, Dr. Scott was back in Headland living in the home with his oldest brother, Dr. Marcus T. C. Scott, whose house stood on South Depot Street, now South Main, near the present Wachovia Bank. Dr. Walter Scott and wife Bunch had divorced. Dr. Walter Scott later moved into the home of his late father on Scott Street where he was reared. His ex-wife, (1) “Bunch” Lindsey Scott moved back in her family home with her parents in Headland. Dr. Walter Scott’s Headland office was located in the rear of the Slocomb Drug Store on the West side of the public square. He later operated an office in the left front room of his home on Scott Street. Dr. Walter Scott was renting to a boarder in 1930, a Headland dentist named Dr. Willie W. Barnard. Dr. Walter Scott was a member of the Henry County Medical Association.

Dr. Walter Scott and wife “Bunch” were parents of one daughter, Mary Jordon Scott, (1912-1958) who was first married to (1) Major Watt Espy, Sr. (1907-1980), who became the President of the Headland National Bank and a prominent businessman. They were parents of one son, Major W. “Watty” Espy, Jr. (1933- 2009), who never married and later became known as the national expert and historian regarding the death penalty in the United States. “Watty” Espy was the grandson of Dr. Walter Scott. Major W. Espy, Sr. and (1) Mary Jordon Scott Espy also divorced. Mary Jordon Scott (1) Espy was next married to (2) Robert R. Warren. Major W. Espy, Sr., was next married to (2) Edith Vann and they became parents of Mark, Marilyn and Mila Espy. Watty Espy later resided in his great-grandfather Edgar Lindsey’s home in Headland after inheriting the home from his grandmother Bunch Scott. Dr. Walter Scott next married (2) Letchie Gary (1900-1982) of Midland City, Alabama in 1930, she already had an eleven year old son named Charles Myron Gary (1919-2003); Charles Gary became a well known Midland City businessman. Charles Gary has two sons presently residing in Midland City, John Bowman “Bo” Gary, and Charles Walter “Chick” Gary who is a newly elected Dale County Commissioner. They are step grandsons of Dr. Walter Scott. “Chick” Gary was delivered by his step-grandfather Dr. Walter Scott, and was named for him. Dr. Walter Scott’s second wife, Letchie Gary Scott, died in 1982 and was buried in Dale County, Alabama in the Midland City Cemetery with her Gary family.

Dr. Walter Scott practiced in Headland for 26 years; he died at age 67 in his home on Scott Street in Headland on Saturday morning, October 27, 1951. Headland’s presently retired dentist, Dr. Jim Vann, states that Dr. Water Scott was the best medical diagnostician in the area at the time. Mr. Sam Vann states that Dr. Walter Scott was a good doctor. He was a member of the Headland Methodist Church and is buried alone in a double plot in the church cemetery. Dr. Walter Scott’s first wife, Malinda Oates “Bunch” Lindsey (1) Scott was a retired milliner and dry goods clerk in Headland’s Solomon Dry Goods Store and in the Sam Vann, Sr.’s Vann Dry Goods Store. Bunch Lindsey Scott died at age 86 in Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa on Feb. 8, 1970 after having lived in the facility for several years. She is buried in the Headland Baptist Cemetery in the Lindsey plot with her parents. Bunch Scott never re-married. Dr. Walter Scott’s daughter, Mary Jordon Scott (1) Espy (2) Warren, died in Pasadena, Texas in 1958 at age 46. She was fearful of flying, so the family requested that her body not be flown to Headland; whereas, her body was brought back to Headland by Wilton Holman and Oyette White to the Headland Mortuary. Her funeral was held in her mother’s home at the corner of present Cleveland & N. Main Street. Mary Jordon had lived in Texas two years. She is buried next to her mother, Bunch Lindsey Scott, in the Headland Baptist Cemetery in the Edgar Lindsey family plot. Dr. Walter Scott was one of the many doctors who shall forever remain in the annals of Henry County’s medical history.