Born near Iola, Kansas, Scott attended the common schools. He was graduated from the University of Kansas at Lawrence in 1881. He went to Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, and was engaged chiefly in clerical work.
Scott's early life near Iola, Kansas, influenced his educational path, which included attending local schools. He went on to graduate from the University of Kansas at Lawrence in 1881. His professional journey then took him to Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, where he worked primarily as a clerical officer.