LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
The estate sale for Betty Scott is like many, it’s full of mid-century furniture, artwork, and a garage full of useful gadgets and unique finds, but it’s the family’s military memorabilia that garners the greatest attention.
The estate sale is planned for May 30-June 1. The first day, it starts at 1 p.m. and continues until about 7 p.m., on the following days it starts at 9 a.m. and continues until closing at 4 p.m.
The house, at 1203 E. Wood St., in Paris, is in a quiet neighborhood with mature trees, just before the golf course. It has a horseshoe drive out front, with an attached garage and a patio in the back.
In a corner of the living room, a table is laden with letters and photo albums from military service, along with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Photographs of servicemen hang on the walls; on the left side are two group photos and a portrait of World War I veteran Roy Scott, cata-corner from a 48-star flag hanging on the wall.
To the right, toward the rear of the home, hangs portraits of Paul Scott. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, dying in friendly fire, after he valiantly saved his battalion one year earlier.
His story is told in news clippings and in a detailed letter sent to his mother, by a good friend and fellow soldier.
Most of the surviving memorabilia revolves around the battles he fought in and his eventual death during service.
One commendation occurred in the month leading up to the successful end of the Allied campaign in North Africa, in May 1943, when almost 250,000 Axis soldiers surrendered to the 9th Division. The commander of that division was Maj. Gen. Manton Sprague Eddy.
“Corporal Paul R. Scott
On 5 April 1943 in Tunisia Corporal Scott of the 81 MM mortar platoon, serviced and kept his gun in action despite heavy losses to his squad. This action supplied covering fire for attacking rifle units and was carried out under severe enemy artillery and mortar fire.
signed M.S. Eddy
Major General, U.S. Army
Commanding
(three stars)
And this commendation, after his death:
In grateful memory of
Technical Sergeant Paul R. Scott
Who Died in the Service of His Country
in the European Area, 25 July 1944
stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die
that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings
freedom lives, and through it, he lives -
in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.”
All the historical pieces associated with the Scotts’ wartime effort are part of the sale, by HP Trader Estate Sales LLC.
Company owner Lanee Pfeiffer sells in-person and some high-interest pieces are sold online. Five to eight people help her with staging and tagging items with sale prices.
With the Scott house, each room is filled with pieces intrinsic to its functioning, a bedroom is filled with quilts folded into squares and on display. The office has totes lining two walls filled with stationary, cards and office supplies, and on the other side are totes filled with family photos.
Scott lived until just shy of 100 years old. Photographs of the family are among the estate and Pfeiffer hopes that local family members might want the photos, free of charge to them. Family names include Scott, Graham, Davidson, Clapp, Warmouth and McGill.
Betty’s husband, Earl Richard Scott, was discharged honorably from the Navy on Oct. 9, 1945. He was Paul’s brother.
The war memorabilia is just a start to the mountain of stuff inside the house, now neatly arranged.
“I have never in my career seen so much paperwork as this house had,” Pfeiffer said.
Everything inside the home has been tagged with prices and awaits visitors; all contents within the house and garage are for sale.
Toward the front of the house, on the beginning of a short hallway near the entryway, hangs some of the family’s favored artwork. A reverse painting of the Battle of Versailles hangs among other artwork, including an early depiction of Mount Rushmore.
In the garage, a unique find is the Copernican Planetarium, made by Scientific Space Industries, in Oceanside, Calif., produced during the 1960s for the Seattle World’s Fair. Only about 50 of them were manufactured, one seven-foot tall model and the rest a more manageable size, and they could only be purchased in Seattle.
Pfeiffer said the unique service she offers, unlike many estate sales companies, is that after the sale is complete, they will empty the house out and it will be ready for market.
The house will be placed on the market, at some point, after the sale.
“THE RAIDERS”
Germany, 25 Jan. 1945
My Dear Mr. & Mrs. Scott,
The other day I received a letter from my folks and was surprised to find in it, a paragraph explaining that you had wrote to them requesting some knowledge of the death of your son S/Sgt. Paul R. Scott.
I am more than happy to be able to grant you that request and will try to give you the details as much as I possibly can, of course taking into consideration the censorship regulations I must abide by.
S/Sgt. Paul Scott was killed in the vicinity of St. Lo, France, as the result of a bomb from one of our own planes which landed amongst the command group with which Paul was operating with. The death was accidental and was absolutely no fault of the pilot of the ship concerned. As you can probably recall, the great American breakthrough in the vicinity of St. Lo was preceeded by the largest bombing ever made in the support of ground troops. Paul was at the most forward position with the battalion command group, preparing to advance when the great bombing ceased. The planes soared overhead and were dropping their bombs very close to our troops. The weather was not too clear and necessitated the big bombers coming in to their target at a comparatively low height. This of course made the bombers very good targets for the enemy anti-aircraft. I saw 8 of our bombers hit, one of them badly. This brave pilot did all in his power to extinguish the blaze started in at least two of his motors. He dove his plane, climbed it, and did nearly everything possible to save his ship and its crew.
During the course of this action by the pilot, he was forced to jetison his bombs. One of these bombs scored a direct hit on the command group whom Paul was with. Paul was severely wounded but was immediately removed to the Battalion Aid Station. One of the fellows from the Company was at the aid Station when Paul was brought in and told of the treatment administered him. He was given plasma, and when he left he appeared in fair condition and even remarked “that he thought he would make it.” He was a brave and a strong man and everyone thought that he would somehow pull through. We received word a few weeks later that he had died of his injuries.
No gruop of men ever greived the death of a comrade more than this group in this Company did. Each man who knew him will vouch that Paul was as brave a man and as capable a soldier as ever met the enemy on the Battle Field. I have known him and have witnessed his actions throughout his entire overseas career. There was no man who was ever a greater thorn in the side of the enemy than Paul Scott. He was a master in his field and possessed exceptional leadership qualities. Men looked to him for leadership over their Officers. Paul should have been an officer, but he choose not to become one. No man of this organization who has witnessed Paul in action would ever say that there was a greater man on the Battle Field. You, as his parents can be proud that you raised a man who performed as well.