William Scollay
Encyclopedia
Colonel William Scollay (1756–1809) was a Boston developer and militia officer who gave his name to the infamous Scollay Square
. He was the only surviving son of John Scollay, a strong supporter of colonial rights and a member of Boston's Board of Selectmen in 1764. William was extremely active in the community and was named a Colonel in the Boston Regiment. The Scollays originally came from the Orkney Islands
.
Scollay gave his name to the area through his ventures in real estate
. In 1795 William Scollay purchased a two-story house on Court Street
, locally known as Scollay's Building. The name arose as the stage line's last stop was at the Scollay Building and the conductors would yell "Last stop, Scollay's Building! Everybody off." Eventually the name changed to Scollay's Square and was officially recognised by Boston in 1838. The Scollays ended their association with the square in 1868 when they sold Scollay's Building. Three years later the building was torn down.
William Scollay's sister, Priscilla married Colonel Thomas Melvill
, a participant in the Boston Tea Party
. Thomas and Priscilla's grandson was author Herman Melville
.
Scollay Square
Scollay Square was a vibrant city square in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. It was named for William Scollay, a prominent local developer and militia officer who bought a landmark four-story merchant building at the intersection of Cambridge and Court Streets in 1795...
. He was the only surviving son of John Scollay, a strong supporter of colonial rights and a member of Boston's Board of Selectmen in 1764. William was extremely active in the community and was named a Colonel in the Boston Regiment. The Scollays originally came from the Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
.
Scollay gave his name to the area through his ventures in real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
. In 1795 William Scollay purchased a two-story house on Court Street
Court Street (Boston, Massachusetts)
Court Street is located in the Financial District of Boston, Massachusetts. Prior to 1788, it was called Prison Lane and then Queen Street . In the 19th century it extended beyond its current length, to Bowdoin Square. In the 1960s most of Court Street was demolished to make way for the...
, locally known as Scollay's Building. The name arose as the stage line's last stop was at the Scollay Building and the conductors would yell "Last stop, Scollay's Building! Everybody off." Eventually the name changed to Scollay's Square and was officially recognised by Boston in 1838. The Scollays ended their association with the square in 1868 when they sold Scollay's Building. Three years later the building was torn down.
William Scollay's sister, Priscilla married Colonel Thomas Melvill
Thomas Melvill (American patriot)
Thomas Melvill or Thomas Melville of Boston, Massachusetts, was a merchant, member of the Sons of Liberty, participant in the Boston Tea Party, a major in the American Revolution, a longtime fireman in the Boston Fire Department, state legislator, and paternal grandfather of writer Herman...
, a participant in the Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government and the monopolistic East India Company that controlled all the tea imported into the colonies...
. Thomas and Priscilla's grandson was author Herman Melville
Herman Melville
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumous novella Billy Budd....
.