On This Date in Minnesota History: March 5

March 5, 1853 - Scott County was established and organized by an Act passed in the legislature on this date. It was named for General Winfield Scott, “officer of the War of 1812, Commander of the United States Army during the Mexican War, an unsuccessful Whig candidate for the presidency in 1852. General Scott never visited the area, which was to be named for him, but in 1824 he was only a few miles away when he made an official inspection of Fort Snelling.”

http://www.co.scott.mn.us/CountyGov/AboutScott/history/Pages/HistoryofScottCounty.aspx

General Winfield Scott
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:General-Winfield-Scott-(1786-1866)1835.jpg