Reverend George Scott was born on 11 June 1904 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the son of Robert Scott and Margaret (Lumley). He was educated for a commercial life, but in 1830 was called instead to enter the ministry. He was appointed a Missionary to Sweden where he served as a Methodist preacher for a period of twelve years. He was supported in his endeavour by British industrialist and Methodist Samuel Owen, and soon learned and started preaching in Swedish. However, there was some dissent against the church, and in 1842 Scott and his family fled to England following an uprising against the English Church in Stockholm on Palm Sunday.
In 1865 he was appointed President of the Conference of Canada and Eastern British America. The following year he preached the Mount Allison Baccalaureate sermon in Lingley Hall and subsequently, at the closing exercises held on 15 May 1866, he received the first honorary degree conferred by the University. He died in Glasgow, Scotland, on 28 January 1874.