HAS ANYONE ANY IDEAS WHERE WE GET THE SAYINGS 'GREAT SCOT!'
The expression dates back at least to the American Civil War, and may refer to the one-time commander of the U.S. Army, General Winfield Scott. In a May 1861 edition of the New York Times was the sentence:
These gathering hosts of loyal freemen, under the command of the great SCOTT.
In an 1871 issue of Galaxy magazine, there is:
‘Great—Scott!’ he gasped in his stupefaction, using the name of the then commander-in-chief for an oath, as officers sometimes did in those days.
From Wikipedia
AND 'SCOT FREE'
Online Etymological Dictionary says this one is Old English
O.E. scotfreo "exempt from royal tax," from scot "royal tax," from O.N. skot "contribution, reckoning, shot" + freo (see free). Related to O.E. sceotan "to pay, contribute,"