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| Pg. 194, cont. 197 John E. Morton, farmer on sec. 36, Morton Tp., was born in Nova Scotia, Nov. 5, 1820. He is son of Holmes and Christian (Webster) Morton. Mr. Morton is, per se, the leading citizen of the township of Morton. His interest in and unflagging efforts for its founding, growth and progress, are recognized and perpetuated by the fact of its bearing his name. He came to Mecosta County in 1869, and in 1871 bought 160 acres of land in what is now Morton Tp., then attached to Wheatland for judicial purposes and local management. Observing the rapid strides of civilization in adjoining townships and to the County, and the benefits accruing to the communities therein, he felt impelled to put forth all possible effort to secure for his own township the advantages of organization and local government. He framed and circulated a petition, securing the required number of names thereunto, and sent the same to the Board of Supervisors in the fall of 1876, suggesting the township be named Hayes, in honor of the Presidential candidate then before the people. The Democratic voice in t he Board defeated the proposition, but, in recognition of the services of Mr. Morton, the township received his name, which certainly was very appropriate and just. The first township meeting was held in the River School-house, district No. 3, and the following officers were elected: J. E. Morton, Supervisor, Enoch Bartlett, Clerk, and Isaac Webster, Commissioner of Highways. Mr. Morton was Supervisor of Wheatland one year previous to this. He is, and has been for eight years, Justice of the Peace. He belongs to the Order of Masonry. Mr. Morton was reared to the calling which he has made the pursuit of his life. He was an inmate of the paternal home until August, 1843, when he went to St. Francis, N. S., to engage in lumbering and agriculture. Five years later he moved to Aroostook Co., Me., and rented a farm, and also mill property, and operated in lumber, chiefly manufacturing short siding, shingles, etc. The miss was of double utility, and the business in milling products - flour feed, etc., was considerable. After a period of 19 years he came, in October, 1867, to Newaygo Co., Mich., settling in Mecosta County in 1869, and commenced operating extensively in lumbering, buying pine and putting logs into the East Branch of the Muskegon River, making his sales there. He was thus engaged four years, and in 1871 bought his farm of 160 acres on sec. 36. He has 35 acres cleared, with good house, barn and orchard, besides numerous minor improvements. The premises include 120 acres, he having disposed of 40 acres. He was married in Aroostook Co., Maine, to Elizabeth, daughter of John and Sophia Baker, born at Bakerbrook, N. B. Her father was an old settler in the province and the stream was named for him. Of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Morton six are living; Amanda, wife of Charles Plaid, farmer in Morton Tp.; Holmes (deceased); Christina (wife of Enoch Brumley, a farmer near Arcola, Mo.); Alice (Mrs. Charles Heald, of Hinton Tp., and died in March 1883); John E.; Clara (wife of Alfred Young, hardware merchant at Salt River, Isabella Co.); Adaline and Susannah. The best possible tribute to offer to a man's character is to name his services to the age and generation to which he belongs. In the lapse of years Mr. Morton's influence will never diminish; the good he has accomplished is stable, and his efforts have been exerted for the benefit of the future of Morton Tp., of which he will ever be a part. |