Mr. Morton: Prominent and Successful Farmer

The following is taken directly from the 1880 book History of Logan County and Ohio by William Henry Perrin, J.H. Battle, O.L. Baskin & Co. Now available through Google Books, it is easy to find and read this wonderful biography about my husband's great-great-great-grandfather (page 637).

"A.W. Morton, farmer; P.O., West Middleburg. Among the prominent and successful farmers Mr. Morton ranks with the first. He was born in Columbiana Co., O., July 31, 1832. His father, Israel Morton, was born in Pennsylvania, and mother, Hanna (Conn.) Morton, in New Jersey. When A.W. was 6 years old his father moved to the village of Westville, where he kept a hotel nine years. He then moved to his farm, and one year later to Zane Tp., which was in 1848, and located on the farm now owned by Edmund Outland. The subject of our biography was married July 4, 1861, to Miss Sarah A. Inskeep, daughter of Job Inskeep, a native of Culpepper Co., Va., and came here among the very first settlers, with his father, Joshua, who figured prominently in the early history of Zane Tp. Mrs. Morton was born March 5th, 1840. They have a family of three girls - Etta May, Rose Myrtle and Edna Gertrude. Mr. Morton had an offer for an education for the law, but chose rather to follow the plow, in which he has achieved uncommon success. At the time of his marriage he had no land, and after purchasing a farm he found himself in debt to the amount of about $5,000, with assets only about $1,200, but by careful attention to his business he managed in the course of four and a half years to clear his entire indebtedness. His farm now consists of 263 acres of good land, well watered and under-drained, and especially adapted to wheat-growing, in which he has been an exceedingly successful producer. He has a sugar-camp of about 2,000 vessels, and produces about 4,000 pounds annually. He is a member of I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 268, North Lewisburg. As a citizen, everyone speaks in the highest terms of Mr. Morton."

In case you were wondering as I was, I.O.O.F. means Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a charitable brotherhood organization founded in 1819.

Beyond the Mt. Moriah Cemetery on St. Rt. 559 is the land
once owned by Mr. Morton, green and slightly rolling,
hemmed by tall forests, cut by a small stream.

Morton land to the left, Bishop land to the right,
shown on 1875 plat map of Zane Township,
with the village of Middleburg in the upper center

Following the 1875 map, this location is where the Morton
residence once stood. Is that their old barn? Is that their
home still standing there? It's a private residence now.

A.W. Morton and his wife Sarah are buried together
at the Middleburg Cemetery, Zane Twp., Logan Co., Ohio

A.W. Morton > Etta May Morton > Glen Owen Bishop > Jimmie R. Bishop > Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop