Individual Details
John "Jonathan" Thomas Morton
(August 11, 1849 - May 1, 1928)
(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: In "The Descesdants of James and Joseph McCleskey - Soldiers of the Revolution - The Texas Group" by Charles S. McCleskey, page 398 and page 142, is stated: "Jonathan T. Morton, first child of William Morton, born Marshall County, Alabama 1850, bought his fathers fdame when he decided to go to Texas in 1875. He married Victoria Louise McCleskey in Etowah County, Alabama 30 July 1872. She was the daughter of John E. and Allison McCleskey and granddaughter of Joseph Howell McCleskey." For many years, due to this information from this book, many researchers have shown John or Jonathan Morton, who married Samantha McCleskey, to be the son of Allen Morton, and the Jonathan or John Morton who married Victoria McCleskey to be the son of William Morton. After questions raised by Margaret McCleskey in 2006 and much census research, but mostly through the article "Morton - Barker" by Grady Morton, from"Eastland County History," 1989, it is very definite that William Morton's son married Samantha McCleskey and Allen Morton's son married Victoria McCleskey. Allen and William Morton were brothers. Samantha McCleskey and Victoria McCleskey were sisters.)
"My great grandparents, Uncle Bill (William) and Aunt Sarah Morton, moved from Alabama to Texas in 1870. ... My grandfather and grandmother, John Thomas Morton and Samantha Katherine (McCleskey) Morton, remained behind in Alabama to farm and raise a family. They arrived in Eastland by train in 1896. ..." ("Morton - Barker" by Grady Morton, from"Eastland County History," 1989, page 396.) (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: I am not sure why Grady refers to his great grandparents as Uncle Bill and Aunt Sarah. The Bill is correct but he was married to Martha Nancy. I assume this to be misremembering. But, calling his grandmother, Samantha Katherine really nails down that she married Jonathan Morton, son of William Morton and not the son of Allen Morton.)
1880 Etowah County, Alabama census, Coxs, Mizells, Haynes And Hoppers District, taken 24 June 1880, Dwelling/Family #173/182: John MORTON, white, male, 30, farmer, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama; Samantha MORTON, white, female, 20, wife, keeping house, Alabama, Georgia, Georgia; Nancy M. MORTON, white, female, 3, daughter, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama; Anna E. MORTON, white, female, 7/12, born October, daughter, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama.
"Jonathan T. Morton bought his father's farm when he (William M. Morton) decided to go to Texas." (DESCENDANTS OF JAMES AND JOSEPH McCLESKEY, THE TEXAS GROUP, compiled by Charles S. McCleskey, 1978, page 398.) (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: Charles S. McCleskey had this information correct, but he had the wrong sister marrying this Jonathan Morton. William Morton's son, Jonathan married Samantha McCleskey. His cousin, John or Jonathan Morton married Victoria McCleskey, Samantha's sister.)
1900 Eastland County, Texas census, Justice Precinct 1, Dwelling/Family #173/177, taken 12 June 1900: John T. MORTON, head, white, male, August 1849, 50, married 26 years, Alabama, South Carolina, Alabama, farmer, owned farm; Samantha C. MORTON, wife, white, female, January 1856, 44, married 26 years, 10 children born, 5 living, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina; William B. MORTON, son, white, male, January 1884, 16, single, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama, farm laborer; Walter E. MORTON, son, white, male, May 1887, 13, single, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama, farm laborer; James H. MORTON, son, white, male, June 1889, 10, single, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama, at school; Lola J. MORTON, daughter, white, female, March 1893, 7, single, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama; Sarah E. MORTON, daughter, white, female, July 1899, 10/12, single, Texas, Alabama, Alabama. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: As this census shows that Samantha Morton had an additional five children, I have added them as to the supposed times of the birth, which could be in error.)
1910 Eastland County, Texas census. J. F. MORTON, 60, married 38 years; S. E. MORTON, 54, 10 children born, 5 living.
1920 Eastland County, Texas census: John MORTON, 70; S. C. MORTON, 64.
"My great grandparents, Uncle Bill (William) and Aunt Sarah Morton, moved from Alabama to Texas in 1870. ... My grandfather and grandmother, John Thomas Morton and Samantha Katherine (McCleskey) Morton, remained behind in Alabama to farm and raise a family. They arrived in Eastland by train in 1896. ..." ("Morton - Barker" by Grady Morton, from"Eastland County History," 1989, page 396.) (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: I am not sure why Grady refers to his great grandparents as Uncle Bill and Aunt Sarah. The Bill is correct but he was married to Martha Nancy. I assume this to be misremembering. But, calling his grandmother, Samantha Katherine really nails down that she married Jonathan Morton, son of William Morton and not the son of Allen Morton.)
1880 Etowah County, Alabama census, Coxs, Mizells, Haynes And Hoppers District, taken 24 June 1880, Dwelling/Family #173/182: John MORTON, white, male, 30, farmer, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama; Samantha MORTON, white, female, 20, wife, keeping house, Alabama, Georgia, Georgia; Nancy M. MORTON, white, female, 3, daughter, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama; Anna E. MORTON, white, female, 7/12, born October, daughter, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama.
"Jonathan T. Morton bought his father's farm when he (William M. Morton) decided to go to Texas." (DESCENDANTS OF JAMES AND JOSEPH McCLESKEY, THE TEXAS GROUP, compiled by Charles S. McCleskey, 1978, page 398.) (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: Charles S. McCleskey had this information correct, but he had the wrong sister marrying this Jonathan Morton. William Morton's son, Jonathan married Samantha McCleskey. His cousin, John or Jonathan Morton married Victoria McCleskey, Samantha's sister.)
1900 Eastland County, Texas census, Justice Precinct 1, Dwelling/Family #173/177, taken 12 June 1900: John T. MORTON, head, white, male, August 1849, 50, married 26 years, Alabama, South Carolina, Alabama, farmer, owned farm; Samantha C. MORTON, wife, white, female, January 1856, 44, married 26 years, 10 children born, 5 living, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina; William B. MORTON, son, white, male, January 1884, 16, single, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama, farm laborer; Walter E. MORTON, son, white, male, May 1887, 13, single, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama, farm laborer; James H. MORTON, son, white, male, June 1889, 10, single, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama, at school; Lola J. MORTON, daughter, white, female, March 1893, 7, single, Alabama, Alabama, Alabama; Sarah E. MORTON, daughter, white, female, July 1899, 10/12, single, Texas, Alabama, Alabama. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: As this census shows that Samantha Morton had an additional five children, I have added them as to the supposed times of the birth, which could be in error.)
1910 Eastland County, Texas census. J. F. MORTON, 60, married 38 years; S. E. MORTON, 54, 10 children born, 5 living.
1920 Eastland County, Texas census: John MORTON, 70; S. C. MORTON, 64.
Events
| Birth | August 11, 1849 | Marshall County, Alabama | |||
| Marriage | October 23, 1872 | Etowah County, Alabama - Samantha "Manthy" Catherine McCleskey | |||
| Death | May 1, 1928 | Abilene, Taylor County, Texas | |||
| Burial | May 2, 1928 | Cedar Hill Cemetery, part of Abilene Municipal Cemetery, Abilene, Taylor County, Texas |
Families
| Spouse | Samantha "Manthy" Catherine McCleskey (1856 - 1946) |
| Child | Morton ( - 1900) |
| Child | Nancy M. Morton (1877 - 1900) |
| Child | Anna E. Morton (1879 - 1900) |
| Child | William Bascom Morton (1884 - 1975) |
| Child | Walter Eberheart Morton (1887 - 1965) |
| Child | James Hubert Morton (1889 - 1925) |
| Child | Lola (or Lula) J. Morton (1893 - ) |
| Child | Morton ( - 1900) |
| Child | Morton ( - 1900) |
| Child | Elsie Ada Morton (1899 - 1975) |
| Father | William M. Morton (1823 - 1905) |
| Mother | Martha Nancy Bynum (1819 - 1906) |
| Sibling | Morton ( - ) |
| Sibling | Allen Morton (1850 - 1928) |
| Sibling | Asa "Ace" "A. C." Morton (1852 - ) |
| Sibling | Mary Elizabeth Morton (1853 - ) |
| Sibling | Marshall "Matt" Morton (1855 - ) |
| Sibling | Martha L. Morton (1858 - ) |
| Sibling | William "Bill" Morton (1860 - ) |
| Sibling | Eliza Morton (1861 - ) |
| Sibling | James "Jim" Morton (1864 - ) |
| Sibling | Morton ( - ) |