Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-05-02
The Late j. +. MOrfOrd.

NASHVILLE, May l 1869.-WilI you
please pardon me for asking the insertion
in your paper of this imperfect notice of
one who has passed from the walks of life.
mean Josiah F. Morford Esq, and al
low me tosay, whilst am averse to any
thing like fulsome eulogies upon the
dead, / cannot refrain from the express
ion Of my regard for the worthy man who
no longer mingles with US in the busy
scenes of life. Mr.. Morford was born the
23d of April 1899. He was the son Of
Zebulon and Mary Denton Morford. He
had four sisters, Susan, Mary, Harriet
and Evelina. Harriet being the mother
of our esteemed County court clerk, P.
Lindsey Nichol.-Evelina, now Mrs.
Weakley, residing in Rutherford county,
Tennessee. He had three brothers Samu-
ell Denton, Charles and Robert. All of the
family are now dead, except Mrs. Weak
ley. His brother Samuel Denton Nor
ford died in New jersey the IL of April
1866, having been the cashier of the
''Sussex Bank" there for over forty years
He died suddenly of heart disease; was
not sick more than fifteen minutes. 1t is
seemingly strange coincidence that
both brothers should die in the month Of
April, suddenly, and on Tuesday ever log
The subject Of this brief sketch died at
his place suddenly, without the presence
OF any of bis devoted children or friends.
they being temporarily absent.
Mr.. Morford was educated in his native
State, al Princeton. He received a thor
ough collegiate education, in addition to
which he had stored his mind with most
extensive historic reading, besides being
perfectly familiar with all the polite liter
AZURE of the day. He was one of the beet
bellies lettres scholars in the State. Soon
after he graduated he came to Tennessee
and re I'd law in the Office Of Judge Crabb,
being a fellow-student of the lamented
Washington Barrow. and also, if forget
not, of Thomas Fletcher. | do know that
they were intimate friends in their early
struggles. After obtaining his license, he
located at McMinnville, Tennessee, and
began brilliant professional career 10 the
mountain district, with Rowan, Frank
Jones, and others, when such men as
Gibbs, Catron, Samuel Laughlin, and their
contemporaries adorned the profession,
either as members of the bench or of the
bar. Amid this galaxy Of legal lights he
shone brightly until induced By the united
efforts of the bar to take the position of
Clerk aud Master at McMinnville, which
at that time was one of the most lucrative
positions in the State-as under the system
that then existed the chancery business for
eight or ten counties was done at that
place. He, however, up TO the time last
looked upon his face, more bitterly regret
ted the acceptance of that office than any
other act of his life; and has time and
again told me that no young man with
prospects of professional eminence ought
ever 10 abandon the diligent and assiduous
prosecution of his professional studies and
duties, however slluring and tempting
political or other offices might be. | DO
not remember by whom he was appointed.
| am sure, however, that he held his office
under the late Nathan Green, afterwards
Supreme Judge, and VIM. 3. Anderson
and subsequently, under the Hon. Brom-
Geld L. Ridley, who presided in that court
for some fifteen or twenty years, and to the
time of the war. Between Mr.. Morford
and Judge Ridley, besides their official re-
lations, there was the closest personal in
timacy and friendship. After Judge Rid.
ley was displaced by the events of The war,
and he was succeeded by Judge Steele, Mr..
Morford was resppointed by the latter "a
Clerk and Master. And held his Office as
such at the time of his death. This office
he held without the sacrifice Of any princi-
pie on his part. He never deviated from
his ayowed principles at any period of his
life. He was retained in office because of
his tried and unquestioned integrity and
his undoubted fitness for the place. It.
deed. he seemed TO be indispensable. He
never engaged actively in politics, except |
having gone 10 the Senate of the State in |
1886, and having been elector on the |
Harrison ticket in 1910; in both of which |
positions he distinguished himself. In the |
latter he came in contact with the Hor. |
Samuel Laughlin, whose character and |
ability as fine.political debater are we'll |
known to Tennessee politicians. Whilst |
Mr.. Morford was firm in his political |
views, he was liberal and tolerant.
But after all his shining virtue was
kindness for, and sympathy with the poor
and distressed. No widow or orphan
child ever suffered when he had means of
relief at hand. lie was especially kind to
young men; he always kindly volunteered
advice TO them; and generously opened his
hand 10 them when their wants were made
known. Before his family circle was
broken up, some few years since, by the
ieath OF his wife, there was no home
more happy. include parents, children
md servants.
l will bring this communication TO a
lose by saying, that few men possessed
lie mental endowments and culture, liber-
lity of souI and magnsnimiiy of charac-
er, in every regard that constitutes an
levated gentleman.
My apology for this notice is that have
nown him from my childhood, in every
hase of life; in the stern duties of his of.
ce, in the courthouse, in all of his busi-
ess relations of life. 1 have known him
D his domestic relations and in his pri-
ate study, and | must say he was one of
ne best men l ever knew. He was always
~ friend; he was the friend of every one:
lie left a. few enemies as any man who
yer died. And no man who ever lived
the Mountain District Of Tennessee
yer went 10 his grave leaving greater re-
ret aud mourning over his loss than Jo-
alb +, Morford. F#.I.
ONE Who LOVED HIM.