The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-11-08
THE DEATH OF OLIVER P. NOR
TON.

Oliver P. Morton died at his residence
in Indianapolis, on Thursday afternoon
last week, a few minutes past 3 o'clock
His last fatal stroke of paralysis was OF
the 9TH of August last, and he has failed
slowly and steadily ever since. He suf
fered the most intense agony, and OPT
ates had to be constantly administered
to relieve the dying man. AS the pair
increased he knew he was dying, anC
exclaimed to one of the attendants, %
am dying;' and shortly afterward sale
to DR.. Thompson, 81 am worn out i an
dying" and in few minutes lie breath
ed his last
"0liver Perry Morton was born al
Salisbury, Wayne county, Indiana, Aug
4, 1928. Losing his mother in early in
fancy, he was taken home by his grand
mother to Glendale, Hamilton county,
Ohio, and there remained till her death
in 1887. He then went back to Indiana
to live with two maiden aunts, and was
apprenticed to bis half brother, a halter.
This business did not suit him, and he
became a student at the Wayne County
Seminary, Centreville, of which Samuel
p. Honshowe was principal. Having
completed tie preparatory course, he en-
tered Miami University, Ohio, and was
a proficient scholar, but left without ta-
king the degree and returned to Center
vile to study law in the Office of j. s.
Newman and Jesse r. Liddell. He was
admitted to the bar in 1916, and rose rap
idly in his profession. In 1852 he was
appointed Judge of the Wayne Judicial
Circuit to complete an unexpired term.
He was never in any legal or literary
sense a scholar, but was capable of spec
ial study for practical results. Judge
Morton had been Democrat in politics,
supporting the Administration of Mr..
Polk, and Gen. Pierce till the Kansas
Nebraska bill in 1854. He then identi.
fed himself with the Republican organ
ization, and was an active member of
the Pittsburgh Convention of Feb. 1856,
which first gave a national attitude to
that party. The same year he received
the nomination for Governor in place of
Joseph A. Wright. He made a joint can
vass of the State in connection with A.
P. Willard, the Democratic candidate,
but was defeated at the October election.
In 1860 he accepted the Republican NOM
ination for Lieut-Governor on the ticket
with Henry S. Lane, and was this time
The Legislature of Indiana
in January, 1861. There being
a Republican majority, Henry S. Lane
was elected to the Senate of the United
States, and Judge Morton, having served
as Lieut-Governor but two days, sue
2eeded as Governor. In 1867 he was
elected to the United States Senate, and
,oOk his seat in March of that year. His
career since that time is we'll known to
every one. He was heleader of the Re.
publican party; and it was he who always
sounded the keynote of the party dur
ng the great political campaigns Of the
)ast ten years. He it was who Inaugural !
ed the campaign in Ohio in 1875 when !
Hayes defeated Gov. Allen by only a few
thousand majority. He leaves a wife !
nd three sons, the latter being 25, 20
nd II years of age. His second child, a
laughter, died in 1855. One of his sons,
folding a Government appointment in
llaska, was lately reported as dying, but
he most recent advices give his condi-
ion as much improved.
despite the millions which he hand.
I'd when Governor of his own State, the
orrupt schemes before Congress by
hich other Republican leaders were en-
ched, and the opportunities afforded by
is profession. Mr.. Morton, as we have
nd, preserved his integrity almost free
ON suspicion even, and his whole for.
Inc, it was lately stated, would not be
lore than $50000."