The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-09
BY CARL BERNHARDT.
MORTON IN WAYNE COUNTY

-AoeNob 1870 a lew iiiASS "SSN "a
Richmond, seventy-five years ago last
Tuesday. Those were the days when
the country was more or less in a
pioneer condition. Salisbury was then
thriving vilage-today it is not on
the map. Richmond was place of
few streets and small houses. The
time was that of the inception and
work on the great National Road.
OF Morton's boyhood we know little
except that he early developed love
for serious reading. Isaac Burbank, a
merchant of Centerville. the father OF
Morton's future wife. took an active
interest in him at an early age and
occasionally brought him books from
Cincinnati. Otherwise he grew up a
quiet, large and sturdy young fellow
excelling his fellows in sports and
Craftsmanship.
He with his comrades attended the
Wayne County Seminary" which had
achieved some local celebrity and
there together with the best blood OF
this part of the country he went to
school under the instruction of a
Marylander named Hoshour. Many
men were there who afterward attain
ed eminence in the army, in letters
and on the bench and before the bar.
There were governors, judges and a
future U. S. Senator o. P. Morton. OF
the character of this school the verse
written by one of the pupils is very
Illuminating.
20 Lord preserve us every hour
From the birch of S. K. Hoshour."
After various turns of fortune we
find the young Morton at Miami Uni
versity at Oxford, Ohio. an institution
which did much for that early day,
by giving short cut to learning to
those who had neither much time,
money nor opportunity. 1t was, with
al, such a place as the young man
who was in hurry to be about his
business needed. He soon got a large
stock of general information there by
dint of great application. He was
quiet and yet a good fellow" He
kicked a football over the dormitory
a feat which was a painful contrast to
his terrible paralysis in the flower OF
his manhood. He was editor of his
college paper and stood out from his
fellows in learning. While at Oxford
he saw much of Miss Burbank and
fell in love with her. After leaving
college two years later he married
study and prac ice of law in Center
vile. His married life was a happy
one. 1t Is we'll known to his friends
that his personal affairs were attend
ed to so we'll by his wife that he left
competence. For Morton in the
periods of storm and stress which fol
lowed, was apt to neglect his own af
fairs. To them were born five child
rem: Walter, Oliver, John, Mary and
| Sarah.
Old Wayne County Bar.
When Morton entered the practice
| of law in Centerville he had no NEAR
competitors. The bar at that time in
| Wayne county boosted splendid attain
ments and bright minds. There was
| it might be termed, an aristocracy o.
learning and culture and such men as
became we'll known both in Indiana
and throughout the United States
John Newman, G. w. Julian (after
wards distinguished as an anti-slavery
leader in congress), Nimrod johnson
| Gather Of II. U. Johnson and r. U
Johnson-Associate editor of the Cen
tury,) Rarridan and Caleb Smith (af
terward secretary of the interior un
time.
Morton studied law under Newman
who was the dean of the local bar
Newman said of him: 'Laborious il
his studies, strictly temperate in his
habits, he was congenial in his man
ner. He was a thinker at all times
| and places" Morton at once surpass
ed his fellows in the study Of Black
stone and the six or seven Indian;
reports which had up to that tim,
been issued. He went into partnership
with Johnson, who was a brillian
man with fine literary tastes. HI
was besides an eloquent speaker ant
the firm soon stood second in bust
ness, approaching the practice of New
man. 1t is related that at one tim,
Morton went into q very difficult cas-
and asked as his fee at its successful
termination six barrels of apples TIL,
partnership continued until Mortos
was elected Judge. His term was o
short duration. Morton's Temperament
was distinctly of a combative natur
and was not the unimpassioned sor
that makes a good jurist
Light on Character.
A curious light is thrown on Nor
tons character by his giving up tn
Judgeship and going at the age o
thirty to the Cincinnati law schoo
where he was for a time in the com
pany with Murat Halstead who be
came in later years the editor of tn
Commercial. When Morton consider
ed that he had perfected himself h
returned and in 1853 went into part
nershlp with the late Judge Kibbe
of this city, with whom he remaine
associated until he became the famou
War Governor"
A fine life that must have unde
the old regime. peopled with gentl
folk OF the old school. There wer
bar picnics, and in the pleasant day
after the small court business wa
over the lawyers all used to cor
gregate to discuss not only tn