New-York tribune., 1920-05-17
Levi Morton
Dies ON Goth
Birthday
Vice President Under
Harrison and Former
Governor of New York
Expires at Rhinebeck

POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y, May 1e.-
Levi P. Morton, former Vice President
of the United States and former Gov
ernor of this state, died to-day, his
ninety-sixth birthday. His death oc-
CURED at 80 p. m. at his home, Ellers-
lie, Rhinebeck. He served as Vice
President with President Harrison.
Mr. Morton became i'll Of slight cold
three or four days ago, but his condi-
tion did not become serious until this
morning, when bronchial pneumonia de-
veloped. He became unconscious soon
after.
With him at his bedside when he
died were his daughter. Miss Helen
Morton, VINO had made her home with
him at Ellerslie, since the death of
Mrs. Morton in August, 1918; his
daughter and son-in-law, Mr.. and Mrs.
William C. Eustis, Of Washington,
D. c., and his nephew, Morton Minot.
Another daughter, Miss Mary Morton,
OF Germantown, Pa, will arrive to-
morrow morning, having been unable
to reach Rhinebeck tonight.
Celebration Yesterday
Mr. Morton's birthday was formally
celebrated yesterday, when the children
of the Rhinebeck schools held field
day at his country estate. He had re-
turned to Ellerslie from Washington,
where he made his residence, on
May 8, and had been in apparently
good health until the middle of last
week
.A1rrangements for the funeral, which
will be held at Ellerslie, have not been
cOmnIPtpH n taf will bo 4 lo
family plot in Rhinebeck
More than eighty years ago bright
faced boy not yet in his teens got job
as bell ringer in the little Congrega-
tional church at Winchendon, Mass.
The boys father happened to be pastor
Of the church, but he knew nothing
about the arrangement until after his
son and the sexton had made their bar
gain.
The boy was Levi P. Morton, who was
destined to attain leadership in the
business world, sit in the halls of Con-
gress, serve as Minister to France, be
States, and finally round out his public
life as Governor of the State of New
York.
Came from Pilgrim Stock
Levi Parsons Morton was born of Pill
grim stock. George Morton, or Mourt,
born in Yorkshire, England, in 1856, and
married in 1912 to Juliana Carpenter,
was the chief manager of the Mayflower
enterprise in 1920. He did not come to
America in that vessel, but followed in
the third Pilgrim ship, the Anne, in
1928, and settled at Middleboro, Mass.
He was the author Of "Mourt's Rela-
tlon," which book, published in London
in 1872, gave the earliest account of
the Pilgrim enterprise. From him the
unbroken line Of descent is traced.
Levi Parsons Morton, youngest son
of the Rev. Daniel 0. and Lucretia
Parsons Morton, was born at Shoreham,
VT, on May Is, 1924. He was named
for his mothers brother, the Rev. Levi
Parsons, the first American missionary
to go to Palestine.
The boys father received a salary Of
only $500, and there were five chill
dren besides Levi to support I'm
der such conditions, despite the young
est sons desire for an educa ton, he
had to be satisfied with brief course
at the Shoreham Academy.
IL wanted to go to college," Mr. Nor
ton once said in referring to this first
great Disappointment, "but my father
was too poor to send me. So l finished
my education, so far as attending school
is concerned, in the little home school"
Entering Business Life.
His schooling over, young Morton
became clerk in a country store at
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