John P. Morton

Hartford Republican

February 19, 1892

John P. Morton

Was born in this county, near South Carrollton, 1891, of a good family. His parents, Jesse and Sallie Paxton Morton, died when John P. was but four years old. He lived with an uncle until his twentieth year. He had but little opportunity to attend even the schools of that day, poor as they were, and his attainments in education were necessarily limited. But by close and extensive reading in later years he has made himself one of the best informed men of the county. In 1861, in his twentieth year, he enlisted in Company B., 17th Kentucky, and was Sergeant under Capt. W. H. Davidson. He was a good soldier, and after serving three years and four months was mustered out at Louisville, Jan. 23, 1865.

On May 20, 1866, he was married to Miss Ella Austin, a woman of rare qualities of head and heart. They have eight children.

Judge Morton settled and lived near Prentiss until his election to the Judgeship when he moved to Hartford. In 1882 he was elected Justice of the Peace for the Cromwell Magisterial District, and was re-elected in 1886. He was elected County Judge in August 1890, and is the first Republican to hold that position in the history of the county. He is in religion a Methodist, in politics a Republican. As a farmer he was thrifty and successful, as an officer he is accurate and conscientious, free from bias, fearless in his discharge of duty, true to law.