JOHN MARSHALL MORTON

    John was born February 4, 1850 in Maury Co., TN and died Mar. 19, 1912, Wichita Falls, TX. He married his first cousin Emily Amelia Crowell July 1, 1870 in Maury Co., TN. She was the daughter of Samuel Crowell and Sarah Anderson and was born Dec. 9, 1851 and died July 31, 1890 in Kettle Mills, TN. He then married Lucy Anderson about 1895. Lucy was born in Feb. 1846 in AL and died Dec. 1, 1932 in Tioga, Texas.
The following is from John David Measley; II and his wife Pat
"John Marshall, the youngest of eight children, was born in TN about 10 years before the Civil War erupted. His grandfather, John and father, Gabriel, held about 4500 acres of farm land in Kettle Mills TN John Marshall's wife, Emily, had inherited over 1000 acres from her grandfather, Richard 'Kettle Dick!' Anderson. It is not known whether this is part of the holdings.
"It seems to be a Morton trait to push westward. His son, Richard Anderson, came ahead of the family to Texas and upon sending back good reports, John Marshall sold the farm and headed westward."
"Traveling overland by wagon, they had to cross the Three Forks of the Trinity River where a ferry took them across the river. Only a few years earlier, this had been Indian Territory and was still largely unsettled. We found John Marshall living in Tioga, Grayson County, Texas, in 1900.
"A businessman by nature, John speculated on the purchase of about 100 acres in Wichita Falls that is now Kemp & Kell Streets. He held the land for a couple of months and sold it, nearly doubling his money. Within a year the same property increased 10 times greater with the advent of a railroad."
"Some remembered the relative who came from Tennessee with John Marshall and while he was remembered to be a nice fellow, no one could remember exactly how he was related. The 1880 Tennessee Census solves that mystery with G.R. Whiteside living in the home with John Marshall."
"Earlier, we mentioned that Kettle Dick Anderson mentioned in his will that besides his granddaughters Emily J. and Pomelia J. who was married to G. R, Whiteside. With the demise of Pomelia, Whiteside came west with John Marshall. He is buried in Wichita Falls.
"Seventy-seven years later, his great-grandson, John Measley II got a little surprise after buying rental property in Wichita Falls. John discovered that the property he purchased was originally owned by his great-grandfather, John Marshall Morton.
"John Marshall was a man of considerable wealth which he generously shared with his children, giving each a start in life with a substantial amount of cash and/or business investments.
"He resumed his religious pursuits and rode the circuit preaching the word of the First Christian Church. A founding father, he traveled to small towns spreading the word, some as far away as Graham. He continued preaching until about 1910, retiring at about 60 years old. Bad health may have been the reason for he died less than two years later. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Wichita Falls, TX with other family members. His second wife, Lucy lies beside him but her grave is not marked."

HARDISON AND ALLIED FAMILIES, MORTON FAMILY
page 569

"Born Feb. 4, 1850; d. ???? He was a minister of the Church of Christ and is reported to have moved to Texas in later life. He evidently died in that state. One of his sons is credited with the founding of the Morton Potato Chip Company in Dallas, TX. This statement is wrong, it was one of his grandsons, Granville Cecil Morton, son of Marvin Pinkney Morton who founded the Potato Chip Company (Note from Lou daughter of G C. Morton.)

 John Marshall Morton was born in TN, where he met and married Emily Crowell. After her death he moved to Texas to settle where he was a traveling circuit Christian Preacher. He made the circuit on horseback, preaching as he went. He had a Bible comprised of several Bibles so that he could open to a complete sermon almost anywhere. He was killed by the sting of a wasp on his temple while on horseback.

More About John Marshall Morton;
Burial: Aug. 5, 1912, in Riverside Cemetery, Wichita Falls, Texas Lot 207.105
Cause of Death: Wasp sting to temple while on horseback
Census: 1850, Marshall Co. Census lists age as 6 mos.
Emigration: Aft. 1890, After death of wife E.A. CroweJI in 1890, he moved with children to Texas and continued as minister of Christian Church.
Occupation: Minister at Kettle Mills, Maury Co., TN.
Religion: One of the founding fathers of the First Christian Church in Wichita Falls, TX.
Notes for Emily Amelia Crowell:
The Census of 1868 lists her as 18 living with the W. C. Kennedy family in Household # 45 - that would have made her born in 1850.
The census of 1860 lists her as 9 in Household # 1611 - which would make her born in 185 1.

From Tombstone photo supplied by Larry Morton:
"E. A CROWELL, Wife of J. M. MORTON, Born Dec. 9,1851, Died July 31,1890. "God in his wisdom has revealed, The boon His Love has given, and tho' the body moulders here, Thy Soul is Safe in Heaven."
 

A Note on the Old Well Cemetery
by LES TATE

"E. A Crowell was Emily (Emma) Amelia Crowell. Her husband J. M. Morton was John Marshall Morton, a preacher at the nearby Kettle Mills Church (apparently Church of Christ at the time, as well as present). The grave adjacent to E. A.'s is Permelis J. (Crowell) Whiteside, apparently E. A.'s sister."
"According to family history, E. A was a rather heavy set woman and fell from a runaway wagon. Her leg was broken, apparently a compound fracture, and she died of blood poisoning a few days later. Sometime later. She was buried at Old Well Cemetery, Kettle Mills, TN, Lot 108 J. M. packed up his kids and some of the Crowells and headed to Wichita Falls, Texas, where he started a church, apparently Church of Christ. During some national split it became Disciples of Christ Christian Church."
"Her genealogy, which is largely in the Old Well Cemetery, is: Emily A Crowell Morton, daughter of Samuel Crowell and Sarah Ophelia Anderson. They are the S. & S. O. Crowell on sister Permelia J. Crowell/Whiteside's tombstone. Permelia had a tombstone, but parents may not since several burials don't. Samuel remarried while Permelia and Emily were both still children. In the 1870 census, a few years after Samuel's second marriage. Permelia had married G. R. Whiteside, and Emily (18) and brother R. A. (16, student) are found living with relatives W. C. (William Claiborne) Kennedy and Josephine Olivia Anderson Kennedy. After Permelia's death at age 20, O. R. is found in 1880 census at age 48 living with E. A (Emily A..) Crowell, age 28 working as clerk in the store next door."

More About Emily Amelia Crowell: Burial: Old Well Cemetery, Kettle Mills, TN, Lot 108

Marriage No" for John Morton and Emily Crowell:
"6990: J. 1vL Morton and Miss E. A. Crow4
Stamp on Bond I solemnized the Rites of Matrimony between the within named parties July 1, MO.James ? Morton ??
 

From John David Measley, II and his wife Pat:
"Emily was a person of considerable means when she married John Marshall Morton, a young preacher who boasted his own considerable wealth."
"Around 1890 he was left widowed when his wife Emily Amelia Crowell, was killed in a freak buggy accident. Young James Meacham always accompanied his mother to church but on this particular Sunday, she adamantly refused to allow him to go with her. She left him sitting on the porch bawling his eyes out. Mitch was only five years old at the time. He had plenty of time in later years to reflect on the day and felt she may have had a premonition that day and may have actually envisioned her own mortality. Emily lies buried in Kettle Mills. Her tombstone, slightly tilted through time, is overgrown with vines and wildflowers. John married again five years later to a woman named Lucy who was a kind person and good stepmother to the children."
Comments from John David Measley II and wife, Pat "After John's death, Lucy lived with her stepson, James Meacham. For 20 years the family shared their lives together. James felt especially close to her. He was so young when his mother died, Lucy was a second mother who shared a big part of his life. Lucy was famous for the wonderful Sunday dinners that left nothing to be desired
"John Marshall died leaving her a large estate with more than enough money to live comfortably and do whatever she desired. She was content with Mitch and Alla but as her health started failing Mattie invited her come to Tioga, Texas, to live in the boarding house where she could look after her.
"She had only been there a short time when Mattie's husband convinced her to let him invest her money wisely. He took her money all right, but not to invest it. When she pressed him for its return, she ended up dead under suspicious circumstances. Well, at least the family thought so. Her death haunted them, they could never forget the hand print impressions where she had been choked to death. All one had to do was turn back the high collar on her burial dress to see the bruises on her throat but since Mattie and her husband were well thought of in the community, not with standing that he was a Deacon in the church, officials chose to not label Lucys death as suspicious. In any event, she died penniless." She was buried Dec. 1, 1932, in Riverside Cemetery, Wichita Falls, Texas, Lot 207.
Children of John Morton and Emily Crowell are,
 

AMELIA MORTON

    Amelia Morton, was born between April 13, 1870 - 1872, Maury Co., TN and died Aug. 16, 1934, Ardmore, Carter Co., OK. Married Oscar A. Shumate, he was born Mar. 18, 1881. Oscar died at home, 125 A Street Northwest after taken ill with the mumps. Less than a week before, on Sunday, his condition was not regarded as serious. Early Friday morning he suddenly collapsed and died at 4 a.m. Feb. 21, 1936 from complications from the mumps, Ardmore, Carter Co., OK. His Funeral was at the First Christian Church by Rev. E.M. Whitwell. He is buried at Rosehill Cemetery, Ardmore, Oklahoma.
    He was a veteran of the Spanish-American war, belonged to number of veterans' organization's and was also a member of the Masonic bodies.
Comments from John David Measley II and wife, Pat "Little is known of Amelia and this could possibly he attributed to the fact that being the oldest, married and left home long before the other children. At 20 years age, she was yet unmarried and came to Texas when the family left Tennessee." Loumelia Jane Morton was named in part for her "Great Aunt Amelia."
    "Oscar Shumate, 55, for nearly a quarter of a century was connected with Westheimer & Daube's department store here of which he was head of the silk department."
"With the passing of Oscar Shumate, Ardmore lost a valuable citizen, and the hundreds of friends left behind will feel the untimely loss of one upon whom they could rely in time of trouble or distress. Oscar Shumate has been a familiar figure in the business activities of Ardmore for more then a quarter of a century. His unfailing courtesy toward all with whom he came in contact endeared him to everyone he met. His loss will be keenly felt by the great establishment where he so long was a valued department head and the hundreds of customers of that business will miss his cheery greeting as they entered the place."
    "As an active member of many of Ardmore's civic organizations he took part in every movement for the up building, of the city and community and was always identified with every plan to make the city a better place in which to live. By strict adherence to business he had made a place for himself in the business activities of the city that will be hard to fill. A consistent member of the Christian Church, he was active in church affairs and always gave of his time and means toward strengthening the moral tone of the city and community. His wife passed away about a year ago, leaving a void in his life that was noticeable, although he did his best to keep his sorrow to himself."
    "Oscar Shumate was a good citizen, a good business executive and a valuable man for the city to lose. His passing was the source of genuine sorrow and regret in the hearts of his legion of friends. "From a Newspaper Editorial."
    Funeral services are to be held Monday afternoon at First Christian Church of which Mr Shumate was an active member and a member of the official board for more than 30 years. He had lived in Ardmore for nearly two-score years.
    "Surviving is his stepmother, Mrs. Lossie Shumate, who made her home with him. His wife died a year and a half ago. Wade Shumate, former president of Southeastern State Teachers College and now living at Norman, arrived Friday morning, He leaves no children.
RELATIVES ATTENDING: Mr. & Mrs. W. M. Morton, Mr. & Mrs. Herman Morton, Mr. & Mrs. Meacham Morton & Jimmy, Mr. & Mrs. J. M. Morton, Mr. & Mrs. Henry Payne, Mrs. R.A. Morton, Mr. & Mrs. Alton Morton & son, Richard, Mr. & Mrs. M.M. Wasson, John Schurnate and Lois Shumate, Effie Pearly Simms, Mrs. Madie Bradley, Mr. & Mrs. H.L. Morton, Arnold Shumate, Mr. & Mrs. Wade Shumate, Mr. & Mrs. C.C. Shumate, Roy Shumate, M/M W.P. Averill, Edgar Averitt.

MARVIN PINKNEY MORTON

    Marvin Pinkney Morton, was born April 5, 1874 in Columbia, Tennessee and died April 26, 1961 in Dallas, Texas. He married Mildred Lou Mashon Nov. 5, 1902, daughter of Andrew Mershon and Isabelle Patterson. She was born April 8, 1881 in Tioga, Grayson Co., Texas, and died Oct. 6, 1954 in Dallas, Texas.
Comments from John David Measley II and wife, Pat: "Marvin operated a dairy farm in Dallas and would live to see his 89th birthday. Marvin had plenty of money, most of it earned by investing small amounts of money on inexpensive property. As he grew older, he always seemed to be alone and I believed, divorced." (Note from Lou: Grandad Morton and Mildred were separated but never divorced.) "He became eccentric in his older years having an obsession with food. He bought caseloads of canned goods hoarding it for hard times that never came. His preoccupation was unusual in the fact that he always had plenty of money and never was hungry. In his older years he was compelled to not spend any money if he could avoid it."
    Marvin was known to take the bus every Sunday to Grandfield, Oklahoma where he ate Sunday dinner with his brothers and their families.
"In his last years, his niece, Undeen Motion Measley took him in to care for until his death. He was buried in Dallas."
From Lou: "For a time before his death, he was living at a nursing home in Dallas. He became very senile and delusional. I remember him during a family Christmas at the home of my Father, Granville C. Morton, telling me that they were trying to poison him and if anything ever happened to him for me to go there and check, I happened to be in the hospital at the time of his death and was not able to even attend his funeral."

MARVIN PINKNEY MORTON Obituary April 26,1961

    Funeral service for Marvin P. Morton, 87, a retired dairyman whose three sons are executives of the Morton Food Co., will be held at 4 p.m. Friday at Restland Memorial Chapel, Greenville and Valley View, with Rev. Henry Kinkeade officiating. Burial will be at Restland.
Mr Morton died Wednesday at his home, 4038 Larmon, after a short illness. Born in Columbia, TN., Mr. Morton moved to Wichita Falls as a child and later lived in Gainesvile. He had been a Dallas resident for five years.
    Survivors, all of Dallas, are three sons, G.C. Morton, Gerald D. Morton and Lawrence P. Morton; a daughter, Mrs. T.B. Arledge; 13 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers, all grandsons, will be Larry P. Morton Jr., Marvin W. Morton, Gerald C. Morton, Granville J. Morton, Morton H. Arledge and Gerald A. Morton..

OBIT: DEATH TAKES MRS. MORTON AT AGE 73

    Mrs. Mildred Lou Morton, 73, died Friday morning at the home of her son G. C. Morton, president of Morton Foods, at 3509 Southwestern. She had suffered from a heart ailment for about three years.
    Mrs. Morton was born on April 8, 1881, in Sherman and had lived for the last sixteen years in Dallas. Previously, she had lived in Irving and in Gainesville. She received her schooling in Tioga, Grayson County.
    Mrs. Morton was a member of Woodman's Circle in Tioga.
    Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday in the Sparkman-Brand Funeral Chapel, 2115 Ross, with Dr. Herbert R. Howard, pastor of the park Cities Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Restland Memorial Park.
    Other survivors include her husband, Marvin P. Morton of Wichita Falls; two sons, Lawrence P. Morton and Gerald D. Morton, and a daughter, Mrs. T. B. Arledge, all of Dallas; a brother, Andrew Mershon of Los Angeles, Calif.; thirteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
    Pallbearers will be O. C. Turner, Harry L. Knight Frank Hamilton, N. A. Caddell, Douglas Sirmil, Bill Armstrong, Vick Clesi and Carl Althall.  Honorary pallbearers will be the employees of Morton Foods.
    More About Mildred Lou Mershon: "She Was a hard-working woman and used to milk cows on her farm near Clainsville barefoot. She was handsome in her later years with attractive white hair. The cause of death was Heart Failure."
 

GRANVILLE CECIL MORTON

    Granville Cecil Morton was born Sept. 17, 1903, Archer County, near Archer City, Texas and died Nov. 9, 1969, Dallas, Texas. He married (1) Thelma Beatrice Lindsey Dec. 21, 1926 in Saline County, Arkansas, daughter of Isaac Lindsey and Lula Dover. She was born Nov. 20, 1906 in Norman, Montgomery Co., Arkansas and died Aug. 13, 1938 in Dallas, Texas. He married (2) Gladys Hattie Hurt July 26, 1948 in 3509 Southwestern, Dallas, Texas, daughter of Elzy Hurt and Hattie Foster. She was born Oct. 6, 1909 in Wet Glaze, Camden County, Missouri, and died April 22, 1985 in Dallas, Texas.
    Granville Cecil Morton was born September 17,1903, in Wichita Falls, Texas. Six years later the family moved to Grayson County. There he began his elementary education and the family ran a grocery store and real estate business . The Mortons later moved to a farm south of Gainesville, continuing in the dairy business.
    As Morton entered high school, the family moved into the town of Gainesville and he got his start in the restaurant business. "I worked my way through high school in restaurants," Morton recalled, "I then left home to come to Dallas where I went to work in a restaurant I decided that was going to be my vocation." He did not graduate from High School lacking only a very little credit, bid did not want to go to school another whole year. He felt he needed to go to work full time
    Determined to know all he could about the restaurant business, Morton later left Dallas to work in places coast to coast. "I not only turned out to be a waiter, but a pantryman and a fry cook," he said. It was while he was traveling working in restaurants that he met his first wife, Thelma Lindsey. He was working in Hot Springs, Arkansas and Thelma was working in a Woolworth's 5 & 10 cent store there in Hot Springs. They stayed in rooming houses that happened to be next door to each other. Their first date was an outing at Lake Hamilton.
    They were married on December 21, 1926, in Saline Co., Arkansas. His age was listed as 24, and her's as 20 on the Marriage Certificate.
Their one and only child, a daughter, Loumelia Jane Morton, was born October 27, 1927 at their home, 1327 Lindsley Street, Elmwood Addition, Dallas County, in what was known as Trinity Heights.
    G. C. and Thelma. finally settled in Dallas where he managed a place at 1512 Main Street. They bought the shop in 1929 and established their first business, "Morton's Sandwich Shop." The family lived upstairs above the sandwich shop. Then G.C.'s Mother, Mildred or "MaMa Morton," came in from the Dairy farm to help take care of Loumelia. G.C.'s sister, Emily Isabelle, would come in after school to work at the cash register.
    It was there Morton began experimenting with the newly popular potato chips, a natural to accompany his sandwiches. By this time the potato chip was establishing itself as a good food product, and he found the potato chips he was getting for his cafe were not of the consistent good quality and freshness he desired. He experienced difficulty finding "decent chips" so began to make them for himself. He consulted with his brother-in-law, Robert Kuhn, in Detroit, Michigan, another potato chip producer.
He sold his Sandwich Shop in 1932 and with $15,000 capital set out to manufacture potato chips. Aimed with much advice and little encouragement, Morton opened on East Grand. His enthusiasm was not stifled. Self confidence came from experience. "I'd cooked a lot of potatoes," he replied.
    His wife, Thelma, was his partner in the business working right alongside with him. On August 1, 1938, they had a company picnic. Thelma, herself, fried 65 chickens for that picnic. She developed a cold, which turned into Pneumonia. She was afraid of hospitals, so an oxygen tent was sa up in the home and it was there that she died on August 13, 1938.
Morton produced chips throughout the difficult times of the Depression and in 1942 moved the growing business to a new plant on South Harwood. Larger facilities opened on Denton Drive in 1951. As the business increased, so did the list of commodities. In time he added other specialty food item including pickle mustard and napkins along with item for small restaurants. The plant produced institutional products.
    Other plants were added as time went on throughout the Southwest, including, besides Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso, Lubbock, Albuquerque, Corpus Christi and Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1946 he was President of the National Potato Chip Institute.
    After ten successful years, the Morton family business went public in 1961. Price per share of the stock went from 12 1/2 to 60 in a twelve month period. In February 1964, Morton Foods joined the General Mills family, where Morton served as vice president as well as holding the position of board chairman of his own company.
The life of Granville C. Morton exemplified the typical American story of a man who became successful on an idea. Morton, from a humble start in business, built a food industry on the potato chip. After constructing his empire, he placed his individual needs as secondary and sought to help with curing cancer. He made one of the largest monetary gifts for medical purposes, $I million toward construction of a cancer research center for the Wadley Institute of Molecular Medicine.
Morton, the founder of Morton Foods, once a division of General Mills, spent his life building a small potato chip business into a major food company. Always associated with food production, Morton acquired the nickname of "Potato Chip King."
    Morton continuously desired to help fight the cancer problem The disease had frequently touched the lives of his family and friends. "We've had a lot of friends who were healthy one day, went to the doctor the next and found they had cancer," Mr. Morton said "Mrs. Morton (Gladys, his second wife) lost a sister and I've lost two brothers to cancer." One of his brothers, Lawrence, died of cancer of the Pancreas and his brother, Gerald, died with a cancer of the Brain, (Gladys Morton, his second wife died in 1985 of ovarian cancer.)
An effort to see:k a cure led to the $1 million donation toward the erection of the six-story Granville C. Morton Cancer & Research Hospital in 1965. The donation was arranged through the Dallas Community Chest Trust Fund and its president, Fred M. Lange, a longtime friend. "This is believed to be the largest single monetary gift for medical purposes ever made in Dallas County by an individual during his lifetime." (From an article in the POTATO CHIPPER of January 1966.) Morton often said, "I would give more if I could do it on credit."
    G.C. started dating Gladys Hurt around 1939. She was working at Sears & Roebuck in the Credit Department. He wouldn't tell her what the "G" stood for in his name, so she called him "George" for a longtime. She was a regular going on trips with G.C. and his daughter, "Lou." She would spend the night a lot of the time sharing Lou's bedroom
July of 1948, after the wedding of his daughter Lou, to Van Calvin Ellis on March 6th of that same year, G.C. planned a surprise wedding for himself and Gladys in his home. She thought that they were leaving for a trip and when she walked downstairs after getting dressed, the preacher and the family were congregated for the wedding, A wedding celebration then followed.

SEASONS GREETINGS

 "TO THE MORTON FAMILY MORTON FOODS"
Christmas, 1965

     "First, lot me say thanks to all the Morton Family for the wonderful and beautiful plaque given to me in regard to the donation I made for the cancer research hospital. I was very proud to have had the opportunity to do this. I certainly hope it will help to not only find a cure for these malignant diseases but to find out what is really causing them and that they can find a prevention.
    We are born into this world through love, Love of our parents for each other as well as love for us. Our well being through life depends on how we use the time we have, of what love and respect for others we have and for what love and respect others have for us. Honor thy father and mother. Show tolerance and regard for our fellow man.
    Our happiness through this life is based on what we can do to make others happy. Do unto others as you would like for them to do unto you. The more pleasures we give to others, the more pleasures we will receive. Smile and smiles we get in return. Speak no evil, bear no evil, see no evil. Do not say anything about anyone unless it is something good.
    It is more blessed to give than to receive Remember, we can't take worldly goods with us when we leave this life but we can send some ahead for the good off humanity. Help our fellowman when possible. You will be glad you did.
    I am sorry I don't get to see and be with you as mach as I used to but I am sure you can understand. I do love you just as much as I always have. I still appreciate your smiles and greetings. I am trying to take it a little easier because I don't feel as good as I would like to. I really appreciate the good work you are doing and loyalty you have always shown.
Now this Christmas has a special meaning to me as you can understand. May God bless you and wish you and your loved ones healthy and happy. It is my pleasure to wish for each of you and your loved ones and friends a very very Merry Christmas and a Bright New Year Sincerely."
The Granville C. and Gladys H. Morton Fund was established with the Dallas Community Chest Trust Fund in December, 1971. That fund has provided $7.8 million in grants, including $2 million to the Wadley Institutes of Molecular Medicine.
    Throughout his lifetime, Morton shared with needy causes. His giving reached almost every type of philanthropic cause; medical research, health care, religious activities, education youth, ecology and even historical monuments.
    He, and his second wife, Gladys, contributed $59,000 in 1967 to the Cooke County Heritage Society of Gainesville, Texas, to restore the old Gainesville Fire Station and turn it into a museum on Dixon Street that is still known as "The Morton Museum. " Granville C. And Gladys H. Morton Fund continues to support that Museum with annual gifts.
Funeral: Entered Into Red on November 9, 1969; Services at Park Cities Baptist Church at 11 am. November 11, 1969; Dr. Herbert R. Howard officiating; Interment Redland Cemetery - Grave 2, Lot 49, Block B. in the Garden of Peace. Pall Bearers: Jack Evans, Herman Lay, John H. Curtis, James W Campbell, Harvey Noss, Bill Oliver, Bob Rinehart, Earl Wyatt, Dr. Joe Hill, Fred Lange and Chris Hurley.
    Granville died at a Cowboy Football game, in Dallas, from a heart attack and is buried in Restland Cemetery in Dallas.

Notes for Thelma Beatrice Lindsey:

Copy of a letter written by Thelma to her sister, Loda, in Norman, Arkansas:

4514 East Grand Avenue Phone 3-4844
MORTONS
POTATO CHIPS

 "With That Wonderful Flavor "Aug. 2, 1938"
Dear Sister:

     Just got your letter and am willing to do my part on fixing Mama's House. You write to all the kids and see what they can do. I guess me and Fannie will be the only one to o help so write her and see what she can do. If we have to she and I can split it. But first see how much the rest can send in. Dovie could put a few dollars in if she would. How much will it take to start it? If it will cost $75.00 and you let the rent pay it out, how much does it take to start it? Will it take the $75.00 or can you pay it out by the month? If it doesn't take cash, what do you mean by paying it out at 500 a month so write and explain just what you need. But what ever it takes I'm willing and you can count on me. Looks like you could pay the lumber out by the mouth and just the labor. So write and let me know how much. See what the other kids can do especially Fannie and if she will go 50-50 with me we wouldn't fool with the others. Bob still owes Morton $10.00 tho for 2 years and never mentions paying it. I didn't think he would be like that but Fannie can get it other places with all her fine watches, rings & ect. Loda when you paper it don't put that old building paper an it, for you know it will be yours afterwards and fix it nice. Looks to me like it would be better for her to get some one to stay with her for she won't to satisfied with just one room and you know she will have to have a place to cook or is she going to eat with you?" Where can us kids stay when we come home? I won't come home till this fall. It is so hot so let me know more about it and what the rest of the kids can do.
    Love to all come on down to see me and I'll give you all my old clothes eh? Thelma" (note from Lou: This was written without any punctuation at all, just like it was one long sentence. You will note it was written on Aug, 2nd. And she died on Aug, 13th).

 Copy of a letter written by G.C. Morton to his distributors after her death:

"August 17,1938 " ALL DISTRIBUTORS:
Dear Boys and Wives:

    I have only a few words to say. I have lost the sweetest and most wonderful pal and partner that a man could ever have. A loss like this means lots more than any of you can understand. Part of MORTON'S is gone, At all times she was part of MORTONS foundation and success, worries and trials. We can give her credit not only as being one of us, but as being part of us. The foundation of everything we have to took forward to was built around her. Lots of times my being able to carry on was on account of her. There were times when I was ready to give up and quit; when times were darkest, she helped me to carry on. Everyone of us that knew her loved her I am sure but I don't believe that there is any one of you who can realize just how deep my love was for her.
    Now at this time when everything seem dark and gloomy, I am going to ask each and everyone of you to do the best you can for my sake and hers. The last few months have been hard on us. We need more money; we need more volume, Some of you boys are doing swell and carrying your load as you should while some of you have been having hard times and not able or not coming through like you should. I would like you boys that are low on surplus do all that is humanly possible to get your surplus back to where it should be. I want you all to remember that my wife, my partner, knew that each one of you knew just how sweet she was. Think of her in this time of calamity. That is what she would want us to do, me and you and you. She thought the world of each one of you and loved your wives. In conclusion I am going to ask each one of you to offer a prayer for me in her behalf. As ever,
Morton
    When she died she still owed Sanger Bros. Inc. a total of $11.66 that she had been paying on the "Club Plan" at the rate of $5.00 a month. She had purchased that month a "slip" for $1.39 and a "dress" for $3.95. The bill was paid off on Sept. 10, 1938. She died of pneumonia.

     Funeral: 5:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 15, 1938 at Sparkman-Holtz-Brand, Chapel. Conducted by Rev. Herman Davis, Internment at 7 p.m. In Grove Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers were Werth Wimberly, L. M. Mitchell, Garlin Morgan, W. O. Hughes, L. P. Morton and G. D. Morton. Friends who signed the book: Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Salyer, Miss Rebecca Burstyn, E. G Michael, Mr. & Mrs. Dorsey Muckey, Mrs. L. R. Muckey, Billie Womack. The only one of these last names that are familiar to me is the first, whom I assume was Billie Salyer. (Note from daughter, Lou)
 

DALLAS MORNING NEWS
Tuesday, April 23,1985

    Funeral services for Gladys H. Morton widow of Granville C. Morton, founder of Morton Foods of Dallas, will be at I p.m. Tuesday in The Restland Funeral Home Chapel.
Mrs Morton, 75, did Monday after a lengthy illness.
    A native of Wet Glaize, Mo., Mrs. Morton attended business college in Dallas and married Morton in 1948. His firm grew from a small potato chip maker to a large corporation and was sold in 1968 to General Mills. Morton died in 1969.
    In 1971, the Granville C. and Gladys H. Morton Foundation turned over its assets to the Communities Foundation of Texas. That fund has provided $7.8 million in grams, including $2 million to the Wadley Institutes of Molecular Medicine, and $1 million to establish the Morton Cancer and Research Hospital at Wadley. Mr. Morton had been on Wadley's board since 1969.
    She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Lou Ellis and a sister, Marie Rogas,both of Dallas.
    From Obit: Gladys H. Morton of Dallas, 75, a philanthropist and widow of Dallas industrialist Granville C. Morton, died Monday. A native of Camdenton, Missouri, she attended a Dallas business college and in 1948 married Morton, who made his fortune manufacturing potato chips and other food products; he died in 1969. Her philanthropic efforts included the Wadley Institutes of Molecular Medicine and the Granville C. Morton Cancer and Research Hospital. Survivors include step daughter, Lou Ellis of Dallas; sister, Marie Rogers of Dallas; grandchildren, Monica Cleckler, of Bsrksdale, Texas, Meredith Woolworth of Dallas, G. C. Morton Ellis of Rosston, Texas, Calvin Campbell Ellis of Honokaa, Hawaii; and five great-grandchildren. Services are to be hold Tuesday, April 23, at 1:00 P.M. at Restland Memorial Chapel In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sat to: The Morton Hospital or Community Foundation of Texas.
    Funeral: 1 p.m. April 23, 1985 at Restland Memorial Chapel, Dr. Robert Feather officiating & Interment at Restland Cemetery in the Garden of Peace. Janice Morton Thornhill sang "How Great Thou Art." Pall Bearers: Jim Campbell, Johnny Martin, Bill Downs, Dan Neal, Curley Mayes, Felix McDanie J, Dub Nelson, and Don Guest.
    Gladys' died of Ovarian Cancer. Her first symptom was that of a blocked bowel. She went in for surgery at Presbyterian Hospital. The doctor them sewed her back up said the cancer tumors looked like a tangled mass of Christmas tree lights. He gave her 6 weeks to 3 months to live. She transferred to Morton Hospital and after several more surgeries and lots of therapy, she lived another two to three years. She had to stop the Platinum therapy that was working because it was destroying her kidneys and her liver. The cancer was gone all except a couple of small spots which then spread and caused her death.

GAINSVILLE DAILY REGISTER, April 23, 1985
WIFE OF MUSEUM BENEFACTOR DIES IN DALLAS

    "Friends and family were to gather for funeral services for Gladys H. Morton, widow of Granville C. Morton, today at 1 p.m. at the Restland Funeral Home in Dallas. Mrs. Morton, 75, died Monday April 22, 1985, at home after a lengthy illness with Ovarian Cancer. She is buried at Restland Cemetery, Garden of Peace.
Her husband, G. C. Morton, grew up in Gainesville, attended Gainsville High School and went on to found Morton Foods of Dallas. He and his wife contributed $58,000 to restore the old Gainesville Fire Station in 1967 and turn it into the museum on Dixon Street that bears his name.
    A native of Wet Glaive, Mo., Mrs. Morton attended business college in Dallas and married Morton in 1948.
    Morton, whose father owned a dairy farm on East California Street near Edison School, left Gainsville before finishing high school and started a family potato chip business in Dallas that he later parlayed into a large corporation. He sold it to General Mills in 1968 and died a year later.
    Morton spent many hours in Gainesville while the museum was being built and became very interested in his hometown in the 1960's
    In 1971 three years after Morton's gift to the Cooke County Heritage Society, the Granville C. and Gladys H. Morton Foundation turned over its assets to the Communities Foundation of Texas. That fund has provided $7.8 million in grants, including $2 million to the Wadley Institutes of Molecular Medicine and $1 million to establish the Morton Cancer and Research Hospital at Wadley. Mrs. Morton had been on Wadleys board since 1969.
    She is survived by a daughter, Mrs Lou Ellis, and a sister, Marie Rogers, both of Dallas.
    Morton's grandson and namesake, G. C. Ellis of Gainesville, owns and operates Bomber Baits Co. on Lindsay Street. He and his wife Mary have two children and live on a farm near Hood in Cooke County. They have lived in the area for the past two years.
Ellis is currently on the board of directors of the Heritage Society."

 Child of Granville Morton and Thelma Lindsey is:

    Lournelia Jane Morton was born Oct. 27, 1927, 1327 Lindsley, Elmwood addition Dallas, Texas, as per the birth date entered in Baby Book by Mother.. She married Van Calvin Ellis March 6, 1948 in Dallas, Texas, son of Calvin Ellis and Ophir Edwards. He was born Dec. 22, 1926 in Methodist Hospital, Dallas, Texas.
    Lournelia was born at home because Thelma was afraid of Hospitals and refused to go to one for the birth. The doctor that was supposed to deliver the baby was not available so a substitute doctor by the name of Dr. Sours grabbed his bag and came instead. He thought, mistakenly, that the nurse had diluted to 1/10th of 1% the silver nitrate, used in new born babies eyes. In fact, the silver nitrate put into Loumelia's eyes was 100%. The doctor realized something was wrong immediately and tried to rinse the solution out of her eyes. He was able to save the left eye, but the right eye was burned, and her vision lost in that eye. The Doctor came out the next day, saw what had happened, disappeared and the family never heard from him again.

HER FIRST TRIP
TO GRANDFATHER!S FUNERAL IN ARKANSAS

    When she was just a few weeks old, her parents took her to an eye doctor who had to pry her eye open in order to check it. He told them that when she became around 15 years old that she could have a cornea transplant. She went to the eye doctor when she was 15, but was told that since she had learned to see with only one eye, that the two eyes could not be trained to work together after all that time. He told them that her right eye could be her "ace in the hole" in case anything ever happened to her left eye, He did fit her with her first glasses and for the first time could actually see the leaves on trees and could see peoples faces from a distance.
    Loumelia was destined to go through life not being able to see in 3-D, did not have depth perception other than her own "learned" depth perception. It would have helped her ego if she had known that her lack of depth perception was the reason why she was no good at many sports especially any sports involving a ball. The teachers evidently did not realize it either, because she was made to participate in those games anyway.
    When she was almost six years old, her parents found out that she could not go to school that year unless she was six BEFORE September 1st. She would not be six until October 27th, but since she was born at home and the doctor disappeared she did not have a birth certificate. They needed her to be in school that year so the nurse, Agnes, that was taking care of her could go to work helping in the Potato Chip business.
    Therefore on Aug. 4, 1933 there was a certificate issued as follows: "To Any Dallas Principal: This certifies that them is on file in the Office of Superintendent of Schools under File Number 1627/1933 a birth certificate for Loumelia Jane Morton, child of Granville Cecil Morton and Thelma Beatrice Lindsey, born at 1327 Lindsley, Elmwood Addition, August 27, 1927.
    Attached to the certificate are two affidavits, one signed by the mother who also signed the certificate and the other signed by Billie Salyer, a party not related to the child by blood or marriage, and one who was acquainted with the facts surrounding the birth of the child.
    This statement will be accepted by any Dallas Principal in establishing the birth date of Lounielia June Morton on the permanent records of the Dallas Public Schools. Signed: Leo Stadthorr, Census Director'
    So Loumelia went to the First Grade as a very young not really six year old in 1933. She attended Lipscomb Grade School for her first and half of her second year. Her Mother told her that if anyone knocked on the door and asked her when she was born to be sure to tell them August 27th and not October 27th. thinking that it could be a census taker. She was scared to death that if she said, August 27th, that a big neon sign would appear on her forehead saying,"LIE!"
    After one and one-half years at Lipscomb, she attended Mt. Auburn for the rest of her elementary school days. She would be driven to school, but on most days she would walk home. She had to pass a gulch on the way home and all sorts of scary tales were circulated about what went on down in that gulch. She practically ran all the way until she got past that gulch.
During the Texas Centennial, in 1936, Lournelia had many fun times going to the Centennial at the State Fair Grounds with her Grandmother, MaMa Morton. They would go out early, riding on the streetcar, and stay until after the fireworks around the lagoon at 10:00.
    Loumelia took dancing lessons and lessons in 'expression.' Her Mother would drive her to the lessons, so that was a treat. They would end up singing on their way. A favorite was, "Somebody Loves Me." Her Mother loved her beer, so, at times they would stop at a beer joint, the kind with sawdust on the floor and chairs with arms. Mother would have a beer and Lounielia would have a cold drink. Her Mother would tell her not to tell her Daddy, he did not like for her Mother to drink beer. Loumelia was to witness her "redhead" temper a few times. Her hair was not really red but she kept "hernia" on it so it was a strawberry blonde, almost red.
    Lournelia remembers her Mother as being very tiny. In fact, her nickname was "tiny." She weighed 104 pounds and was trying her best to lose weight, When Lournelia was just a little girl, she remembered playing "dress-up" in her Mother's shoes. The difference is, they fit! Her mother wore a size 2 1/2 when she could find samples that size. Otherwise, she would have to stuff the toes of larger shoes in order to wear them.
    Loumelia remembers the times the family spent at the restaurant of her Aunt Bobbye and Uncle T.B. Arledge The restaurant was Close to the Chip Company when it was on East Grand. Aunt Bobbye would slip 'Thelma a beer in the rat room, so G.C. would not know how many she had. Loumelia remembers dancing by the jukebox and people throwing coins on the floor for her. That was fine! She loved the attention and the approval. Then she remembers being put to bed in her Aunt and Uncle's bed behind the restaurant She could hear the fun going on in the restaurant, and she could also hear noises in the alley behind the room That part was not fun!
    The summer of 1938 started out being a fun one, but it was to end in tragedy for Loumelia. Her Mother caught cold frying 65 chickens for a Morton Foods Company Picnic. She kept getting worse, refusing to go to the hospital. Finally, an oxygen tent was set up at home. This was the year before Sulfa was discovered. Then on August 13, 1938, she died of Pneumonia. They were living on Fairview in East Dallas at this time. It was two weeks before Loumelia's 11th birthday August 27th.
This birthday became her "legal" birthday, one that she was to celebrate until her 50th Birthday. Then she announced that the next 50 Birthdays would be celebrated on her "real" birthday. On all legal papers she still has to enter her "legal" birthday.
    After her Mother died, her Grandmother Morton moved in to take care of her. During the summer vacations from school she would go with her Daddy to work at the Potato Chip Company. She started out by doing the things "would not cause the production line to get "swamped." She did fold potato chip bags, screw lids on mayonnaise jars and help load trucks along with being a "gofer." When the girls on the production line wanted sodas from the comer grocery, she would be the one to go get them When she got tired she would climb upon a stack of cam of napkins and take a nap. It was not bad, but she did not look forward to summer vacations like her friends did.
    After Mt. Auburn, she attended J.L.Long Jr. High School for two years and then Woodrow Wilson High School. One of the highlights of her time at Woodrow was while she was a senior and was in the runoff for Cheerleader. As part, of the tryouts, she got to be one of the cheerleaders to lead the cheers during part of one of the quarters of a Woodrow Football Game, It was her senior year in High School when her friends shortened her name from "Loumelia" to Lou."
    In September of 1944, she entered Southern Methodist University. She went through "deferred rush" as it was called and pledged Delta Gamma. She was active in all the organizations and was named to "Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities " in both her Junior and Senior Years, Her college days were during the war so the school had a "speeded up" Navy V-12 program which means that she was able to accumulate enough hours to graduate a little early. She~ however, was going to have a wonderful Senior Year and take the minimum number of hours and go ahead and graduate in June.
    She met Van Calvin Ellis in August the summer proceeding her Senior year. Van was born December 22nd, 1926 at the Methodist Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He went to grade school at John F. Peeler in Oak Park, a suburb of Dallas. In 1936 the family moved to Temple, Texas, where Big Daddy worked on the Kyle Hotel and Scott & White Hospital.
She had her first date with him on August 10th. She already had dates for Friday and Saturday nights, but those were the last dates she had with anyone except Van. Six weeks later they were engaged. They knew that her Father would insist that she graduate from college before getting married, the enrolled for 6 courses plus a correspondence course so she could graduate in January instead of June. They were married on March 6, 1948.
    Her legal birthday day is Aug. 27, 1927, #53599 (2-21-63), D.P.S. file #1627/1933. She began Grade School in Sept. 1933, attended Mt. Auburn Grade School, then J.L. Jr. High. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Jun. 1944 and in Jan. 1948 graduated from S.M.U. with a Bachelor of Arts in General Business. In 1968, she was elected to the Board of Trustees of Wadley Ind. of Molecular Medicine. In Jan. 1944 , she was made Exec. Sec. to the Pres. of Morton Foods and in 1949 Promoted to V.P. of Morton Foods.
Notes for Van Calvin Ellis:
    They lived there less than two years. It was there that Van and his sister, Johnny Laveme, met and became good friends with Margie Pearson, who later married Bill Ozier. They remained friends from then on even when the Ellis family moved back to Dallas. After Van finished John F. Peeler, he wait to Adamson High School until he graduated in June of 1944.
    While he was in High School he maintained a paper route almost the whole time. He also worked at a Gulf service station for a man named Brown, a fantastic guy. When he was 17 he "borrowed" his Dads draft card, changed the date and went to work in a pool hall for a man named Hunter. He even had a few dates with his daughter while he worked for him Mr. Hunter was a member of the same Masonic Lodge as "Big Daddy." He commented on what a good worker Van was and didn't realize that his son was that old. "Big Daddy" told him how old Van was and Van lost that job.
    The same month that Van graduated from High School he joined the Merchant Marines and went to St. Petersburg, Florida, for his training. Got his papers in six months and signed on a ship in Baton Rouge, La. went down to Mississippi through New Orleans on the way to England. He was in Liverpool, England, on his 18th birthday - the "ugliest, dirtiest city I have ever been in my life. An old bombed-out port!"
    Van shipped out for the next two and one-half years; France, Italy, North Africa, The Suez Canal to Egypt and India. Made a lot of trips to Cuba and the Caribbean. He was lucky enough to be able to stay out of the South Pacific. Once over there he would not have been able to got home for nine months to two years. He was able to come home at the end of each trip if he wanted to. Therefore, he was able to get home four or five times a year. His longest trip was six months to India. He had signed onto go to Italy, and at the mouth of the Mediterranean they changed their orders to go to Calcutta, India. That was his last trip. His discharge was waiting for him at home. He said that he never wanted to go back to India. He said that it was really a terrible experience.
    He was not home very long when "Big Daddy" told him to got over to the house he was painting for G.C. Morton - that"he was losing his butt on that job." That was in August of 1947, The daughter, Lou Morton, was at home that summer instead of working at the potato chip company. The front door to that house opened to a staircase. At the top of that staircase, Lou was laying on the floor in a pair of shorts with her legs propped up on the wall talking on the telephone. All Van could see was legs. He asked one of Big Daddy's painters who that was. He was told, "Mr. Morton's daughter, Lou."
    Van and Lou had their first. date on August 10th, 1947. Six weeks later, they were engaged and then six months after that they were married on March 6th, 1948.

DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Sunday, March 3,1963
"2 POSTS CREATED, TOP JOBS REALIGNED BY MORTON FOODS"

    Top management of Morton Foods has been realigned through the creation of two now posts in response to rapid expansion of the Dallas-based food firm.
Directors of the company have elevated G. C. Morton, president and founder, to the new position of board chairman. Van C. Ellis, vice-president in charge of sales was advanced to the presidency, and James W. Campbell, vice president in charge of purchasing. was named to the new post of executive vice-president. In other appointments, Jack D.Brown was made vice-president in charge of manufacturing and Donald M. Guest was promoted to secretary treasurer.
    Mr. Ellis has been with the company 15 years, Mr. Campbell 14 years, Mr. Brown 10 years and  Mr. Guest, 17 years. The new president, Mr. Ellis, is also a director of Fair Park National Bank and Lone Star Insurance Co. He forecast continued growth for the company. "This is past year saw the acquisition of Craddock Foods, and already ifs facilities are inadequate and a new food processing plant is under construction in Farmers Branch! exclaimed Mr. Ellis."
    Morton Foods also acquired Zip Foods of Albuquerque last year, and this spring we have had to create a new Western Division to accommodate Zip and our El Paso and Lubbock plants. "Last December we finished a new plant in Corpus Christi and it will service South Texas. Completion of the Tulsa, Okla., plant and development of markets in Northeastern Oklahoma and adjacent states is scheduled for 1963," he said. "In addition, we are marketing several now products," commented Mr. Ellis.
    Founded in 1932, Morton Foods distributes its food products in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and New Mexico, operating eight plants."

MISS MORTON, MR. ELLIS, BETROTHED

    Announcing the engagement of her niece, Miss Loumelia Jane Morton, to Van Calvin Ellis, Mrs. T.B. Arledge entertained with a luncheon Saturday in the Mural Room of the Baker Hotel. The wedding will be March 6 at the Highland Baptist Church. The bride-elect, is the daughter of G.C. Morton, 3509 Southwestern Blvd.., and Mr. Ellis' parents are Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Ellis, 606 Cumberland St.
    Miss Morton attended Woodrow Wilson High School and will be graduated Wednesday fi-om Southern Methodist University School of Business. she belongs to Delta Gamma Sorority The bridegroom-to-be attended Adamson High School and saved to the Merchant Marines.
    Bridesmaids for the wedding will be Miss Wanda Gooch of Houston, Miss Nancy Dowling of Neenah, Wis., Miss Jackie Chamberlin, Mines. Charles Furby, James W. Campbell and Edwin Turner. James W. Campbell is to attend as best man. Other attendants to the bridegroom will be Alfred T. Ellis, T.B. Arledge, Charles Barbosa, Durwood Harber, James Blair and George Hancock.
    Attending the luncheon were members of the bridal patty, Mrs. M. P. Morton, grandmother of the bride-elect; Mrs. Ellis, mother of the bridegroom-to-be, Misses Carolyn Spencer, Joan Jakel, Jane Lloyd, Gladys Hurt, Jeanne Dixon and Betty Schenewerk, Mmes. Al Hopper and Phillip Naab, who will be members of the house party; Mmes. Harry Knight, Olen C. Turner, GlenTinsley, George Hancock, N. A. Caddell, G. D, Morton, Charles Barbosa; Misses Maoion Reese, Janice Ross, Juba Keahey, George Schenewerk and Miss Gloria Turquette, who will present the music.

Dallas Times Herald March 7, 1948
ELLIS-MORTON NUPTIALS ARE HELD

    Under a vine covered arch centering the altar at the Highland Baptist Church Saturday evening, Miss Lournelia Jane Morton became the bride of Van Calvin Ellis. The arch was flanked by baskets of white gladioli and stock and floor standards holding cathedral tapers were placed behind the flower arrangements. The bridal aisle was edged in white stock.
Granville C. Morton, 3509 Southwestern Blvd., is the bride's father and Mr. and Mrs. Calvin C. Ellis, 606 Cumberland St., are the parents of the bridegroom. Dr. Julian Atwood performed the wedding oweniony. Mrs. Leo Kopisch was organist, Miss Gloria Turquette and Carleton Anderson, soloists.
    Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore an original Christina gown of heaven-pink satin designed with an empire neckline embroidered with imported pink pearls and opalescent bugle beads. Her satin overskirt was heavily embroidered and was worn with a net underskirt, which swept into a fan-shaped train. Three rows of miniature pleating of illusion formed the bride's handmade halo, which was decorated with seed pearls. Her finger tip-length veil fell in misty tiers of pink illusion. Her short mitts of cuffed and ruffled net matched the puffed sleeves of her dress. She carried a cascade of white gardenias and pale pink freschias, and wore a strand of pearls, gift of the bride-groom.

AUNT IS HONOR ATTENDANT

    Mrs. T. B. Arledge attended her niece as matron of honor. She wore a white crepe gown with a bolero cape and carried a cascade of pale pink carnation. In her coiffure was a single pink carnation.
    Bridesmaids were Mrs. J. W. Campbell, sister of the bride groom; Mrs. Charles Furby III, Mrs. Edwin Turner, Miss Jacqueline Chamberlain, Miss Wanda Gooch of Houston and Miss Nancy Dowling of Dallas and Neenah, Wis. Their white nylon marquisette gowns had deep berthas edged with miniature pleating, Two rows of ruffles cascaded down the back of their bouffant skirts. Carnations were worn in their hair and they carried cascades of pale pink carnations.
    James W. Campbell attended his brother-in-law as best man. Groomsmen were Alfred Ellis and T. B. Arledge, uncles of the bride (and the bridegroom);
James Blair, Durwood Harber, George Hancock and Charles Barbosa II.
    Judy Hendrix, flower girl, wore a white satin dress and carried pink rose petals in a flower basket of pink ribbon and tulle. Gerald Morton of Irving was his cousin's ring bearer.

RECEPTION HELD AT HOME

      At the reception in the home of the bride's father, the three-tiered cake was topped by miniature bride and bridegroom figures. Hand-molded orchids, roses and lilies also dominated the cake. White roses were used in the center of the bride's table. Pink and white snapdragons filled vases throughout the house.
    Members of the house party were Mmes. Alfred Hopper, Jr., Charles Barbosa III, Philip Naab, George Hancock, Dorothy May, Herman Lay, Misses Gladys Hurt, Jane Lloyd, Janice Ross, Carolyn Spencer, Joan Jakel, Dorothy Hall, Charlyn Schmalzried and Jean Dixon,
    When the couple left for a trip to a resort hotel in McAllen, Texas, and Monterrey, Mexico, the bride wore a vintage purple suit with carved silver buttons. Her side swept hat of blue orchid was trimmed in mauve roses. Her accessories were black patent leather and her corsage was of violets and pink rosebuds.
    The bride was graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and Southern Methodist University where she became a member of Delta Gamma Sorority. Her husband was graduated from Adamson High School and served in the Merchant Marines three years.
    Among the out-of-town guests were Mr.. and Mrs, Herman Lay of Atlanta, Ga; Messrs. and Mmes John Curtis and Theodore McCourtney, Memphis, TN; Mr. and Mrs. George Calhoun, Columbus, Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. Bud Burris and James Dooley, Canton Ohio; Harvey Noss, Cleveland, Ohio; Fred Mayer, Madison, Wis.; Al Villesse, Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Vic Ambler, Paris, TX.; Mrs. Dorothy May, Kansas City, Mo.; Mrs. Russet Cravats, Houston; Messrs. and Mmes. Q. Dyess and Roy Shannon, Bryan; Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Edwards, Houston; Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Wood, Fairfield; Mr. and Mrs.E. R. Edwards, Tahoka; Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Wood and Mr. and Mrs. George Marquardt Austin, and Miss B. Edwards, Brownfield.
    Children of Lournelia Morton and Van Ellis are; Monica Lanel I Ellis, b. Jan. 31, 1950, St. Paul Hospital, Dallas, Texas, Meredith Lou Ellis, b. Aug, 29, 1951, St. Paul Hospital, Dallas, Texas, O. C. Morton Ellis, b. Dec. 6, 1952, St. Paul Hospital, Dallas, Texas, Calvin Campbell Ellis, b. Sept. 20, 1955, St. Paul Hospital, Dallas, Texas.

LAWRENCE PATTERSON MORTON, Sr.

Lawrence Patterson Morton, Sr. was born Oct. 10, 1906; and died May 24, 1961, Dallas, Texas from cancer of the pancreas. He married Mary Geraldine Baker Jan.23,1931. She was born June 14, 1915.

Children of Lawrence Morton and Mary Baker are:

Lawrence Patterson Morton, Jr., b. Oct. 25, 1931, Dallas, Texas. He married Lois Eavenson June16, 1956. She was born Ort.08,1932 in Wheeler, Texas.
Children of Lawrence Morton and Lois Eavenson are: David Lawrence Morton, b. April 20, 1958, Dallas, Texas, Lisa Ann Morton,b.March 14, 1960. Chris Edward Morton, b. Nov. 18, 1964, Dallas, Texas.

Marvin William Morton b. Feb. 4, 1933, He married Joanne Davidson, she was born July 16, 1935.
Gerald Cecil Morton, b. Jan. 4, 1936
Granville Joseph Morton b. Nov. 14, 1941.
Patricia Ann Morton, b. March 26, 1944; d. Unknown; , m. Paul Winford Florian, Unknown; b. Jan. 3, 1944.
Mary Catherine Morton, b. July 14, 1946,
Martha Jean Morton, b. Jan.25.1949, m. Paul Winford Florian, Unknown; b. Jan. 3, 1944.
 

GERALD DEE MORTON

    Gerald Dee Morton was born March 20, 1910, Tioga, Texas and died Jan. 12, 1965, Irving, Texas from a malignant brain tumor. He married Dorothy Gladys Gandillion July 27, 1928. She was born Oct. 7, 1908, and died Oct. 25, 1976 from complications from surgery. She had sugar diabetes and for the last few years was almost completely blind. .

OBIT: FUNERAL SET THURSDAY FOR GERALD DEE MORTON\
Newspaper Jan. 12,1965

    Irvin, Texas - Funeral services for Gerald Dee Morton, 64, of 1425 Daisy Lane, vice-president of Morton Foods Co., will behold at 2 p.m. Thursday in the First Baptist Church here. Burial will be in Restland Memorial Park.
    Mr. Morton, a native of Tioga, Grayson County, and an Irving resident for 34 years, died here Tuesday.
    He had lived in Gainesville before coming to Irving in 1930 to operate a diary. In 1942, he joined Morton Foods, which is headed by his brother, G. C. Morton, and in 1946 he became vice-president in charge of transportation.
    He was member of the Hella Temple Shrine and was a past patron of the Irving Order of Eastern Star. He was also past district deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Texas, past district deputy grand master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masons, past high priest of the Irving chapter of the Royal Arch Masons and held offices and posts in other Scottish Rite bodies.
    He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Irving.
    Survivors, all of Dallas, include his wife, one son, Gerald Morton; three daughters, Mrs. Peggy Haymes, Mrs. Janice Thornhill and Miss Geraldine Morton; one brother, G. C. Morton; one sister, Mrs. Bobby Arledge, and six grandchildren.
Children of Gerald Morton and Dorothy Gandillion are:

PEGGY MADELINE MORTON

    Peggy Madeline Morton, b. May 30, 1929, Gainsville, TX
 

EMILY GERALDINE MORTON

    Emily Geraldine Morton, b. March 27, 1931; m. William "Bill" Dewaine Armstrong, Sept. 3, 1970, b. Feb. 6, 1929.
 

DOROTHY JANICE MORTON

    Dorothy Janice Morton was born March 24,1937, and died April 11, 1997 in Dallas, Texas. She married Dale Melvin Thornhill Feb.11, 1956. He was born Sept. 27, 1935.

DOROTHY JANICE MORTON, Obituary
from the DALLAS MORNING NEWS April 14, 1997

    "THORNHILL, Dorothy Janice (Morton)- Loving Mother, Grandmother and Friend. Longtime member of Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Past Matron, Irving, Chapter No. 777, Order of Eastern Star, Past, Qutxn-Sahman Temple No. 90, Daughters of the Nile.
    Survived by: Son, Mike Thornhill and wife Fran of Irving; Daughters: Cherl Wimbish Ivey and Husband Ed of Irving; Uxi Thornhill of Van Nuys, California; Dema Date Campbell of Oklahoma City; Brother Gerald A. "Butch" Morton and wife Kathy of The Woodlands; Slam: Peggy Haymes and Husband Bob of Colbert, Oklahoma; Geraldine and Husband Bill Armstrong of Farmers Branch; Grandchildren: Tiffany Lynn Wimbish, Samuel Cory Ivey, Kendra Leigh Ivey, Taylor, Parker, Lanelle, and Nicole Thornhill.
    Janice died as a result of Heart Bypass Surgery. She had a previous heart attack. Memorials: Scottish Rite Hospital or Charity of Choice. Service: 2:30 P.M. Sunday April 13, 1997, Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Rev. Ken Branum officiating. Brown's Memorial Funeral Home, 707 MacArthur Blvd. Irving, Texas."

GERALD ALBERT MORTON

    Gerald Albert Morton, b. Nov. 20, 1941.
 

EMILY ISABELLE MORTON

    Emily Isabelle Morton was born June 25, 1914. She married Tillman Barge Arledge Feb. 28, 1931. He was born Feb. 27, 1907 in Rockdale Texas, and died July 5, 1991 in Dallas, Texas of heart failure.. At the time of his he had a pace-maker that had worked good for a longtime.
    G. C. and Thelma finally settled in Dallas where he managed a place at 1512 Main Street, They bought the shop in 1929 and established their first business, "Morton's Sandwich Shop. "They lived above the sandwich shop. Then G.C.'s Mother, Mildred or "MaMa Morton," came in from the Dairy farm to help take care of Loumelia.  Her brother, G.C., said he could let her work after school and on weekends.
    Twice in one week, while her Father, Marvin Morton, was bringing her into work the milk truck turned upside down spilling all the milk he was transporting and making her afraid while riding in a car the rest of her life.
    It was while she was working at the Sandwich Shop that she met Tillman Barge Arledge who had traveled around working at restaurants with her brother, G.C., and who was working at the Morton's Sandwich Shop at the time.
    T. B. was born in Rockdale, Texas on February 27, 1907. T.B.'s father, Tillman Barge Arledge died while his Mother was pregnant with him. They really didn't name him so he just took his father's name. Later on when she married Henry Coogle, who adopted T.B. and, changed his name to James Franklin Coogle. He went to school under that name. Later when he was around his father's folks, they kept calling him T.B., so he wanted his name changed back to his natural father's name. His step-father took him to court and had his name changed back. T. B. had two half brothers, Dean and Henry Coogle, and two half sisters, Eva Lois and Ora Mae.
    His mother died in the big flu epidemic, this could have been in 1917 but Aunt Bobbye said right after WW I.
    T.B. and Bobbye got married when he was 24 and she was 17. They lived with G. C. and Thelma Morton and Loumelia up over the Mortons Sandwich Shop on Main Street in Downtown Dallas, Morton Henry was born in 1932. Ma Ma came in to take care of the two little ones, Loumelia and Morton while the parents worked in the cafe downstairs. After the Sandwich Shop was sold, They moved back to the farm with Ma Ma and Grandad Morton. Then they moved to Northlake in Gainsville after Grandad had two accidents and turned his truck upside down twice in one week driving Bobbye in to town. Then they all moved out to Irving where T. B. would get up in the morning to milk cows and then would drive into Downtown Dallas for them to go to work, Then he would drive them back out. He served in the U. S. Navy during World War II.
    He was plant superintendent at Morton Foods, retired in 1963. After retirement he operated a restaurant in Snider Plaza for a few years. He and his wife., Bobbye, owned and operated Northcutts Ladies Specialty Shops for a number of years along with their son, Morton Arledge-

TILLMAN BARGE ARLEDGE obituary
from The Dallas Morning News, Sunday, July 7,1991

    Tillman B., born in Rockdale, Texas, February 27, 1907, and died July 5, 1991 in Dallas, Texas at the age of 84. Mr. Arledge is survived by his wife of 60 years E.B.(Bobbye) Arledge, son and daughter-in-law, Morton & Mary Arledge, niece, Ray Fertitta; sister, Ora Mae Stengler, Houston; brother, Dean Koogle, Sacramento, California; grandchildren, Karen Goodson, Sharon Golden, Nanette Farmer, Jim Arledga, seven great-grandchildren; numerous other nieces & nephews. He was a 62 year resident of Dallas and served in the U.S. Navy during WW II. Retired from Morton Foods and former owner of Northcutt's Ladies Specialty Shops. Charter member and past Master of Hillcrest Lodge No. 1318 with over 50 years of service, 32nd Degree Mason, Member of Scottish Rite and Member of Park Cities Baptist Church. The family will receive friends at Restland Funeral Home from 2-4:00 P.M. Sunday, July 7, 1991. Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice. Services will be 2:00 P.M. Monday, July 8, 1991 at Restland Memorial Chapel with Rev. Bob Feather officiating. Interment Restland Memorial Park.

     The following is a poem written by his grandchildren in his memory and an anonymous epitaph, Karen read the poem and Sharon the epitaph at his service. RED STARS IN THE SUNSET his favorite song and OVER THE RAINBOW were sung,

GRANDADDY

 Grandaddy, we wish to contribute
In some small way this final tribute.
Telling stories of your youthful ewApades;
Of hopping trains and circus days
Then reminiscing how Grandmom became your wife,
You both shared such a zeal for life!
Sneaky games played -- You Ole' stinker!
Catching us out in your water sprinkler.
Little things that would make you smile,
It's just like you, to go the extra mile.
Dedication to the Masonic Lodge;
Demonstrated Faith, Love and Reverence for God.
This inspiration passed below;
When a couple later joined Rainbow.
Through our children you continued your playful ways,
They were the laughter in your eyes many a day
Out back playing putt-putt with you the caddie,
A special bond developed for their Big Daddy.
Numerous seeds you so gently planted;
What beautiful blossoms often taken for granted.
Friendly, Thoughtful, Generous and Sincere,
These are qualities we hold so dear.
Sitting, wondering, gazing beyond;
Rocking, smiling, starring at his pond.
We the simple things in life he adored;
We wonder, if most of his peers would have been Bored?
We have grown up now with you in our hearts,
For future days you will never part.
Grandaddy, we wish to contribute in some small way this final tribute.
Telling stories of your youthful escapades;
Of hopping trains and circus day's
Then reminiscing how Grandmom became your wife,
You both shared such a zeal for life!
Sneaky games played - You Old stinker!
Catching us oil in your water sprinkler.
Little things that would make you smile,
It's just like you, to go the extra mile,
Dedication to the Masonic Lodge;
Demonstrated Faith, Love and Reverence for GOD
This inspiration passed below;
When a couple later joined Rainbow.
Through our children you continued your playful ways,
They were the laughter in your eyes many a day.
Out back playing putt-putt with you the caddie;
A special bond developed for their Big Daddy.
Numerous seeds you so garitly planted;
What beautiful blossoms often taken for granted
Friendly, Thoughtful, Generous and Sincere,
These are qualities we hold so dear.
Sitting wondering, gazing beyond;
Rocking, smiling, starting at his pond.
It's the simple things in life he adored;
We wonder, if most of his peers would have been Bored?
We have grown up now with you in out hearts,
For future days you will never part.

Remember Friends--As you pass by, As you are now--So once was I. As I am now--You will be, So prepare in Life--to follow me.
Anonymous
 

Excerpts From THE CALLAGRAM
of Park Cities Baptist Church.

T. B. was born in Rockdale, Texas on Feb. 27, 1907. He graduated from high school in McAlister, Oklahoma. He as married to his wife, Bobbye, who survives him, on Feb. 28,1931. They have a son, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren. His career job was with Morton Foods in Dallas, where he was plant superintendent, retiring in 1963. After retirement, he operated a restaurant in Snider Plaza for a few years.
He joined the Berean Class in 1948 and in earlier years, when his health was better, T.B. was a very active member. He starred in the famed Paul Ussery Minstrels and was a fierce competitor in attendance contests. "The Bereans are the greatest fellowship you can get", T.B. recently stated I just wish I could come more often."This old timer will be missed.

Child of Emily Morton and Tillman Arledge is:
Morton Henry Arledge, b. Apr. 11. 1932.

RICHARD ANDERSON MORTON

    Richard Anderson Morton was born Feb. 1876, Kettle Mills, TN and died 1927 in Grandfield, OK.
 

ALTON B. MORTON

    Alton B. Morton was born Nov. 22, 1904, and died Aug, 11, 1956 in Grandfield, OK. He married Clara Louise Krasser Jan. 8, 1933. She was born Jan. 15, 1910, and died Aug 10, 1956 in Grandfield, OK,
    Child of Alton Morton and Clara Krasser is:
                Richard Anderson Morton, m. Louise Martin.

MATTIE MERLE MORTON

    Mattie Merle Morton, b. Feb. 11, 1878, d. Apr. 18, 1956, Wichita Falls, TX; she married Matt Bradley, born in 1866 and died Feb. 21, 1936 in Ardmore, Oklahoma..
From John David Measley II and wife Pat
    "Mattie married a man several years her senior and through that marriage, never had any children."
"She busied herself by running a boardinghouse in Tiogs, Texas, that was adorned with a large brass bell that called boarders and family to dinner. She had a huge dining room, consumed by a long table that was covered with vast assortments of delicious home cooked food."
"Mattie was charming and no one could ever say they didn't enjoy a visit to her house. The youngsters in the family, James Al Morton and nephew John Measley especially enjoyed the visits to Tioga. They were pretty much left on their own for entertainment and usually found interesting things to do. On one particular trip, they spent the day roaming the neighborhood where they purchased two pigeons for 50 cents. They were just fifty cents!', they boasted, proud of the good deal they found. In their enthusiasm, they failed to detect the sag in their parents shoulders. No adult in their right mind was prepared to travel with two messy birds in the car."
"The next morning the boys sprang from their beds to see their birds, but they had mysteriously disappeared and no one seemed to have an explanation except that they must have bought homing pigeons. They were homing pigeons alright as soon as those boys were asleep, their parents turned them loose to fly back home."
"Mattie's last years were lived out in the asylum in Wichita Falls ... the family went to see her often but didn't talk much about it. It is difficult to say what problem she may have had.

MRS. MATTIE BRADLEY Obituary

Mrs Mattie Bradley, 78, resident of Wichita Falls some nine years, died in a hospital here Wednesday morn ing, Mrs.Bradley was a native of Tioga, Tx., where she and her late husband lived for some 50 years. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday from Pilot Point, TX. She was a sister of M. P. Morton of Wichita Falls. She is survived also by G. R. Morton of Grandfield, Okla., and J. M. Morton of Glenwood, Calif.
"She was daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Morton. Her father was a Christian minister more than 43 years in churches in Texas."

HERMAN L. MORTON

    Herman L. Morton, b. Feb. 1880, Kettle Mills, TN, d. May 25, 1939, Houston, TX; Married Jane ?.
Notes for Herman L. Morton;
From John David Measley II and wife Pat
    "A retired Navy Captain, Herman lived a good part of his life in Houston. After his military service he owned and operated several apartment houses in the Houston area."
"When his younger brother, Marvin, wanted to buy dairy farm in the Dallas area, Herman lad him the money from his retirement fund to get started in business."
    "Herman's first wife died at a young age. It wasn't a very good marriage and Herman was pretty miserable. It was somewhat of a mystery how she died from food poisoning from something she ingested at a clambake. They blamed the potato salad as the cause but no one else that ate it got sick. Them was speculation that Herman certainly had good reason to speed her exit from this world. With tongue in check, the family reserved their doubts.
    "Herman married again, this time to a beautiful young girl named Jane. He happily lived out the rest of his life in Houston and ironically died from food poisoning."

WILLIAM MERERE MORTON

    William Merere Morton was born March 4, 1882 in Columbia, Maury Co., TN and died Nov. 4, 1939 in Graham Young Co., TX from Leukemia. He married Ora Covilla ~,Ubry381 Unknown, daughter of Robert Mabry and Lucy Cevilla. She was born Aug. 12, 1884 in Graham, Young Co., TX and died June 10, 1992 in Graham, Young Co., TX, at 11:10pm. They lived at 728 Cherry SL, Graham, TX and are both buried at Oak Grove Cemetery.

 Notes for William Merere Morton: From John David Measley, II and wife, Pat:

    "Bill loved the rolling hills shrouded with jack pines in Young County, Texas, and scaled in Graham, Texas. An avid out doors man, he loved the territory for its plentiful trees, deer, quail and dove as well as being one of the best fishing spots in Texas. Bill bought 1000 acres of prime wilderness and early taught his two sons to hunt."
    "Bill owned the grocery store in Graham where men could sit around the old pot-bellied stove and share stories that ranged from. the banker knowing where the biggest catfish could be found to the old cowboy cussing the thickets that made it hard to round up the herd."
    "The store was more a necessary store rather than what we consider a grocery store of by today's standards and when the sun went down, they rolled up the sidewalk, especially since electricity was still little used. He offered a variety of food staples that included Natural Oats, Beira Sodadles (saltine crackers), Square Meal Corn Meal, Blue Bell Currants, Rock Salt, fresh eggs and if you had a taste for a pickle, you could hand-pick it from a barrel. A man could kick back and be comfortable."
    "An educated man, Bill graduated from Ordon University now TSC of Fort Worth TX. While he did not receive the calling to preach, atone time he delivered a sermon at the First Christian Church in Graham. A God-fearing man, through the years and hard times Bill opened and closed his grocery store as many as 3 times. However, the true-love of his life was hunting and fishing, still, the store provided his family a good living a trade he passed on to his sons."
    "Bill and "Noodles", a nick name affectionately given to Ora, lost their only daughter Frances when she was just a teenager. She had just graduated from high school and was visiting her Uncle Griff in Okla. when she was killed in an automobile wreck."
    "Bill died from leukemia within 4 days of the birth of his first grandchild, James Morton. He told his son, J.M., "I don't think I'm going to live long enough to see my first grandchild. It appears that the anticipation of his grandson might have been the motivating factor that kept him going those last weeks."
Children of William Morton and Ora Mabry are:

ROBERT HAMAN MORTON

    Robert Haman (Shorty) Morton was born June 8, 1905, Graham, Young Co., TX and died Oct. 12, 1985, Graham, Young Co., TX. He married Wife # 1 and they had one son. He married (1) Gladys Oneta (Billie) Worley, Jan. 8, 1935 in Ft. Work TX, daughter of Son Worley and Nannie Phillips. She was born May 16, 1904 in Climax, Collin Co., TX and died Dec. 3, 1992 in Graham, Young Co., TX. He was a retired Grocery man and Motel Owner and was a member of the First Christian Church and Billie a member of Memorial Christian. He and Billie are buried in the Pioneer Cemetery, Graham, TX
Notes from John David Measley II and wife, Pat:
    "Herman passed away in 1985, survived by his second wife Billie. His first marriage, that bore him his only son, quite possibly could have been the worst decision of his entire life. His family said he married a woman of questionable background that he got from a carnival. She was a wild thing and made no pretense of trying to fit into the family. The family's back stiffened when they found her openly trifling on Haman."
    "Not too long after the birth of their son, she lit out to parts unknown, taking the boy with her. Haman divorced her, never to hear from her again. He looked for his son, not finding him until the boy was grown. Haman couldn't do enough for him. However, the only time he had anything to do with his father was when there was something his father could do for him. Other than that, he had little use for him. Haman never quit loving the boy and when he died he left him his half of the 500 acre deer lease. The boy lived like a gypsy and was never found or heard of again."
Social Security Number: 456-01-2458."
Child of Robert Morton and Wife #1 is:
Son Morton, b. Unknown.
Child of Robert Morton and Gladys Worley is:
Barbara Morton, rn. ? Chatham.
 

JIM M. MORTON

    Jim M. Morton was born Aug, 25, 1909 in Graham, TX , and died 1999.
    He married Hallie Grace Haniff April 16, 1933 in Ardmore, OK, daughter o0essie Hamer and Hattie Tone. She was born Dec.28, 1910 in IL.
Notes for Jim M. Morton: From John David Measley, II and wife, Pat:
"J. M. and wife Grace, remain in Graham and though they still have the deer lease, Jim stopped hunting a longtime ago. J. M was a Merchant. J.M.'s son became a doctor and was last known to he practicing in Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo."
 

MORTONS TO CELEBRATE 65 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

"Jim and Grace Morton will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on Easter Sunday, April 12. "The Mortons were married in Ardmore, Okla., on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1933. Mr. Morton was born and raised in Graham. Mrs. Morton was born in Illinois and moved to Graham when she was 9 years old."
Their two children are:
Dr. James William Morton, b. Nov. 9, 1939 and has three children, Gracie, Christy and Mike and a grandson Jerod. Dr. Morton lives in Canyon and practices in Amarillo.
Marcia Jane Morton, b. March 10, 1945. Jane married a Mattox and has three children, Jenniver, Jill and Craig and a grandson, Tyler Mattox. She is over the blood department in the Methodist hospital in Lubbock.
 

FRANCES AMELIA MORTON

    Frances Amelia Morton was born June 16, 1913, Graham, Young Co., TX d. 1935, Ardmore Carter Co., OK. She is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.
 

GRIFFIN REDFORN MORTON, Sr.

    Griffin Redforn Morton, Sr. was born Nov. 21, 1883 in Kettle Mills, Tennessee and died Oct. 4, 1958 in Grandfield, OK. He married Estell Florence Simon, daughter of J. Simms and M. Moore. She was born July 11, 1888 in Alvarado, TX and died April 29, 1975 in Grandfield, OK.
From John David Measley II and wife, Pat, ca 1996.
    "Griff chose Oklahoma where his older brother Richard Anderson lived, to establish a farm near Grandfield. "His daughter committed suicide in the 70's when the government was foreclosing on farms throughout the United States."
    "Griff's son, Brad, now 87 years old recounts the early years of the family and is the oldest living member of the family. A little hard of hearing, his mind is still sharp and while he may not volunteer any information, he is happy and ready to talk about the early years."
    "Brads son, Larry Don Morton lives in Oklahoma City while his daughter, Sue Morton Marrow is a resident of Vernon, Texas."
Children of Griffin Morton and Estell Simon are.
Mattie "Toots" Morton, committed suicide in the 70's.
Richard Edward Morton.
Oscar Bradley Morton was born Nov.15, 1909. He married Mable Elizabeth Eaton.
Children of Oscar Morton and Mable Eaton are:
Larry Don Morton, b. Jun.20, 1948.
Donna Sue Morton, b. May 28, ?? ??; m. ? Morrow. They live in Vernon, Texas.
Griffin R. Morton, Jr.

JAMES MEACHAM MORTON

    James Meacham Morton was born Dec. 29, 1885 in Kettle Mills, Tennessee and died May 1, 1959 in Lynwood, California. He married Alla Francis Chandler, daughter of Robert Chandler and Martha Newberry. She was born Jan. 15, 1892 in Selina, TX, and died Sept. 7, 1982 in Lynnwood, California. The cause of death being Sequamous Cell Cancer of the lung. Alla's cousin, Happy Chandler, became governor of Kentucky." She was Proprietor of Albany Hotel. They are both buried at Riverside Cemetery, Wichita Falls, TX
From John David Measley, II and wife Pat:
    "Mitch, to his friends, attended and graduated from Texas Christian University. He was a typical preacher's son and had a flair for being where the action was. Mitch was blessed with a good personality making him well liked by everyone.
    "Mitch and Alla met while he was attending TCU. She saw him passing by her house each morning on the way to school and soon put herself in his path to be introduced. He was 21 while she was 14 years old."
    "They married before Alla graduated and soon moved to Houston where he worked on the docks with his Uncle Haman. Dock work not being much to his liking, he soon proved himself a smart businessman and with a littlest egg, headed for Wichita Falls, Texas. His father John Marshall, bought a dairy farm for Mitch and another brother, giving half to each one. However, the joint ownership didn't workout well with the women. They just didn't got along together. Mitch eventually bought out his brother and later sold the dairy. He then purchased two hotels in the busy downtown am of Wichita Falls. The Areds were filled with people 24 hours a day. The marriage was good in most respects and like any other couple they had a few problems. Mitch's popularity sometimes caused a problem especially when he got too much attention from the ladies. Alta said,He never met a woman that he couldn't charm.'"
    "They were married several years the day she overheard Mitch talking to an associate speaking in reference to her. Mitch said, If you get t hem young enough you can train than right!' Alta was furious and flew into him, flogging him with her purse. Then she brindled up the children, emptied the cash register and left on a long leisurely vacation to Galveston Island. There was a period of time when she seemed to be mad at him quite frequently. Mitch had a lot friends from all walks of life who frequented the hotels and there were sometimes when Alta just tired of all the ladies making a fuss over him And when Alta got mad, the children got real excited, cheering on their parent's differences during a fight.  How lucky can you get, Undeen said. 'Two months on Galveston Island living in luxury hotels, boating, swimming and no responsibility .... it was hard not to look forward to a good argument."
    "The hotels were always busy, filled mostly with strangers and a few regulars. They became so time consuming, Mitch & Alta gave up thew home, moving their living quarters to the hotel."
    "In 1938 the government lifted the ban on liquor sales and Mitch invested in two liquor stores and later two gas stations. With the advent of W W II 100,000 men were stationed at Sheppard AFB. There was a lot of money to be made. Gambling saloons dotted the Area and after hours the professional gamblers retreated to rooms in the hotel where large amounts of money were at stake. In one day it was not unusual for the liquor stores to take in $75,000, making Mitch the largest distributor in the county.
    "Times changed and in 1943, the county voted to go dry. Mitch closed the liquor stores, sold the hotels and moved to Fort Worth where he dabbled in real estate. In the mean time Alla's mother died leaving her and her sister, Ida, each 130 acres of farmland that included a profitable gravel pit operation in McKinney, TX, Mitch bought Ida's share shortly afterwards."
    "Planning on retirement, Mitch purchased a motel in Los Angeles, California, and sat their oldest son, Stamford to manage it. Stamford and his wife became caught up in Hollywood society and often frequented the Brown Derby and other elite clubs where they rubbed elbows with the rich and famous while not much attention to business was taken."
"Mitch soon discovered that he would have to see to the business of managing the motel himself and sold all their real estate holdings in Fort Worth. Arrived in Los Angeles with Alla and their youngest son, Jimmy, the first thing he did was take Buddy by the hand and made him get a job."
    "A few years after the move, Alla seemed to start having problems with her heart. Mitch thought the problem was more in her head than in her heart and she was just looking for attention. She finally made him go to the doctor with her and the doctor became quite frustrated with Mitch. He never did convince him that Alla had a heart problem She did have minor heart problem but it was Mitch who faced a fatal diagnosis when his cancer was discovered. He died in 1959 in Los Angeles, California. Alla followed him 25 years later. She died from a heart attack."
    "Jimmy was about 27 years old at the tune of his fathers death. He dated several women but never seemed to get seriously involved with any particular one. Consequently he never married and took care of Alla until her death in 1984. Jimmy remains an eligible bachelor in Los Angeles and is active in various political and civic organizations."

John David Measley and wife Pat
    "The Chandler family had prominent high cheekbones seen in the pictures of great-grandfather, Jacob Chandler family and were tall and lean in stature. These characteristics were predisposed to be very strong genetically and bringing men over six foot tall into the family."
    "Alla was about 5'5: tall with a heart shaped face, dark hair and high cheekbones. She married James Meacham Morton when she was 15 years old and is detailed in the Morton Family stories."
    "We find the criss-crossing patterns of Alla Chandler's family similar to the Mortons as they traveled West. The Chandler family is of particular interest as they give additional insight to the hardships faced living amongst the Indians, an account of divided loyalties within a family during the Civil War and early Texas history."
Children of James Morton and Alla Chandler are:
John M. Morton was born in 1908 and died in 1916. Cause of Death: Ear Infection
 

VIVIAN UNDEEN MORTON

    Vivian Undeen Morton was born July 8, 1909 in McKinney, TX and died Jan. 4, 1991 in Florence, AL. She died following a tracheotomy to correct a "botched" thyroid surgery earlier in life. She married John David Measley 1557 April 27, 1928 son of Fritz Measley and Louisa Allaman. He was born Aug. 24, 1905 in Woodsfield, Ohio and died Oct. 28, 1980 in Wichita Falls, TX. John was a Cut Rate Pkg. Store Salesman. He died of Acute Myocardial Infection, Multiple Myeloma. They are both buried in Riverside Cemetery, Wichita Falls, TX Lot 86, Space 003 and she in Space 004.
John David Measley II and wife, Pat:
    "Undeen, the oldest child in the family was always the apple of her Daddy's eye. As a child, she had little responsibility growing up without a care in the world. She loved to flirt and enjoyed the attention paid to her by young men but scarcely gave then a serious thought ."
    "She was spoiled, never having to help with housework, cooking or cleaning, mostly because Black Mary took care of the family. Occasionally she wait to the kitchen and Mary and her mother would scold her saying, "Get out from. underfoot and go study your lessons! You don't know anything in here!"
    "Undeen believed life was full of goodness and should be enjoyed and while she was independent by nature and charming like her father, no one could control her unless it was her idea. She was delicately raised but somehow when it came to men, she proved early that she was quite capable of taking care of herself. No one ever forgot that she knocked Buddy out with one punch nor do they remember the reason for the fight. Any question about assertiveness was answered that day as beneath the sweet exterior was a passionate heart.
    "She eloped with John Measley, a boarder at the hotel and it was two weeks before they summoned the courage to tell Mitch and Alla. He liked John but did tell him "You didn't have to steal her." "It wasn't long before he discovered that he knew more about cooking and housekeeping than his new bride. She was eager to learn but there would be a lot of disasters in the meantime Not being a patient man, Johns temper exploded and was soon matched with a female version of the same anger. It was a curious match. Little did he know that he married a liberated woman long before the term ever became popular. She vowed she would never answer to any man.
    "That they loved each other was never the question. They were a comical pair, each distinctly independent from the other and when there was blame to be laid, neither took responsibility or gave an inch. Like positive and negative poles of electricity, their fiery relationship seemed to be held together by an invisible thread of love.
    "Their marriage brought three children into this world. The oldest boy, stillborn; the next son, John Measley II, and at mid-life, their daughter Undeen Darline, wife of Les Tate of Florence, Alabama.
    "Undeen was plagued through her later life with a half-paralyzed throat, a result of botched thyroid surgery when she was younger. The doctor convinced her she needed a tracheotomy which would extend her life by giving more oxygen to the heart. She was never the same after that surgery, coming out of the operating room looking like an injured and scared wild animal. Instead of helping her, the surgery left her paranoid and played a major role in her demise. Within four months she was gone.
    "Undeen had a personable way of touching peoples lives. She was so charming, strangers remembered her wherever she went. Her generous nature was unmatched and sharing with others and always brought her happiness.
    "On the opposing side, she was always late, entering in a flurry of excitement and out of breath as though she had bow running. Organization was never her strong point and behind the wheel of a car, she loved to race from red to red light, even though she was chided for setting a questionable example for her grandchildren. "

VIVIAN UNDEEN MORTON obit.

    "Vivian Undeen Measley, 81, of Wichita Falls, died Friday in Florence, Ala. Services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at Hampton-Vaughan Funeral Home with the Rev. Mark lions, pastor of Park Place Christian Church, officiating. Burial will be in the Riverside Cemetery.
    "She was born July 8, 1909, in McKinney, Texas. She was a life-time resident of Wichita Falls and was a retired licensed vocational nurse and real estate agent. She was a member of Park Place Christian Church and a member of Faith Chapter, Order of Eastern Star No. 713. She worked for Sears for many years. Her husband John David Measley Sr., died Oct. 28, 1980.
    "Survivors include a daughter, Undeen D. Tate of Florence, a son, John David Jr. of Wichita Falls; a sister, Emma "Dot" Baker of Wichita Falls; two brothers, James Morton of Lynwood, Calif., and Stanford Morton of Long Beach, Calif., eight grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren."

Notes for John David Measley, Sr:
    "He was born Aug, 24,1905, in Woodsfield, Ohio. He lived in Wichita Falls for 64 years. He was a former refinery pumper and worked for A. L. Inman for 25 years. He was a member of Park Place Christian Church, a quarter century"member of Faith Lodge 1158 A.F. & A. M. and a member of Maskat Shrine Temple. "
    "Survivors include his wife, Vivian Undeen, a daughter, Mrs. Undeen Tate of Florence, AL.; A son, John Measley, Jr. of Wichita Falls; a brother, George of Borger, Texas, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Jerry Inman, Roy Collins, Jerry Riley and Bob Talley."
Children of Vivian Morton and John Measley are:

1st Born Measley, b. May 5, 1929
John David Measley II, b. May 27, 1933
Undeen Darlene Measley, b. Jan. 13, 1946, Wichita Falls, TX.

Robert Stanford Morton was born in 1912, Wichita Falls, TX married a lady named Evelyn ?. In 1930 & 1935 he was a Clerk at Harlon Service Station and in 1931, he was living at 511 Lamar, Wichita Falls, Texas. In 1938, he was a meat cutter at Palace meat market, 702 Van Buren.

 Charles Morton was born in 1914 and died in 1915 from pneumonia.

 Emma Francis Morton was born in March 1916 in Wichita Falls, Texas.

James A. Morton was born 1932.