John Tracy Morrison (December 25, 1860 – December 20, 1915) was the sixth governor of

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

from 1903 until 1905.

Biography

Morrison was born in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. He was married to Grace Darling Mackey in 1886. He graduated from

Wooster University The College of Wooster is a private liberal arts college in Wooster, Ohio. Founded in 1866 by the Presbyterian Church as the University of Wooster, it has been officially non-sectarian since 1969 when ownership ties with the Presbyterian Church ...

in 1887. He graduated from

Cornell Law School Cornell Law School is the law school of Cornell University, a private Ivy League university in Ithaca, New York. One of the five Ivy League law schools, it offers four law degree programs, JD, LLM, MSLS and JSD, along with several dual-deg ...

in 1890 and moved to

Caldwell Caldwell may refer to: People * Caldwell (surname) * Caldwell (given name) * Caldwell First Nation, a federally recognized Indian band in southern Ontario, Canada Places Great Britain * Caldwell, Derbyshire, a hamlet * Caldwell, East ...

, where he became a successful attorney and an active member of the local

Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

. He served as commissioner to the national assembly of his church five times.

Career

In 1891, Morrison was influential in founding the

College of Idaho The College of Idaho (C of I) is a private liberal arts college in Caldwell, Idaho. Founded in 1891, it is the state's oldest private liberal arts college and has an enrollment of over 1,000 students. The college's alumni include eight Rhode ...

and served as an original faculty member, teaching English and history. In 1893 he became a member of the school's board of trustees. He served on the board of trustees until 1904. An unsuccessful candidate for state legislature in 1896, Morrison was Chairman of the Republican State Central Committee from 1897 to 1900. Idaho Republicans nominated Morrison as their gubernatorial candidate in 1902. He was elected by defeating the Democratic incumbent, Frank W. Hunt. During his term in office, state examinations of

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were initiated, a pure food law was enacted, and a reform school at St. Anthony was founded. Morrison sought reelection in 1904, but Republicans declined to nominate him for a second term, instead supporting Frank R. Gooding. Upon leaving office on January 2, 1905, he returned Caldwell, and resumed his law practice.

Death

Morrison died December 20, 1915, and is interred at the Morris Hill Cemetery, Boise, Ada County, Idaho US.

References

External links

National Governors Association
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, John T. 1860 births 1915 deaths American Presbyterians Cornell Law School alumni Republican Party governors of Idaho Idaho lawyers People from Jefferson County, Pennsylvania People from Caldwell, Idaho 19th-century American politicians 20th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers College of Wooster alumni