Levi Parsons Morton (May 16, 1824 – May 16, 1920) was the 22nd
vice president of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...
from 1889 to 1893. He also served as United States ambassador to France, as a
U.S. representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, and as the
31st Governor of New York.
The son of a
Congregational minister, Morton was born in
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
and educated at public schools in Vermont and
. He trained for a business career by clerking in stores and working in mercantile establishments in Massachusetts and
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
. After relocating to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, Morton became a successful merchant, cotton broker, and investment banker.
Active in politics as a
Republican, Morton was an ally of
Roscoe Conkling
Roscoe Conkling (October 30, 1829April 18, 1888) was an American lawyer and Republican Party (United States), Republican politician who represented New York (state), New York in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Se ...
. He was twice elected to the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
, and he served one full term, and one partial one (March 4, 1879 – March 21, 1881). In 1880, Republican presidential nominee
James A. Garfield
James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 4, 1881 until his death six months latertwo months after he was shot by an assassin. A lawyer and Civil War gene ...
offered Morton the vice presidential nomination in an effort to win over Conkling loyalists who were disappointed that their choice for president,
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...
, had lost the Republican nomination to Garfield. Conkling advised Morton to decline, which he did. Garfield then offered the vice presidential nomination to another Conkling ally,
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. He previously served as the 20th vice president under President James A ...
, who accepted.
After Garfield and Arthur were elected, Garfield nominated Morton to be
Minister Plenipotentiary to France, and Morton served in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
until 1885. In 1888, Morton was nominated for vice president on the Republican ticket with presidential nominee
Benjamin Harrison; they were elected, and Morton served as vice president from 1889 to 1893. In 1894, Morton was the successful Republican nominee for
governor of New York
The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has ...
, and he served one term, 1895 to 1896.
In retirement, Morton resided in New York City and
Rhinebeck, New York
Rhinebeck is a village (New York), village in the Rhinebeck (town), New York, town of Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,657 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie, New York, Poughkeepsie– ...
. He died on his 96th birthday in 1920, and was buried at Rhinebeck Cemetery.
Early life
Morton was born in
Shoreham, Vermont on May 16, 1824, one of six children born to the Reverend Daniel Oliver Morton (1788–1852), a
Congregational minister, and Lucretia Parsons (1789–1862).
Morton was of entirely English ancestry, all of his immigrant ancestors came to
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
from
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
during the
Puritan migration to New England. His paternal ancestors included Captain
Nathaniel Morton of
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony (sometimes Plimouth) was, from 1620 to 1691, the British America, first permanent English colony in New England and the second permanent English colony in North America, after the Jamestown Colony. It was first settled by the pa ...
. Morton was named for his mother's brother Reverend Levi Parsons (1792–1822), a clergyman who was also the first U.S. missionary to work in
Palestine
__NOTOC__
Palestine may refer to:
* State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia
* Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia
* Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
.
His older brother,
Daniel Oliver Morton (1815–1859), served as the
Mayor of Toledo, Ohio
This is a list of mayors of Toledo, Ohio.
References
External links
*
{{toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fo ...
from 1849 to 1850. His younger sister, Mary Morton, was married to William F. Grinnell, and was the mother of
William Morton Grinnell
William Morton Grinnell (February 28, 1857 – February 9, 1906) was a United States diplomat, lawyer, banker and author.
Early life
William Morton Grinnell was born in New York City on February 28, 1857, the son of William F. Grinnell and Ma ...
, who served as the
Third Assistant Secretary of State while Morton was Vice President.
Morton's family moved to
Springfield, Vermont, in 1832, when his father became the minister of the Congregational church there.
Rev. Morton headed the congregation during the construction of the brick colonial revival-style church on Main Street that is still in use.
Levi Morton was considered by his Springfield peers to be a "leader in all affairs in which schoolboys usually engage."
The Morton family later moved to
Winchendon, Massachusetts
Winchendon is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,364 at the 2020 census. The town includes the villages of Waterville and Winchendon Springs (also known as Spring Village). A census-designated place, ...
, where Reverend Morton continued to serve as a church pastor.
In 1838, Levi Morton graduated from the academy in Shoreham, Vermont.
Career
Businessman
Morton decided on a business career, and in 1838 he began work as a
general store clerk in
Enfield, Massachusetts.
He taught school in
Boscawen, New Hampshire and engaged in mercantile pursuits in
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university Dartmouth College, the U.S. Army Corps of Eng ...
, then moved to
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
to work in the Beebe & Co. importing business.
He eventually settled in New York City, where he entered the
dry goods business in partnership with
George Blake Grinnell
George Blake Grinell (November 11, 1823 – December 19, 1891) was an American merchant and financier.
Grinnell was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, the son of George Grinnell Jr. (also spelled Grennell), state senator and U. S. representative, ...
and became a successful cotton broker.
He then established himself as one of the country's top investment bankers in a firm he founded, Morton, Bliss & Co., which was later reorganized as the Morton Trust Company.
During the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, Morton supported the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
.
Unable to obtain cotton from the southern states because of the Union blockade, Morton suspended his cotton business for the duration of the conflict.
After the war, Morton and his British partner,
Sir John Rose, recovered their financial positions and improved their political fortunes by using their contacts to assist the United States and England to settle the
''Alabama'' Claims.
When England agreed to pay a $15 million settlement (about $307 million in 2020), Morton's bank was chosen to facilitate payments to claimants in the United States.
In addition to operating Morton, Bliss & Co., Morton was active in several other businesses. These included the board of directors of the New York Viaduct Railway Company, Guaranty Trust Company, Washington Life Insurance Company, Home Insurance Company, and
Equitable Life Assurance Society. In addition, he was an investor in numerous ventures, including the
Rio Grande, Sierra Madre & Pacific Railway, Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company, and Intercontinental Rubber Company. Morton also maintained a farm on his estate, where he raised prizewinning horses and cattle.
In 1909, Morton received an offer from
J. P. Morgan to merge the Morton company with the
Morgan Guaranty Trust Company
J.P. Morgan & Co. is a commercial and investment banking institution founded by J. P. Morgan in 1871. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, the company is now a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase, one of the largest banking institutions in th ...
.
He accepted, after which he retired from most business pursuits.
Republican activist
Active in politics as a Republican, in 1876, Morton was named finance chairman for the
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in fu ...
.
Morton was also an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1876 to the
45th Congress
The 45th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1877, ...
.
In recognition of his service to the party, President
Rutherford B. Hayes appointed Morton as an honorary commissioner to the
Paris Exhibition of 1878
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870–71 Franco-Prussian War.
Construction
The buildings and the fairgroun ...
.
Civic leader
Morton was involved in many civic and charitable causes. In 1883, he was one of the founders of the
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...
. In 1886, he was appointed to the
Hobart College board of trustees.
He served for several years, including a term as chairman of the board.
He also served on the board of trustees of the
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History (abbreviated as AMNH) is a natural history museum on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. In Theodore Roosevelt Park, across the street from Central Park, the museum complex comprises 26 inter ...
.
Member of Congress
![Levi Morton - Brady-Handy portrait - standard crop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Levi_Morton_-_Brady-Handy_portrait_-_standard_crop.jpg)
Identified with the
Stalwart
Stalwart is an adjective synonymous with ''"strong"''. It may also refer to:
Relating to people:
* Stalwart (politics), member of the most patronage-oriented faction of the United States Republican Party in the late 19th century
In ships and mil ...
faction of
Republicans
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
led by
Roscoe Conkling
Roscoe Conkling (October 30, 1829April 18, 1888) was an American lawyer and Republican Party (United States), Republican politician who represented New York (state), New York in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Se ...
, in 1878 Morton was elected to represent
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
in the
46th Congress
The 46th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1879, ...
.
He was reelected to the
47th Congress
The 47th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1881, ...
in 1880, and served from March 4, 1879 until his resignation on March 21, 1881.
During Morton's House tenure, he served as a member of the
Foreign Relations Committee
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the U.S. Senate charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. It is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid pr ...
.
On the currency issue, which dominated discussions of
U.S. economic policy for several decades, Morton consistently advocated for the
gold standard
A gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. The gold standard was the basis for the international monetary system from the 1870s to the early 1920s, and from the la ...
.
[
The ]1880 Republican National Convention
The 1880 Republican National Convention convened from June 2 to June 8, 1880, at the Interstate Exposition Building in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Delegates nominated James A. Garfield of Ohio and Chester A. Arthur of New York as the offic ...
was dominated by Half-Breed supporters of James G. Blaine
James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830January 27, 1893) was an American statesman and Republican politician who represented Maine in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1863 to 1876, serving as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representative ...
and Stalwart supporters of Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...
for the presidential nomination. James A. Garfield
James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 4, 1881 until his death six months latertwo months after he was shot by an assassin. A lawyer and Civil War gene ...
, who was not affiliated with either faction, but was a friend of Blaine, won the nomination and attempted to win over Stalwarts by asking Morton to be his vice presidential running mate.[ Conkling, who had managed Grant's campaign, advised Morton to decline, which Morton did.] Garfield's supporters then turned to Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. He previously served as the 20th vice president under President James A ...
, a fellow Stalwart and close Conkling friend. Conkling also advised Arthur to decline, but Arthur accepted; Garfield and he were narrowly elected over their Democratic opponents.
Minister to France
During the 1880 campaign, Morton and other Stalwarts believed that Garfield had committed to appoint Morton as Secretary of the Treasury. After Garfield won, they were incensed when he claimed he had never made such a promise. As a consolation, Garfield offered Morton appointment as Secretary of the Navy
The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense.
By law, the se ...
. Morton initially accepted, but then declined after Conkling advised him to turn it down.
After Morton declined to join the cabinet, Garfield appointed him as Minister to France. Morton accepted, and served from 1881 to 1885, continuing in office after Garfield died and Arthur became president.
Morton was very popular in France. He helped commercial relations between the two countries run smoothly during his term, and in Paris on October 24, 1881, he placed the first rivet in the construction of the Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; French: ''La Liberté éclairant le monde'') is a List of colossal sculpture in situ, colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the U ...
. After completion of the statue, he accepted it on behalf of the United States in a ceremony on July 4, 1884 when he signed an agreement with the Union Franco Americaine, the organization formed in France to finance the creation of the statue.
U.S. Senate candidate
After returning to the United States, Morton was a candidate for U.S. Senator in 1885. He lost the Republican nomination to William M. Evarts
William Maxwell Evarts (February 6, 1818February 28, 1901) was an American lawyer and statesman from New York who served as U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senator from New York. He was renowned for his skills as a litiga ...
, who went on to win election by the full New York State Legislature. He was again a candidate in 1887. Republicans controlled the legislature, meaning their nominee would win the election. Incumbent Warner Miller
Warner Miller (August 12, 1838March 21, 1918) was an American businessman and politician from Herkimer, New York. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as a U.S. Representative (1879-1881) and United States Senator (1881-1887).
A nat ...
was recognized as a member of the Half-Breed faction, and had succeeded state Republican boss Thomas C. Platt
Thomas Collier Platt (July 15, 1833 – March 6, 1910), also known as Tom Platt in the Senate. Platt had succeeded Conkling as leader of the Stalwarts, and was determined to see Miller defeated, so he backed Morton against Miller. A third candidate, Frank Hiscock
Frank Hiscock (September 6, 1834June 18, 1914) was a U.S. Representative and Senator from New York. He served in the United States Congress from 1877 to 1893.
Hiscock was a native of Pompey, New York, and graduated from Pompey Academy. After ...
, was not affiliated with either faction and had little initial support. After 17 ballots failed to produce a nominee, Morton withdrew and asked his supporters to back Hiscock to ensure that Miller would not be reelected. Hiscock was chosen on the 18th ballot, and won the election by defeating Democrat Smith Mead Weed
Smith Mead Weed (July 26, 1833 – June 7, 1920) was a Democratic lawyer and businessman from Plattsburgh, New York, who served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 1865 to 1867, in 1871, and again in 1873 and 1874.
A native of ...
.
Vice presidency (1889–1893)
At the 1888 Republican National Convention
The 1888 Republican National Convention was a presidential nominating convention held at the Auditorium Building in Chicago, Illinois, on June 19–25, 1888. It resulted in the nomination of former Senator Benjamin Harrison of Indiana for preside ...
, Republicans nominated Benjamin Harrison for president. For vice president, the delegates considered Morton, William Walter Phelps, William O'Connell Bradley
William O'Connell Bradley (March 18, 1847May 23, 1914) was a politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He served as the 32nd Governor of Kentucky and was later elected by the state legislature as a U.S. senator from that state. The first Re ...
and several other candidates. James G. Blaine
James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830January 27, 1893) was an American statesman and Republican politician who represented Maine in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1863 to 1876, serving as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representative ...
's support had helped Harrison attain the presidential nomination. In an echo of the Stalwart-Half Breed rivalry, Blaine backed Phelps for vice president, but the New York delegation, led by Thomas C. Platt
Thomas Collier Platt (July 15, 1833 – March 6, 1910), also known as Tom Platt refused to consider him. Though he had been an opponent of the Stalwarts, Former senator Warner Miller
Warner Miller (August 12, 1838March 21, 1918) was an American businessman and politician from Herkimer, New York. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as a U.S. Representative (1879-1881) and United States Senator (1881-1887).
A nat ...
, a member of the New York delegation, nominated Morton. It quickly became apparent that Morton had enough delegate support to win, and he attained the nomination on the first ballot with 591 votes to 119 for Phelps, 103 for Bradley, and 11 for Blanche K. Bruce
Blanche Kelso Bruce (March 1, 1841March 17, 1898) was born into slavery in Prince Edward County, Virginia, and went on to become a politician who represented Mississippi as a Republican in the United States Senate from 1875 to 1881. He was the f ...
.
In the general election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
, Harrison and Morton lost the popular vote to the Democratic candidates, incumbent president Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
and Allen G. Thurman
Allen Granberry Thurman (November 13, 1813 – December 12, 1895), sometimes erroneously spelled Allan Granberry Thurman, was a United States Democratic Party, Democratic United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative, Supre ...
, but won the electoral college vote. Harrison and Morton took office on March 4, 1889 and served until March 4, 1893.
Harrison's wife Caroline
Caroline may refer to:
People
* Caroline (given name), a feminine given name
* J. C. Caroline (born 1933), American college and National Football League player
* Jordan Caroline (born 1996), American (men's) basketball player
Places Antarctica
* ...
was frequently ill during his administration, and she died in 1892. As Second Lady of the United States, Morton's wife Anna
Anna may refer to:
People Surname and given name
* Anna (name)
Mononym
* Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke
* Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773)
* Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century)
* Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221)
...
frequently served as Harrison's hostess and performed the duties of the First Lady
First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...
.
As vice president, Morton presided over the U.S. Senate. He was not close to Harrison personally, and Harrison did not often consult with him on political matters. A major Harrison initiative was the Lodge Bill
The Lodge Bill of 1890, also referred to as the Federal Elections Bill or by critics as the Lodge Force Bill, was a proposed bill to ensure the security of elections for U.S. Representatives.
It was drafted and proposed by Representative Henry Cab ...
, which would permit the use of federal force to ensure the voting rights of male African Americans
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
in the former Confederacy. Southern Democrats conducted a filibuster
A filibuster is a political procedure in which one or more members of a legislative body prolong debate on proposed legislation so as to delay or entirely prevent decision. It is sometimes referred to as "talking a bill to death" or "talking out ...
, believing the bill would restore Reconstruction era
The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...
-like Republican rule. Republicans from the western states who supported free silver
Free silver was a major economic policy issue in the United States in the late 19th-century. Its advocates were in favor of an expansionary monetary policy featuring the unlimited coinage of silver into money on-demand, as opposed to strict adhe ...
believed the most pressing issue was the need for an inflated currency to stimulate the economy. As a result, the free silver Republicans joined Democrats in opposing consideration of the Lodge Bill.
The Lodge Bill reached the Senate floor when a tie enabled Morton to cast the deciding vote in favor of consideration. Southern Democrats filibustered again, and Morton refused to aid Republican senators in ending it. Republicans in the Senate then attempted to persuade Morton to allow a Republican senator to preside, but Morton insisted on remaining in the chair. On January 26, 1891, a resolution to replace consideration of the Lodge Bill with a bill on a different subject passed by a vote of 35 to 34, and the Lodge Bill died.
Harrison blamed Morton for the Lodge Bill's failure. At the 1892 Republican National Convention
The 1892 Republican National Convention was held at the Industrial Exposition Building, Minneapolis, Minnesota, from June 7 to June 10, 1892. The party nominated President Benjamin Harrison for re-election on the first ballot and Whitelaw Reid of ...
, Harrison was nominated for reelection but delegates replaced Morton with Whitelaw Reid. Harrison and Reid went on to lose the 1892 election to Democratic nominees Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
and Adlai E. Stevenson.
Post-vice presidency (1893–1920)
Governor of New York (1895-1896)
In 1894, Morton was elected governor of New York, defeating Democratic nominee David B. Hill and several minor party candidates. He served one two-year term, January 1, 1895 to December 31, 1896. One initiative in which Morton was involved as governor was the consolidation of several New York City-area municipalities as the City of Greater New York, which took effect on January 1, 1898.
Another Morton priority was civil service reform. Morton pursued a moderate course on the issue, but remained firm in his support, which placed him in opposition to political party bosses who favored the spoils system. As a result, in 1896 the Republican Party nominated Frank S. Black
Frank Swett Black (March 8, 1853March 22, 1913) was an American newspaper editor, lawyer and politician. A Republican, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1895 to 1897, and the 32nd Governor of New York from 1897 ...
, who was perceived as closer to the party bosses than Morton.
Morton was a leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 1896, but the delegates chose William McKinley
William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...
.[ Morton was then considered for the vice presidential nomination, but McKinley's campaign manager, Mark Hanna, was opposed to the notion, and the nomination went to Garret Hobart. After he completed his term as governor, Morton returned to his business career and management of his investments.]
Later life
In 1890, Morton became one of the first members of the District of Columbia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He was also a member of the General Society of Colonial Wars.
In retirement, he served as president of the Metropolitan Club. He was preceded in that office by J. Pierpont Morgan
John Pierpont Morgan Sr. (April 17, 1837 – March 31, 1913) was an American financier and investment banker who dominated corporate finance on Wall Street throughout the Gilded Age. As the head of the banking firm that ultimately became known ...
and succeeded by Frank Knight Sturgis He was also a member of the Union League Club of New York
The Union League Club is a private social club in New York City that was founded in 1863 in affiliation with the Union League. Its fourth and current clubhouse is located at 38 East 37th Street on the corner of Park Avenue, in the Murray Hill ...
, and served as president of the New York Zoological Society from 1897 to 1909.
Morton became ill during the winter of 1919 to 1920; a cold developed into bronchitis, and he eventually contracted pneumonia, which proved fatal. He died in Rhinebeck, New York
Rhinebeck is a village (New York), village in the Rhinebeck (town), New York, town of Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,657 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie, New York, Poughkeepsie– ...
, on May 16, 1920, his 96th birthday. After a memorial service at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine (sometimes referred to as St. John's and also nicknamed St. John the Unfinished) is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It is at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in the Morningside Heights neighborhood ...
, he was interred at Rhinebeck Cemetery. At age 96, Morton was the longest living vice president of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...
until John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner III (November 22, 1868 – November 7, 1967), known among his contemporaries as "Cactus Jack", was an American History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician and lawyer from History of Texas, Texas who ...
, who died at age 98, surpassed him in 1964.
Personal life
On October 15, 1856, Morton married Lucy Young Kimball (1836–1871), the daughter of Elijah Huntingdon Kimball and Sarah Wetmore Hinsdale, in Flatlands, Brooklyn. They had one child, daughter Carrie, who died in infancy in 1857.
After his first wife's death in 1871, Morton married Anna Livingston Reade Street in 1873. They were the parents of five daughters and a son who died in infancy.
* Edith Livingston Morton (1874–1964), who married William Corcoran Eustis
William Corcoran Eustis (July 20, 1862 – November 24, 1921) was a captain in the United States Army and the personal assistant to General John J. Pershing during World War I. He was chairman of the inauguration committee for the first inaug ...
(1862–1921) in 1900.
* Lena Kearney Morton (1875–1904).
* Helen Stuyvesant Morton (1876–1952), who married the Duke of Valençay, a son of Boson de Talleyrand-Périgord
Charles Guillaume Frédéric Boson de Talleyrand-Périgord (16 May 1832 – 21 February 1910), prince of Sagan (from 1845), duke of Sagan and duke of Talleyrand (from 1898) was a famous French dandy, and the grandson of Dorothea von Biron.
Early ...
. They divorced in 1904.
* Lewis Parsons Morton (1877–1878).
* Alice Morton (1879–1917), who married Winthrop Rutherfurd, a son of Lewis Morris Rutherfurd
Lewis Morris Rutherfurd (November 25, 1816 – May 30, 1892) was an American lawyer and astronomer, and a pioneering astrophotographer.
Early life and work
Rutherfurd was born in Morrisania, New York to Robert Walter Rutherfurd (1788–1852) a ...
, in 1902.
* Mary Morton (1881–1932), who adopted two children, Lewis Peter Morton and Mirian Morton.
In 1902, Alice Morton founded "Holiday Farm" as a convalescent home for children. Children who attended were picked up at Grand Central Station and brought to the farm in Rhinebeck. Train fare, board and clothing were provided free. In 1917, Vincent Astor served as President, with Helen Dinsmore Huntington
Helen Dinsmore Huntington Astor Hull (April 9, 1893 – December 11, 1976) was an American socialite, arts patron, and political hostess.
Early life
Helen Dinsmore Huntington was born on April 9, 1893, to Helen Gray Dinsmore (1868–1942) and ...
as Secretary. Holiday Farm later developed into the Astor Home for Children
The Astor Home for Children building, home to Astor Services for Children & Families, is located on Mill Street (US 9) in Rhinebeck, New York, United States. It is sponsored by Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of New York, and provides mental ...
.
Honors
In 1881, Morton received the honorary degree
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
of LL.D. from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...
. In 1882, Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...
presented him with an honorary LL.D. As an honorary alumnus, Morton frequently attended Dartmouth alumni gatherings in New York.
Legacy
The Mortons lived at Ellerslie an estate near Rhinecliff, New York
Rhinecliff is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located along the Hudson River in the town of Rhinebeck in northern Dutchess County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Rhinecliff was 425.
History
Today ...
. The manor home no longer exists, but several outbuildings survive as a local historic site. Anna L. and Levi Morton erected the Morton Memorial Library in Rhinecliff in memory of their daughter Lena. It was dedicated in 1908 and is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places.
The Village of Morton Grove, Illinois
Morton Grove is a village in Cook County, Illinois. Per the 2020 census, the population was 25,297.
The village is named after former United States Vice President Levi Parsons Morton, who helped finance the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railr ...
, a Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
suburb founded along the path of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), often referred to as the "Milwaukee Road" , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until 1986.
The company experience ...
, was named for Morton. He received the honor after he provided the financing necessary for the railway to expand its operations into Michigan and Wisconsin beginning in the 1870s.
Morton spent summers in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
at a Bellevue Avenue mansion called "Fairlawn". The home is now owned by Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University is a private Roman Catholic university in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. It was founded in 1934 by the Sisters of Mercy and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The university enrolls mo ...
and houses the Pell Center of International Relations and Public Policy. Morton also left another Newport property to the city for use as a park. Located at the corner of Coggeshall and Morton Avenues (formerly Brenton Road), the site was named Morton Park in Morton's honor.
In 1885, Morton purchased a home and land in Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university Dartmouth College, the U.S. Army Corps of Eng ...
, which he donated to Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...
. The college used the home until 1900, when it was torn down to make way for the school's Webster Hall
Webster Hall is a nightclub and concert venue located at 125 East 11th Street, between Third and Fourth Avenues, near Astor Place, in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. It is one of New York City's most historically significant ...
. Morton also endowed the Daniel O. Morton
Daniel Oliver Morton (November 8, 1815 – December 5, 1859) was a lawyer from Toledo, Ohio who was a United States Attorney and Mayor of Toledo.
Education
Daniel Oliver Morton was born November 8, 1815 at Shoreham, Vermont, son of Rev. Daniel ...
Scholarship at Dartmouth. In addition, he endowed scholarships at Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...
, one in honor of Daniel Morton and another in honor of Levi Parsons.
Morton also owned a summer retreat on Eagle Island on Upper Saranac Lake in the Adirondack Park
The Adirondack Park is a part of New York's Forest Preserve in northeastern New York, United States. The park was established in 1892 for “the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure”, and for watershed protection. The park ...
. The home's design, created by architect William L. Coulter
William Lincoln Coulter (1865–1907) was an American architect who came to Saranac Lake, New York, in the spring of 1896 in an effort to cure his tuberculosis, and stayed to design some of the finest Adirondack Great Camps and Cure Cottages ...
, was done in the Great Camps
__NOTOC__
The Great Camps of the Adirondack Mountains refers to the grandiose family compounds of cabins that were built in the latter half of the nineteenth century on lakes in the Adirondacks such as Spitfire Lake and Rainbow Lake. The camp ...
style. The Morton family later sold the property to banker Henry Graves. In 1938, Graves donated the site to the Girl Scouts
Girl Guides (known as Girl Scouts in the United States and some other countries) is a worldwide movement, originally and largely still designed for girls and women only. The movement began in 1909 when girls requested to join the then-grassroot ...
, who operated a summer camp there for seventy years.
A likeness of Morton is included in the United States Senate Vice Presidential Bust Collection
The United States Senate Vice Presidential Bust Collection is a series of 46 busts in the United States Capitol, each one bearing the likenesses of a vice president of the United States. Each sculpture, from John Adams to Dick Cheney, honors the ...
at the U.S. Capitol. The Morton bust was sculpted by Francis Edwin Elwell
Francis Edwin Elwell (also cited as Frank Edwin Elwell) (June 15, 1858, Concord, Massachusetts – January 23, 1922, Darien, Connecticut) was an American sculptor, teacher, and author.
He lectured on art at Harvard University, and taught modelin ...
and was placed on display in 1891.
A portrait of Morton is included in the New York State Hall of Governors. The painting was created by Albany, New York
Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...
artist George Hughes (1863–1932) in 1896 and was presented to the state in 1900.
See also
*Place des États-Unis
The Place des États-Unis (; "United States Square") is a public space in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France, about 500 m south of the Place de l'Étoile and the Arc de Triomphe.
It consists of a plaza, approximately long and wide, tree ...
, Paris, France
References
External links
Levi P. Morton birthplace
*
Ancestors of Levi Parsons Morton
, -
, -
, -
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morton, Levi P.
1824 births
1920 deaths
19th-century vice presidents of the United States
1888 United States vice-presidential candidates
19th-century American diplomats
American Episcopalians
Converts to Anglicanism from Congregationalism
Republican Party governors of New York (state)
People from Shoreham, Vermont
Republican Party (United States) vice presidential nominees
Ambassadors of the United States to France
Vice presidents of the United States
Republican Party vice presidents of the United States
Presidency of Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison administration cabinet members
Wildlife Conservation Society people
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)
Morton family (United States)
Sons of the American Revolution
Stalwarts (Republican Party)
Burials in New York (state)