Mark Morton (businessman)
Encyclopedia
Mark Morton was an American
businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the Morton Salt Company
.
. His father, J. Sterling Morton, was the only territorial governor of Nebraska
, a former United States Secretary of Agriculture
, and founder of Arbor Day
. His mother, Caroline Joy Morton, was the only Caucasian woman present at the signing of the 1854 "Treaty with the Omaha
" which paved the way for Nebraska's statehood. He grew up at the family home at Arbor Lodge
, and attended public schools in Nebraska City
.
At the age of 18, Mark Morton went to work for his older brother, Paul Morton
, as a clerk for the Burlington Railroad
. In 1882, he became a salesman for the Harvey Lumber Co. of Chicago, and in 1890 was made superintendent of the main plant of the Nebraska City Packing Co. Later in life, he was also president of the Western Cold Storage Company (a major builder and provider of refrigerated storage facilities and railroad cars for the meatpacking industry).
They purchased Richmond and Company, a salt distributor in 1886 and renamed it Joy Morton and Company
. Mark Morton was the company's vice president and one of its directors from its founding until his retirement in 1922. The company became the International Salt Company in 1902. Morton was forced to testify in federal court in 1903 after government investigators accused the company of antitrust
violations. The company was incorporated in Illinois
as the Morton Salt Company in 1910.
Morton was an active member of the Employers' Association of Greater Chicago
, and was the anti-union organization's president in 1905.
His family life was something of an unhappy one. In 1914, his daughter Helen Morton eloped with Col. Roger Bayly. Morton tracked down his daughter and challenged the marriage on the grounds that she was mentally deranged. A court ruled in his favor, and Helen Morton was committed to an asylum. The marriage and institutionalization was a national scandal which highly embarrassed Mark Morton. When the distinguished journalist Webb Miller
attempted to interview Helen Morton, Mark Morton kidnapped him and drove off with Miller tied up in the trunk of his car. Morton crashed the automobile, and police discovered the bound Miller in the vehicle. Miller sued Morton, but won only a minimal payment six years later.
Morton died at his home in Nebraska after a lengthy illness on June 25, 1951, at the age of 92. He left the bulk of his $750,000 fortune to charity.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the Morton Salt Company
Morton Salt
Morton Salt is a United States company producing salt for food, water conditioning, industrial, agricultural, and road/highway use. Based in Chicago, the business is North America's leading producer and marketer of salt. It is a subsidiary of the German company K+S.-History:The company began in...
.
Early life
He was born in 1858 in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. His father, J. Sterling Morton, was the only territorial governor of Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, a former United States Secretary of Agriculture
United States Secretary of Agriculture
The United States Secretary of Agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The current secretary is Tom Vilsack, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on 20 January 2009. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other...
, and founder of Arbor Day
Arbor Day
Arbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. It originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States during 1872 by J. Sterling Morton. The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1872, and an estimated 1 million trees were planted that day.Many...
. His mother, Caroline Joy Morton, was the only Caucasian woman present at the signing of the 1854 "Treaty with the Omaha
Omaha (tribe)
The Omaha are a federally recognized Native American nation which lives on the Omaha Reservation in northeastern Nebraska and western Iowa, United States...
" which paved the way for Nebraska's statehood. He grew up at the family home at Arbor Lodge
Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum
Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum is a mansion, state park, and arboretum located at 2300 2nd Avenue, Nebraska City, Nebraska...
, and attended public schools in Nebraska City
Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City is a city in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,228 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Otoe County...
.
At the age of 18, Mark Morton went to work for his older brother, Paul Morton
Paul Morton
Paul Morton was a U.S. businessman.- Biography :He served as the Secretary of Navy between 1904 and 1905. Previous to this, he had been vice president of the Santa Fe Railroad...
, as a clerk for the Burlington Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
. In 1882, he became a salesman for the Harvey Lumber Co. of Chicago, and in 1890 was made superintendent of the main plant of the Nebraska City Packing Co. Later in life, he was also president of the Western Cold Storage Company (a major builder and provider of refrigerated storage facilities and railroad cars for the meatpacking industry).
Morton Salt and other business ventures
Morton and his second-eldest brother, Joy, were lifelong business partners. In 1885, he and Joy Morton co-founded the Joy Morton Lumber Co. They later co-founded the Morton Sand and Gravel Company.They purchased Richmond and Company, a salt distributor in 1886 and renamed it Joy Morton and Company
Morton Salt
Morton Salt is a United States company producing salt for food, water conditioning, industrial, agricultural, and road/highway use. Based in Chicago, the business is North America's leading producer and marketer of salt. It is a subsidiary of the German company K+S.-History:The company began in...
. Mark Morton was the company's vice president and one of its directors from its founding until his retirement in 1922. The company became the International Salt Company in 1902. Morton was forced to testify in federal court in 1903 after government investigators accused the company of antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
violations. The company was incorporated in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
as the Morton Salt Company in 1910.
Morton was an active member of the Employers' Association of Greater Chicago
Employers' Association of Greater Chicago
The Employers' Association of Greater Chicago was a nonprofit association of employers based in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded as the Employers' Association of Chicago in 1903, although it was also known colloquially as the Chicago Employers' Association...
, and was the anti-union organization's president in 1905.
Family life and scandal
Mark Morton married the former Martha Parkhurst Weare. The couple had four children: Laura, Helen, Joy and Jane. Martha Morton died in 1947.His family life was something of an unhappy one. In 1914, his daughter Helen Morton eloped with Col. Roger Bayly. Morton tracked down his daughter and challenged the marriage on the grounds that she was mentally deranged. A court ruled in his favor, and Helen Morton was committed to an asylum. The marriage and institutionalization was a national scandal which highly embarrassed Mark Morton. When the distinguished journalist Webb Miller
Webb Miller (journalist)
Webb Miller was an American journalist and war correspondent. He covered the Pancho Villa Expedition, World War I, the Spanish Civil War , the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the Phoney War, and the Russo-Finnish War of 1939...
attempted to interview Helen Morton, Mark Morton kidnapped him and drove off with Miller tied up in the trunk of his car. Morton crashed the automobile, and police discovered the bound Miller in the vehicle. Miller sued Morton, but won only a minimal payment six years later.
Retirement and death
After his retirement, Mark Morton settled in Nebraska again to raise and breed horses, cattle and sheep. He was one of the co-founders of the International Livestock Exhibition. He was seriously injured in 1937 when a train struck his car at a crossing.Morton died at his home in Nebraska after a lengthy illness on June 25, 1951, at the age of 92. He left the bulk of his $750,000 fortune to charity.