Cyrus M. and Sarah M. (McKelvey) Morton, Sterling
SARAH'S FAMILY
In 1900 Mount Vernon, Illinois, James McKelvey is 45, Harriet E. 43, Sadie M. 24 a saleslady, Della M. 22, Charles A. 20, William A. 17, Ida S. 16, John F. 14, and Hugh A. 8.
In 1910 Sterling, John T. McKelvey is a carpenter, 55, with Harriet 53, Mary Della, 31, Ida 25, and Buck A. 18, all born in Illinois.
On the same page are William A. 28 and Isabelle 25 McKelvey born in Canada, with John M. 4 born in Illinois and Mary J. 1 born in Colorado.
Mary D. McKelvey cash-claimed a quarter in section 28, 8N 54W in 1913.
Ida S. McKelvey cash-claimed a quarter in section 22, 8N 54W in 1912.
She married Milo T. Moore in Logan County on August 26, 1914.
John F. McKelvey proved up a quarter in section 30, 11N 49W in 1917.
Fred McKelvey proved up a quarter in section 30, 11N 49W in 1920.
J. F. McKelvey 1854-1934 is buried in Sterling # 56998164, with Harriet Elizabeth (Aldrich) McKelvey 1857-1940.
So are William A. McKelvey 1881-1968 # 58210957, wtih Cecelia Isabel (Malton( McKelvey 1884-1979.
CYRUS' FAMILY
"Joseph Morton and Ruth McIlvaine had the following children:
i. RESIN M. MORTON was born in 1828. He died in 1901. He married (1) MARY J. MORTON.
ii. CYRUS MORTON was born in 1831. He married (1) MARY E. MARSH.
iii. ELIZABETH MORTON.
iv. MARY J. MORTON. She married (1) JOHN MARSH.
v. JOHN MORTON was born in 1825. He died in 1902. He married (1) MARGARET SMITH. She was born in 1829 in Washington, Co., Pennsylvania. She died in 1855. He married (2) HARRIET MARSH. "
Brooke County, West Virginia
" Joseph (1796-1869) and his wife Ruth McIlvaine Morton, had their farm at the fork of the road leading to Colliers, WV. Ruth had no clock with which to tell time; she told time by the sun. Joseph and Ruth raised three sons, (John, Rezin and Cyrus) and two daughters. John Morton (1825-1902) married Harriet Marsh, a sister of George Atkinson Marsh. They bought a farm adjoining the farm of Joseph. A farm home was built (on Morton Road) which is still standing. Joseph and Ruth's third son Cyrus went west in 1856. He went in search of land and found some in Omaha, Nebraska. His line thrives there today.
Cyrus would return home for a visit occasionally. Joseph raised sheep and had wool to sell. He was elderly and his son Rezin was running the farm. Cyrus and Rezin decided to greet their father in a clever manner.
Rezin came to his father and told him a man had come up from Steubenville, Ohio. He wants to look at the wool fleeces and is interested in buying. Joseph instructed Rezin to bring up some apples from the cellar. He then go the key to the wool house and the three of them set out to examine the wool. Cyrus had his hat pulled down over his face. He inquired about the quality, how thoroughly washed, etc. All the while being very serious and business-like. They talked a while and finally Cyrus said he didn't believe it was what he was looking for an they returned to the house.
Rezin said, "Father, have you ever seen this man?" Joseph looked closely and said, "I do believe it is Cyrus!"
A Happy Reunion and visit followed."
Cyrus Morton and Mary E. Marsh married on March 2, 1875 in Wellsburg, Brooke County, West VIrginia.
Mary was in Brook County in 1860, 13, with George 55 and Ruth 48. John O. is 17, Mary E. 13, Jas T. 8.
Ruth (Brown) Marsh 1812-1885 is buried in Brooke County # 75135613, with George 1804-1875 # 75135573.
In 1880 Douglas County, Nebraska, Cyrus Morton is farming, 45, with Mary E. 33, both born in Virginia. Cyrus M. 3 and George T. 2 were born in Nebraska.
Cyrus 1831-1895 (probably should be 1898) is buried in Omaha # 71715674, with Mary E. (Marsh) Morton 1847-1928 # 71849648.
"Cyrus Morton, who died at his home on Center street, January 8, 1898, in his 67th year, was a pioneer of Omaha. Among his pioneer friends and neighbors who assisted in the last sad rites as his body was laid away in Evergreen cemetery were Thomas Swift, George (Doc) Smith, J. J. McLaln, Captain C. H. Downs and W. J. Mount.
One of those coincidences which so often happen in books, but not so often in real life , happened at the time of his death. In 1875 in old Virginia there was a double wedding, Cyrus Morton swapping slrters with John O. Marsh. Mr. Morton's sister survived her husband and remained alive until the date of Mr. Morton's death, January S, 1898, she dying at 6:40 p. m, he dying at 6:15 p. m. Mr. Morton came to Omaha in 1856. At that time the city had ??? population, but n great many lived in wagons and tents and did not know whether they would remain or go on to California. When Mr. Morton had left his home in Virginia his mother had sewed ( each one separately ) fifteen $20 gold pieces in a belt which he wore. He traveled across Iowa on foot, the terminus of the railroad at that time being Rock Island, I11inois. John A. Marsh, a cousin to his wife, was with him. They arrived in Omaha in the spring of 1856. The first man they mot was William P. Snowdon, who was auctioning off an Indian pony. They struck a job with Harrison Johnson, who had a farm extending from what is now Twentieth to Twenty-seventh streets and from Leavenworth to St. Mary's avenue. With three to five yoke of oxen to the plow they broke up all the land from Twenty-fourth to Twenty-seventh streets and from Tarnam to Leavenworth streets. In the winter their business was cutting and hauling cordwood for Mr. Johnson. It was the only fuel and brought from $7 to $10 per cord. During the winter of 1856 the legislature met in Omaha in the old Pioneer block between Eleventh and Twelfth on Farnam. Mr. Johnson was a member. Mr. Morton remembered calling for Mr. Johnson and listening to the debates, which were sometimes more forcible than elegant. With $100 of the gold sewed in his belt by his mother Mr. Morton bought a squatter's right to the land, a good part of which he owned at the time of his death.
A quarter section of land which he entered at $1.25 an acre in 1857 he could at one time have sold for $160,000 cash. Mr. Morton and Mr. Marsh built the first house in Fremont. It was of hewn logs, 16x21. This was in 1856.
March 2, 1875, Mr. Morton quit keeping bachelor' hall and took Mary Marsh to share his Joys and sorrows.
On the 14th of June, 1875, the grasshoppers visited Nebraska. They demolished all of Mr. Morton's corn. They stayed three days, then arose and were seen no more. Mr. Morton was a life long democrat and among his warm friends were some of the old war horses of that party. He was at the time of his death a member of the Christian church. Mr. Morton's character was of the sterling kind, of which tho world cannot be overstocked.
He leaves a wife and two sons."
In 1900 Cyrus, 23, is farming in Merino, Logan County, with mother Mary E. Morton 53.
December 1907 "Mark Morton and his mother started for Omaha last Saturday. They are going to make an extended stay and Madame Rumor says Mark is going on to Illinois and - well if it's true it's all right, they can't help being happy ever afterward."
January 15, 1908 "The wedding of Miss Sadie McKelvey to C. M. Morton of Sterling, Colorado, was celebrated New Year just as the noon hour arrived, at the home of the bride, 316 North 12th street, and both made pretty New Year resolutions.
The marriage ceremony was read by Rev. H. B. Douglass, of East St. Louis, who for many years was pastor of the Presbyterian church here. The front parlor was beautifully decorated for the occasion and a huge bank of cut flowers and ferns furnished a pretty background for the wedding party. The bride aud groom entered to the strains of the wedding march played by Miss Katherine Aldrich. They were attended by George T. Morton, brother of the groom, of Omaha, and Miss Dell McKelvey, sister of the bride.
Mrs. Morton is the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. McKelvey and is a young woman admired for her many womanly attractions. She has spent most of her life in this city, and and there is no young woman who is more popular. The groom is one of the leading business men of Sterling, and is engaged in ranching, owning a number of ranches near Sterling.
Following the wedding an elaborate wedding dinner was served in courses and the dining room was the scene of one of the prettiest parties imaginable. The out of town guests were Mrs. Mary Morton, of Sterling, Colo., mother of the groom; Mr. and Mrs. George T. Morton, Omaha, Neb.; Rev. H. B. Douglass, E. St. Louis and James C. Douglass, Greenville.
Mr. and Mrs. Morton expect to spend the winter in California and will not be in their Sterling home until late in the spring. They decided to take a little trip last night, but did not want the relatives to know where they were going or what train they would take, but their plans were spoiled, and the relatives learned that they had gone to the Southern coal shute above town to catch a train and in a very short time the entire crowd had gathered there and gave them a liberal rice shower.
Mt. Vernon (Illinois) Daily Register."
February 1908 Sterling "A private letter from Mark Morton states that he and Mrs. Morton are enjoying life immensely watching oranges grow at Los Angeles. Los Angeles, by the way, must be a good city to keep away from for he says there are idle men there now. There are also 70,000 tourists, all anxiously waiting to get a sight of Admiral Evans' fleet when it sails into the harbor. He thinks Colorado much better for a man with small means than California and has met several other Colorado men there of the same opinion. He and Mrs. Morton will be at home in Sterling by April 1st, anyway."
April 1908 "Mr. and Mrs. Mark Morton have finished their wedding tour and are now at home in Sterling."
May 1908 "C. M. Morton has been devoting his attention to his ranch at Merino the past week. We understand that he has been arranging his interests there so he will be relieved from the responsibility of the ranch to the end that he can devote his energies again to newspaper work, and that he will start a newspaper in Sterling in a short time. He is said to have been an able and successful editor and proprietor of a newspaper in Nebraska before coming to Colorado. Mark has only one fault and that is that he is a democrat."
June 1908 "Mr. and Mrs. Mark Morton are trying the pleasures of rural life on her homestead. One of her first purchases after getting moved into her house, was some sand-paper to polish the sharp edges of of a 2x4 that is the central pillar of the house."
July 1908 "Mrs. Mary E. Morton is quite ill at the home of her son, C. M. Morton, in Sterling. It is hoped that she will be better in a few days. "
Sarah claimed a quarter in section 26, 10N 52W, Logan County, in 1910. Witneses were Manley G. Dunn, Abraham R. Waldo, and William Greenwall of Sterling, and Henry T. Richmond of Iliff.
Cyrus is a real estate agent in Iliff in 1910, with Sarah M., both 34.
April 1910 Padroni items "Mrs. C. M. Morton went to Sterling Saturday, returning Sunday. "
February 23, 1910 "Mrs. Edith G. Morton, sister-in-law of C. M. Morton of this city, died in an Omaha hospital yesterday from the effects of an operation. Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Morton and Mr. Morton's mother leave this evening to attend the funeral. The deceased will be remembered by many Sterling people, having been active in the Ladies' Guild of the Episcopal church during her residence here. "
December 1910 "George F. Morton, vice-president of the Omaha Real Estate Exchange of Omaha, Neb., is expected to be here next week, and will meet with the local exchange, and give them an address on the work of a real estate exchange, and how the Omaha club is managed and operated. Mr. Morton will he here on Thursday and if possible he will be prevailed upon to remain over until the following Saturday and again meet with the club. If he so does they plan for an open meeting to which everyone will be invited to attend. Mr. Morton is a brother of C. M. Morton, a local realty dealer."
In April 1911 "Sadie Morton" of Winston, Colorado was a witness for the land claim of Melieski E. Gossage for land in section 28, 10N 52W.
July 1911 " C. M. Morton has begun the erection of a six room modern cottage in Broadway addition."
April 1912 "Mrs. Charlie Morton is expected to arrive next week from Tennessee.
Charlie Morton has had a bone felon on one of his fingers and of course isn't doing much in the line of work."
July 1912 "Mrs. McKelvey, who spent the week in town with her daughter, Mrs. C. M. Morton, returned to her homestead Saturday."
January 23, 1913 "Born at Proctor, to the wife of Charley Morton, Tuesday, January 14. a thirteen pound boy. Dr. Moore says this it the largest baby he has ever seen."
October 1918 "County Commissioner C. M. Morton has lost his second Ford car in the season. He went to his home about 9 o'clock Wednesday night and left the car in the garage; when he arose this morning the car was gone. This is as much as he knows. The second "flivver" has followed the first and it is not known of the course of either." Mr. Morton purchased a Ford car in March. ta replace the one that had been stolen rVotn him. He has another one to buy now unless lie has better fortune in the present search than in the first. There i 3 no sort of clue as to the thief."
January 1919 "Twin children wore born Monday to Mr. and Mrs. Milo T. Mourn of Crook. These are the second twins of the family. The mother and children are at the home of Mrs. C. M. Morton in Sterling."
April 1920 "Miss Mary Multon of San Diego, California, is a guest at the home of her sister, Mrs. Arthur McKelvey, and at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Morton, having arrived this morning. "
In 1920 Sterling, C. M. is a real estate dealer, 42, born in NEbraksa, with Sarah M. 42 in Illinois. Her nephew Frederick McKelvey 4 born in Illinois is with them. His mother must have been the one dying at age 29 in Illinois.
Frederick Cleveland McKelvey and Laura Irene McKelvey divorced in Denver on August 5, 1938.
June 1920 "Mrs. Mary E. Morton returned Saturday from Omaha, where she had been visiting with her son, George T. Morton, und family."
In 1930 Sterling, Cyrus is a real estate agent with Sarah, both 53. They have four roomers.
Cyrus 1876-1954 is buried in Sterling # 55183886, with Sarah M. (McKelvey) Morton 1876-1951 # 55183893.