My Genealogy Hound

William H. Morton, farmer and stock breeder of Center Township, Washington Co., Ark., was born in Washington County July 28, 1861, and is a son of James A. and Harriet (Tollett) Morton, and grandson of William Morton. The latter was born in Lincoln County, Tenn., and in 1830 immigrated to Arkansas, locating near Prairie Grove, where he became a wealthy farmer. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and was very strongly opposed to slavery. James A. Morton was the eldest son of a family of five children, and grew to manhood in Washington County. He was educated in the common schools, and in 1860 was married to Miss Tollett and located on a farm. In 1861 he was strongly opposed to secession, but when the war began he joined the Confederate army and served until the close of the conflict. He was captured about 1862, and was kept a prisoner at St. Louis, Alton, Rock Island and New Orleans until the close of the war. He then returned home to find that his property had all been destroyed, but he immediately set to work, and became one of the wealthy land owners of the county. He died in 1884. His wife, who was the daughter of Henry Tollett, became the mother of three children: William H., Roland M. and James E., and is now making her home with her son, William H., who was reared on a farm in Washington County. He received a good education in the State University, located at Fayetteville, and in 1884, was married to Miss Bettie Smith, who was born near Farmington in 1863. They have three children: Herbert, Julia and an infant. Mr. Morton’s farm consists of 220 acres, and is well improved. He is one of the leading stock breeders and fruit raisers of the county, and has charge of a fine Clydesdale stallion and a jack of the mammoth stock. He and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and he is a young man of good habits, and is an active Democrat. He was elected a justice of the peace in Center Township at the September election in 1888.