Sacramento County
Biographies
CHARLES WARDLE MORTON
CHARLES
WARDLE MORTON.--A representative of the finely-trained, experienced class
of men who contribute much by their residence and activities toward making Sacramento
County notable, not merely in California
but beyond the confines of the great Golden State,
is Charles Wardle Morton, who is associated with Weinstock, Lubin &
Company, at Sacramento. He was born in Derbyshire,
England, the son of
Charles W. and Martha (Wardle) Morton, and enjoyed the advantage of the excellent
schools provided for the training of English youth. At the same time, and while given some
opportunity to come into touch with forces and influential men in the outside
world, he profited by the healthy, athletic training which is always a part of English
life. Having evidenced a talent for
original art, he pursued one of the best art courses available in his country,
and then went over to Paris, where
he spent four years in a famous art institute, from
which he was graduated with honors. Then
for three years he followed the profession of an architect, an interesting
circumstance, considering that his grandfather had long been the leading
architect of Newcastle.
In
1884, he came to the United States
with Harry Thorp and opened a studio in New York City;
and there he made a specialty of commercial display. For a while, Mr. Morton was associated with
John Wanamaker, the great department-store man, who always knew what kind of an
assistant he needed when he engaged anyone for his service; but since 1887 he
has been in Sacramento with Weinstock, Lubin & Company, and his gifts,
experience and fidelity have helped to win and also to hold for them not a few
of their best patrons. He has been
prominently connected with the peculiar local enterprise known as the Street
Fair, leading in suggesting artistic and effective forms of display; and he has
also made himself felt in civic affairs.
He was president of the Sutter Club, and is an active Republican. Mr. Morton was one of the three originators
of the National Association of Display Men, a vigorous organization now
international in its working and scope, boasting a membership of thousands; and
he served for two years as the president of that association.
At
Fairfield, in 1895, Mr. Morton was married to Miss Martha Pearl Connolley, the
daughter of a prominent pioneer of Solano County, where the family has resided
for fifty years; and their fortunate union has been blessed with the birth of
two sons, Charles W. Jr., who entered the service of his country in the late
war as a private and came out a lieutenant, and Harry W. Morton, also a
promising youth. The family
attend the Episcopal Church; and besides being active in the social life
of that organization, Mr. and Mrs. Morton are among the welcome participants in
the social life centering in the Lodge of Scottish Rite Masons, to which he
belongs. He is also a Knight Templar, a
Shriner, and a thirty-third-degree Mason.
Transcribed by Barbara Gaffney.
Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches,
Pages 479-480. Historic Record Company, Los
Angeles, CA. 1923.
© 2007 Barbara Gaffney.