Charles Edward Morton (1874 - 1934)

Born 9 Oct 1874 in Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Louisa Henrietta (Fredericks) Morton — married about 1894 in Cook, Illinois, United States

Died 5 Feb 1934 at age 59 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, United States

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Biography

Charles Morton was a Freemason and a member of Arizona Lodge no. 2, F&AM, El Zaribah Shrine, Arizona Consistory no. 1, Scottish Rite.

Charles Edward Morton was born on 9 Oct 1874 in Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom, son of John d'Arcy Morton and Eleanor (Thompson) Morton.^[1][2]

He emigrated with his mother to the United States in about 1888-89, when he was still in his teens. They settled first in the Chicago area, where he met and married Louise Henrietta Fredericks in 1894. They were enumerated In Hyde Park, in the city of Chicago, in 1900, where he was working as a florist and they had two children. The census indicated that he had not yet applied for naturalization.^[3]

In 1910, they were living in Los Angeles, California, where Charles had a florist shop.^[4]

By 1918, the family had moved to Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, where was a manager of Donofrio's floral department.^[2] Not long afterward, they lost their daughter Hazel to the ongoing influenza epidemic. She had been serving as a trained nurse at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico.^[5]

In 1920 they owned a house on Second Street, he was the manager of the florist shop at Donofrio's and they had taken on lodgers. The census page indicates that he had become a naturalized citizen in 1903.^[6]

Ten years later, he and Louisa had the house on Second to themselves. He was to owner and proprietor of the Donofrio Floral Company, which had become a separate store after a 1928 fire had destroyed the original building.^[7][8]

Donofrio Floral Company Postcard

Charles served as a city commissioner in about 1925, had been president of the Merchants and Manufacturers' Association, and treasurer of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce.^[9]

He was a member of the board of directors of the Salvation Army, and belonged to the Hiram and Rotary clubs. He was also a member of the Arizona Lodge No. 2 of the Free and Accepted Masons, El Zaribah Shrine, and Arizona Consistory No. 1, Scottish Rite.^[9][10]

Charles died on 5 Feb 1934 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, United States aged 59. He was entombed in Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA.^[11][12]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "Wales Births and Baptisms, 1541-1907," database, FamilySearch Record: X1YQ-N72 (accessed 4 February 2023), Charles Edward Morton baptism on 19 Apr 1875 (born 9 Oct 1874), son of John d'Arcy Morton & Eleanor, in Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Military: "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, citing Affiliate Publication Title: World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards; Affiliate Publication Number: M1509; FHL microfilm: 1522456, FamilySearch Record: KZVW-XQB (accessed 4 February 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-G1SV-WHX Image number 01318, Name: Charles Edward Morton; Military Draft Registration Date: from 1917 to 1918; Military Draft Registration Place: Maricopa, Arizona, United States; Birth Date: 9 Oct 1874; Citizenship Place: United States; Race: White.
3. ↑ 1900 Census: "United States Census, 1900," database with images, citing Affiliate Publication Number: T623; Line: 58; FHL microfilm: 1240286; Record number: 27483, FamilySearch Record: MS73-C5W (accessed 4 February 2023) FamilySearch Image: S3HY-DCYS-PGG Image number 00583, Chas E Morton (27), married head of household in Hegewisch, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States. Born in Wales.
4. ↑ 1910 Census: "United States Census, 1910," database with images, citing enumeration district (ED) ED 232, sheet 6A, family 146, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 80; FHL microfilm 1,374,093, FamilySearch Record: MV2P-B1D (accessed 4 February 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRVP-GJR Image number 01010, Charles Martin (34), married head of household in Los Angeles Assembly District 70, Los Angeles, California, United States. Born in Wales.
5. ↑ Daughter Hazel's Obituary: "Newspapers.com," database with images, Bisbee Daily Review, 31 Oct 1918, page 5, Newspapers Clip: 54295853 (accessed 4 February 2023)
6. ↑ 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920," database with images, citing Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Affiliate Film Number: 49; Line: 69; FHL microfilm: 1820049; Record number: 33445, FamilySearch Record: MCRL-H42 (accessed 4 February 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9R6Q-93F Image number 00761, Charles E Morton (45), married head of household in Maricopa, Arizona, United States. Born in Wales.
7. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930," database with images, citing enumeration district (ED) ED 28, sheet , line , family , NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll ; FHL microfilm , FamilySearch Record: XHB1-SMS (accessed 4 February 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GR4L-HF1 Image number 00345, Charles Morton (56), married head of household in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, United States. Born in Wales.
8. ↑ Robert Lucas, "Phoenix Was Both Oasis and Mirage," Arizona100--An Arizona history blog, 22 October 2010 (Part One: A Flowering Paradise Reclaimed From the Desert : accessed 4 Feb 2023), Donofrio's caption.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Obituary Part I: "Newspapers.com," database with images, Arizona Republic, 06 Feb 1934, page 1, Newspapers Clip: 117940462 (accessed 4 February 2023)
10. ↑ Obituary Part II: "Newspapers.com," database with images, Arizona Republic, 06 Feb 1934, page 4, Newspapers Clip: 117940566 (accessed 4 February 2023)
11. ↑ Death Certificate: "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951," database with images, citing Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, reference 105, Department of Library and Archives, Phoenix, Arizona; FHL microfilm 2,114,595, FamilySearch Record: FLV4-GSF (accessed 4 February 2023) FamilySearch Image: S3HY-XCQ3-7XX, Charles Edward Morton death 1934, son of John Dossey Morton & Elenor Thompson, husband of Louisa H. Morton, in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona.
12. ↑ Memorial: "Find a Grave," database with images, Find A Grave: Memorial #217477619 (accessed 4 February 2023), Memorial page for Charles Edward Morton (9 Oct 1874-5 Feb 1934), citing Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA (plot: Encanto Mausoleum, Original Niche room, North Wall, Row 3, Space 18); Maintained by Tim Kovacs (contributor 49120403). Includes image of Niche engraving and transcription of obituary.

• 1881 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1881," database, citing p. 4, Piece/Folio 5363/65, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,775,473, FamilySearch Record: Q2W9-K6V6 (accessed 4 February 2023) FindMyPast Image, Charles Edward Morton (6), unmarried son, Scholar, in household of Eleanor Morton (30) in Swansea Higher And Lower, Glamorganshire in Swansea registration district in Wales. Born in Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales.