John Morton was born where??



The state historical marker on E. Ridley Ave. in Ridley Park where John Morton was born, but was he born there?

Where was John Morton born?

   John Morton, who signed the Declaration of Independence, was born in 1724 and lived in Ridley Township his entire life. But WHERE was he born has always been the question. For hundreds of years, it was local legend that he was born in the little log cabin by Darby Creek on Lincoln Ave. in Prospect Park.  When the log cabin was restored in late 1938 the State of Pennsylvania erected a state marker stating this was the “Birthplace of John Morton”.

    But that all changed in 1967, with Ruth L. Springer’s book, “John Morton in contemporary records” published by the State of Pennsylvania Archives. Springer of Darby Boro did flawless research on John Morton’s life correcting many mistakes. She showed that John Morton Sr. the father of John Morton  “the signer” was living in what is now Ridley Park on E. Ridley Ave. when his wife Mary Archer Morton was expecting their first child. She also showed that John Morton Sr. died before his son was born, mentioning in his will of his unborn child. But that is where it gets interesting. There is no doubt John Morton Sr. died before his son was born. So what happened to Mary Archer Morton living all alone, in a small log cabin, pregnant with her first child? At first local historians argued that John Morton “the signer” had been born in Prospect Park at the Morton Homestead. That Mary Archer Morton closed up house in Ridley Park and went to her deceased husband’s first cousin’s home to have her child. But Ruth Springer argued that was crazy that over 12 people were living in the Morton Homestead, in what is now Prospect Park, hardly the place for a new mom to have her first child.   Springer contended and the state agreed that Mary Archer Morton had her first child in the log cabin with the help of a mid-wife, “that was the way it was done”. Or was it?

  I think Mary Archer Morton did what any new mother to be would have done. She went to her moms.  Her mom and dad, John and Elizabeth Archer, lived just over a mile away at the White Horse Tavern. Part of the original building, built c.1720, is still standing at 705 Chester Pike in Prospect Park. That is my theory, I have no proof, just common sense. But there is no real proof John Morton was born in Ridley Park either.