Friday, April 21, 2023

John Morton, a statue? or a log cabin?

The above medal was sold by the thousands in 1920's Delaware County. Historians etc. wanted to tear down the Morton Morton Homestead and build the monument seen above. At that time it was believed that John Morton was born in Prospect Park on Lincoln Ave. That all changed and it was decided to save the log cabin and forget the monument.

NOTE: It is hard to imagine today but building monuments rather than preserving historic buildings was common 100 plus years ago. The Morton Homestead in Prospect Park was almost torn down till a last minute effort was made by locals to save it. It was restored and opened in October of 1938.

CHESTER TIMES 

 May 3, 1930 

 PLANS LAID FOR MORTON FUND 

Each Subscriber to $25,000 Fund to Receive Tri-colored Button

          A tri-colored button bearing the inscription of the proposed Morton monument will be given to all subscribers in the campaign for $15,000, now being conducted by the John Morton Monument Association.

          This was agreed upon at a meeting of the executive committee of the association, held yesterday afternoon in the offices of State Representative Ellwood J. Turner, in the Crozer building.

          The meeting, at which H. H. Ward, president of the association, presided, also decided to present to each juvenile subscriber an appropriate badge, thousands having been ordered for the school children of the county, who, it is expected, will subscribe their mite to the campaign 100 per cent.

          A scroll of parchment with the names of all contributors will be made and when completed will be placed in the monument at the time of its unveiling.  With this scroll will be a suitable decoration by the citizens of Chester regarding the John Morton Monument.  John Morton the man, his good deeds and patriotism, the fruits of which we now enjoy.

          The executive committee a mail committee consisting of Clarence Connors, chairman; Herbert Gross, Mayor Samuel E. Turner, William T. Galey, Rev. John J. Toner, C. E. Riddell and J. DeHaven Ledward.  The task assigned to this committee will be the designing of letter literature, which will be sent to thousands of residents throughout this county.

          The executive committee will meet again next Tuesday at 3:30 o’clock, in Mr. Turner’s office, when further plans to speed up the campaign will be completed.

 

A special Thanks

This has been a great year! I was appointed to the Delaware County Heritage Commission last year and I will receive an award from them for my latest booklet, “The 50th Anniversary of Ridley Creek State Park”. I would like to thank all my readers for their great comments etc. I have been surprised with all the gifts I have received this year. I have been given original maps and pictures and copies of Delaware County pictures etc. All of my collection will be going to a museum  in the next 8 or 10 years so all of your gifts will be preserved and saved forever. I just wanted to thank all my readers and friends for the Delco History items.













 

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