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John Morton (1724-1777) from Ridley Township, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania was the delegate who cast the deciding vote in favor of the United States Declaration of Independence. According to legend, he was late to the meeting, and everyone else had already voted. Despite not having attended the meeting, he was allowed his vote; and he cast it for independence. Events January 14 - King Philip V of Spain abdicates the throne February 20 - The premiere of Giulio Cesare, an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel, takes place in London June 23 - Treaty of Constantinople signed. ...
1777 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...
Ridley Township is a township located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. ...
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ...
Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq. ...
U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ...
Morton was elected to the Provincial Assembly where he served from 1756-1775. He was a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress in 1765 and filled several offices successively in Pennsylvania, including Justice of the Peace, High Sheriff, Presiding Judge of the General Court and the Court of Common Pleas. He became Associate Judge of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1774, and was elected to the Continental Congress, where he was chairman of the committee which reported the Articles of Confederation. He became President of the Provincial Assembly in 1775. 1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...
1775 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...
The Stamp Act 1765 (short title Duties in American Colonies Act 1765; 5 George III, c. ...
1765 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...
Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq. ...
1774 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...
The Continental Congress is the label given to three successive bodies of representatives: The First Continental Congress met from September 5, 1774 to October 26, 1774. ...
The Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, commonly known as the Articles of Confederation, was the first governing document of the United States of America. ...
1775 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...
Swedish colonial news (1997) has published a study according to which Morton's great grandparent was from Finland.
Biography John Morton was a native of Ridley Township, in Chester County, now Delaware County, Pennsylvania. His father John Morton Sr. was the son of Mårten Mårtensson Jr. from Sweden, and Margaret Bärtilsdotter Eskilsson. Ridley Township is a township located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. ...
Chester County is a county located in the state of Pennsylvania. ...
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ...
Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq. ...
Morton's grandfather Mårten Mårtensson Jr. arrived to the New Continent at the age of eight in 1651, along with his parents Mårten Mårtensson Sr. (Martti Marttinen) from Rautalampi, Finland and Mrs. 'Justis' Marttinen from Savo, Finland. They were among the first emigrants locating themselves on the banks of the Delaware River, where Mårten Mårtensson Sr. had payed his first visit in 1641, after the first permanent settlement was established there in 1638 by a small group of Finns and Swedes. With total of 12 expeditions bringing settlers to the area from 1638 to 1665 this largely Finnish colony (over 80%) became to be known as 'New Sweden' in accordance to the two nations being ruled as one at the time. // Events January 1 - Charles II crowned King of Scotland in Scone. ...
Savo (Savolax) is the name of a geographical region in Finland which can refer to: Savo - a historical Province of Sweden (Historical provinces of Finland) Pohjois-Savon maakunta - a current Region of Finland Etelä-Savon maakunta - a current Region of Finland Eastern Finland - a current Province of Finland A dialect...
Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ...
Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ...
Events March 4 - Start of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. ...
Mr. Morton's father, after whom he was named, died a few months previously to his birth in 1725 on the Ammansland plantation he had been given by his uncle, John Bärtilsson. Morton's mother some time after married to an Englishman, who possessed a more than ordinary education, and who, with great kindness, on young Morton's becoming of the proper age, superintended and directed his education at home. Here his active mind rapidly expanded, and gave promise of the important part which he was destined to act in the subsequent history of his country. In 1753 Morton married his second cousin Anna Justis, also a great grandchild of Martti Marttinen Sr., and settled in Calcon Hook. Events February 8 - Catherine I became empress of Russia February 20 - The first reported case of white men scalping Native Americans takes place in New Hampshire colony. ...
1753 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...
About the year 1764, Morton was commissioned as a justice of the peace, and was sent as a delegate to the general assembly of Pennsylvania. Of this body he was for many years an active and distinguished member, and for some time the speaker of the house of representatives. The following year he was appointed by the house of representatives of Pennsylvania to attend the general congress at New York. The object and proceedings of this congress are too well known to need a recital in this place. 1764 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...
Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area Ranked 27th - Total 54,520 sq. ...
In 1766, Mr. Morton was appointed sheriff of the county in which he lived, an office which he continued to hold for the three following years, and the duties of which he discharged with great satisfaction to the public. Some time after, he was elevated to a seat on the bench in the superior court of Pennsylvania. Of the memorable congress of 1774 Mr. Morton was a member, and continued to represent the state of Pennsylvania in the national assembly, through the memorable session of that body which gave birth to the declaration of the American independence. 1766 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...
Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq. ...
1774 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...
The American Revolution is the series of events, ideas, and changes that resulted in the political separation of thirteen colonies in North America from the British Empire and the creation of the United States of America. ...
On the occurrence of the momentous subject of independence, in the continental congress, Mr. Morton unexpectedly found himself placed in a delicate and trying situation. Previously to the 4th of July, the states of Delaware and Pennsylvania had voted in opposition to that measure. Great doubts were therefore entertained by the other members of congress, how the Pennsylvania and Delaware delegations would act. Much was obviously depending upon them, for it was justly apprehended, that should these two states decline to accede to the measure, the result might prove most unfortunate. Happily, the votes of both these states were, at length, secured in favor of independence. But, as the delegation from Pennsylvania were equally divided, it fell to Mr. Morton to give his casting vote. July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ...
The responsibility which Mr. Morton thus assumed was great, and even fearful, should the measure be attended by disastrous results. Mr. Morton, however, was a man of firmness and decision, and, in the spirit of true patriotism, he enrolled his vote in favor of the liberty of his country. Considering his novel and solemn situation, he deserves to be remembered with peculiar respect, by the free and independent yeomanry of America.
In the following year, Morton assisted in organizing a system of confederation, and was chairman of the committee of the whole, at the time it was finally agreed to, on November 15, 1777. During the same year, he was seized with an inflammatory fever, which, after a few days, ended his mortal existence, in the 54th year of his age. Mr. Morton was a professor of religion, and a truly excellent man. To the poor he was ever kind; and to an affectionate family, consisting of a wife, three sons, and five daughters, he was an affectionate husband and father. 1777 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...
Mr. Morton's only enemies were those who would not forgive him because of his vote in favor of independence. During his last sickness, and even on the verge of the eternal world, he remembered them, and requested those who stood round him, to tell them, that the hour would yet come, when it would be acknowledged, that his vote in favor of American independence was the most illustrious act of his life.
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