The P. H. Morton Family

By Mrs. Charlie Matthews Pegues

P. H. Morton came to East Texas from the mountains of Tennessee in 1890. First attending Carson-Newman College in Tennessee and then Alexander Collegiate Institute (now Lon Morris), he received his Texas teachers certificate. He taught in Greenville, Texas. Visiting with a friend, Daniel Walker, he met his bride, Lula Walker, daughter of Charles and Sarah Walker.

He and his bride settled south of Jacksonville in the vicinity of what now is the Craft community and he taught at Rusk, at the old Rural Academy and also at East Side School in Jacksonville.

Leaving the teaching profession, he opened a large mercantile store at Craft, but he later gave up that pursuit to become a farmer and dairyman. The Morton homestead still is occupied by P. H. Morton, Jr., and his family.

P. H., Sr., was a progressive educator and believer in youth. By the sweat of his brow, with the cooperation of his wife, and with a peach orchard full of switches, he saw that his children had at least a junior college education. Nine of the ten children survived this couple, and the "hills of home" have brought five of these back to Jacksonville. They are P. H., Jr., Charlie Matthews Pegues, Mary Henderson, Earl Morton and Kay Mechling. Two others, Jo Morton Bevington and Dan Morton, still live in Texas.

There always was someone at our house living and working his way through school. One young man wanted to preach; so dad joined with others and the young man's expenses were paid. The community was badly in need of a place of worship; so P. H. Morton again joined with C. S. Ousley and a Mr. Meador to put up the money.

Times have changed, but Craft church still is holding worship on the same land. Prices are a bit different, however, for in searching old records for verification of dates, a 1901 school tax receipt was found for $7.50 on two houses and lots owned by P. H. and Lula Morton in Jacksonville proper.