Builder of Boats Dies

The Marietta Daily Times, November 21, 1923

Older Mariettans will remember Capt. Daniel Webster Morton, who died in Cincinnati on Sunday, and the following regarding him from a Cincinnati paper will be of interest.

Captain Daniel Webster Morton, 86, who built many of the boats that made the Ohio River the main artery of traffic 50 years ago, died at Christ Hospital Sunday morning. He was buried Tuesday afternoon from the funeral parlors of W. Mack Johnson.

Captain Morton was born in West Marietta, Ohio, and started to work with his father at the age of 15 years. When 19 years old he superintended the construction of the cabin of the steamer Catahoula. Later he entered the ship-building business with a partner and continued construction work of river boats for many years.

Captain Morton's ancestors were among the Pilgrim settlers of the Plymouth colony. He was a near relative to Marcus Morton, twice governor of Massachusetts and member of Congress. He married in 1866, and his wife died in 1907. He is survived by two sons, Charles H. Morton, with whom he made his home at 3432 Wellston Place, Hyde Park, and Oliver W. Morton, St. Paul, Minnesota.