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George Dean Morton

George Dean Morton in Ireland	Almost none of George's early life in Ireland is known. He received his medical training there and it is possible that he practised in Tinahely for a short time before he emigrated, as there still exists a shop in town with "Dr. George Morton" in stained glass. Historical summaries: 1830's 1840's
George immigrates to Canada 1848	George arrived in the Province of Canada in 1848 at age 26. He settled in the village of Holland Landing, then one of the most prosperous distributing centres north of Toronto, where he took up the practice of the retiring Dr. Ardagh. Holland Landing was the terminus of Yonge Street and the junction between its stage coaches and the steamships that continued north up the Holland River. When George arrived, Holland Landing was nearing the peak of its growth, and supported Robinson's Inn and Phelps Tavern, a brewery, distillery, tannery, foundry and other grist, flour and woollen mills. By 1853 the railway from Toronto had arrived, and although this placed the village on the main artery of the lumber and grain trade, it also afforded easier travel to cities like Bradford and Barrie to the north, and spelled Holland Landing's decline by the 1870's. His acquaintance with local business man and magistrate William Laughton led to an introduction to his young daughter Cornie, whom George married in 1854.
George marries Cornie 1854	George married Cornelia Rosabella Laughton at Trinity Church Bradford on September 19th. Cornie's Laughton parents lived in a 2½ story brick house in Holland Landing near the town's highest point. The half story probably accounted for the “big thing” on top of the house, described by Aunt Nancy for viewing boats. Laughton had brought steam shipping to Holland Landing in the 1830's, and one could purportedly see up the Holland River and into Lake Simcoe from the top of his house. Sketchy records indicate George and Cornie may have had a child before they were married. George Dean Morton (b. 1822) = Cornelia Rosabella Laughton (b.c.1835) m.19/09/1854 Henrietta b.c.1853/54 Historical summary: 1850's
Daughter Henrietta	Henrietta Morton appears in the census once, but nowhere in any family remembrances. There is no birth, baptismal or death record in government or church registers and she isn't found in future censuses. The census of March 1861 reports her as eight next birthday so her date of birth could be no later than March 1854, predating George and Cornie’s September 1854 wedding. There are several possibilities but little evidence. She may have been born out-of-wedlock, or George and Cornie reported her age incorrectly for the census.
Move to Bradford 1856	George and Cornie moved to Bradford in 1856, where they built a substantial residence: a 1½ story brick house on a 1 acre lot, and acquired a servant, Ms. Ruth Peas. Very often they would play host to Cornie's sister Tat , such that by the time she and George's brother Edward began courting , she considered Bradford her home. They maintained many sheep, pigs and cows, four horses and four carriages. George used the horses not only for physician house calls and basic transportation, but also for breeding and racing. In his first decade in Bradford, George's renown as an equestrian grew. In 1860 he purchased Woodmount farm in Holland Landing from the son of renowned settler Peter Robinson (15), with the intent of building a horse track when the area was further developed. During the American Civil War (1861 - 1865), sales of high quality American thoroughbreds were common in the North - an attempt to gain profit rather than conscription into warring cavalries. Ontario’s horse stock improved greatly by such sales, and George made several purchases of American and European pedigreed horses that were trained at Woodmount. While his matched pair would often draw the funeral hearse in Bradford, George directed his efforts towards breeding and racing.
Queen’s Plate Stakes 1864	Queen Victoria sponsored a contest in 1860 at the Carleton Race Course (SW of Dundas and Keele Streets). It was the first Queen’s Plate Stakes and the prize was 50 guineas. Shortly afterwards, George began training his first winning filly, Brunette. She was sired by Lapidist, a European imported by local Holland Landinger Tom Simpson. In her fourth year, Brunette raced and won the Queen’s Plate Stakes in Guelph, July 5, 1864, and went on to win a sizeable number of other races in Ontario. Historical summary: 1860's As a breeder of thoroughbred horses, George earned a wide reputation among sportsmen and breeders alike. He, “set all Yonge Street agog to see so blue-blooded a patrician” when he imported Antonio, a full brother to an English Derby winner, to stand at stud. Rose of Allendale in 1868, and Goldfinch in 1873 were George’s two other Queen’s Plate entries. During these early days in Ontario, racing was dominated by the rural horsemen. Despite the attraction of gamblers, drinkers, and dice throwers, it was hoped that the Queen’s Plate would forge distinction for the “sport”.
Henrietta dies & The "Old Vault" late 1860's	No further records include George’s daughter Henrietta. She likely died in youth, and the trauma of her death caused the “life-long” mental condition ascribed to Cornie by Aunt Nancy. Henrietta’s death caused George to buy the “old vault” for her burial and church registers do show Dr. Morton had a burial vault for family members at Christ Church, Holland Landing, though it has no marker today. The current cemetery plan shows only one Morton group of plots, and it is thought that the old vault lies below them on the hillside. Aunt Nancy merely states that it’s covered up now in her booklet, but both Stanley Stych and Bill Morton remember the vault in their childhood. Apparently, around 1920 a vandal set fire to the vault and the family decided to cover it up.
	In public life, George held a number of high ranked positions in Bradford including reeve (1877-78), trustee of the High School, member of the Simcoe County Council, and county coroner. He also held high positions within the medical association of his time. George even advertised his services in the newspaper. Several simple ads can be found in the Bradford Witness, such as this from 31 May 1866: "Drs. Morton and McCarthy Physicians, Surgeons & Accouchers Bradford, C.W." (2) Politically, he was conservative and a “staunch Orangeman”, master of the Bradford and Holland Landing Orange Lodges. George’s practice eventually grew to be greater than any physician’s north of Toronto. He accumulated a considerable amount of wealth and bought several properties. In 1868, Woodmount farm was doubled in size when his sister-in-law Tat transferred her father's lot immediately to the north to wife Cornie for 1 pound (15). The survey of Holland Landing in 1871 even shows a proposed horse driving park in the government reserve across from the farm on Hospital Road (now Doan’s Road). Historical summary: 1870's
Nephew Ernest joins household	Even though George and Cornie had no further children, their nephew Ernest came to live with them sometime in the 1870’s. Ernest was Edward’s third son , born around 1871.
Francis lives in Woodmount 1880	George's brother Francis came to Canada in July 1880 and moved into the old Laughton home on Woodmount farm. Shortly after their arrival, son Michael moved in with George gravely ill. After a bout of diphtheria ending in Michael’s death, he too was placed in George’s vault.
Moves to Toronto 1881	George retired from practice at age 59 in September 1881, and he, Cornie and Ernest moved to 563 Church Street in Toronto. It was only a few months earlier that one of his associates, T.C. Patteson, created the Ontario Jockey Club based at Woodbine Park on the eastern edge of the city by the shores of Lake Ontario, and it would seem George's retirement focused on his continuing love of horse racing. Historical summary: 1880's
Involved with Ontario Jockey Club 1883	At this point we don't know how deeply George became involved in the OJC. It's been said he shared an interest in restoring the public’s faith in horse racing with Patteson and other OJC directors. In 1883, while entertaining the Governor General, Marquess of Lorne, and his wife Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria, the directors of the OJC, joined by George, impressed upon the royals the need for a single body to organize the Queen’s Plate. The OJC received that charge and the Queen’s Plate was run from Woodbine ever since. In 1891, George had several Toronto properties, and was still living with Cornie at 563 Church Street. Ernest (age 19) was there going to school, and their eldest nephew William L. (age 28) had moved in and was practising law. Aunt Nancy mentions George in Toronto but says he didn't do much there. Historical summary: 1890's
Cornie dies 1893	In 1893, Cornie died of marasmus, a condition of progressive emaciation usually described in infants. Aunt Nancy thought she died in a mental hospital, and it had been said that Cornie’s affliction was life-long. It’s possible that her condition relates back to the death of Henrietta but her sister Arabella also died of marasmus 18 years later. Aunt Nancy and church records said Cornie was buried in Dr. Morton's vault at Christ Church, Holland Landing.
George dies 1895	George died two years later at the same address on 17 February 1895. His doctor said he died of internal gout, an affliction suffered since the beginning of the month. “Funeral will leave residence at 11 o'clock on Wednesday, the 20th, via Union station, for place of interment at Holland Landing,” was announced in Toronto. Upon George's death, nephew Ernest returned home , while nephew William L. moved elsewhere, eventually residing in Fort William (Thunder Bay) (3). The obituary and will published in the Bradford Witness describe much of George’s life. His total estate was valued at nearly $89,000, and included property in Toronto, West Toronto Junction, East Gwillimbury, West Gwillimbury and Bradford. Interestingly, the article states George’s will made liberal provision for Mrs. Morton, however the will found in his estate file, written by his own hand, makes no mention of Cornie, and he wrote it a year before she died.
Distribution of George's estate	Women and children received cash: $1000 for the sisters and nieces and $2000 for the younger nephews. Nephews over age 20 received gifts one might assume were appropriate to their abilities or needs. Reginald the doctor received medical books and tools. William E.D.B. the farmer (Francis’s son) received 320 acres of farm land. Both Anglican Churches in Bradford and Holland Landing received $200. A plaque in Christ Church is in his name. A few items do stand out: the daughters of brother James in Ireland obtained $1000 each, but the daughters of William in Canada got nothing. Brother Edward received the remainder of George’s estate, including several properties, but brother Francis got nothing (the land he lived on, Woodmount Farm, went to his son, William E.D.B.). Nephew Edward was given $2000 cash while George was given $1000 cash and $1000 stock in a plow company. George’s will is specific and calculated. It’s the only way we might understand how he saw his family: who he liked, trusted and approved of, and from whom he expected little gratitude or promise. For a detailed distribution of the estate among the family members in 1895, see the nearby figure entitled “Contents of Dr. George Dean Morton’s Will”. The figure is in the form of a family tree and includes all the Mortons from Tinahely verified by records. Above figure is very large (click above) and scroll it.