| Birth: | Apr. 22, 1832
Adams
Jefferson County
New York, USA | | Death: | Apr. 27, 1902
Lake Forest
Lake County
Illinois, USA | 
J. Sterling Morton was born in Adams, New York. His family soon moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he grew up. He met his future wife, Caroline Joy French, there and they were married in 1854. They left Detroit on their wedding day, travelling across the plains to Nebraska City, Nebraska, where he was to take a job writing for the Nebraska City News. J. Sterling and his wife loved the wilds of Nebraska, where they built a house that grew into a stately mansion over the years. But the rolling prairies around their house were treeless. J. Sterling began planting trees, researching the varieties that would grow best in the Nebraska climate. His efforts also influenced the local populace, who began planting trees as well.
J. Sterling served in the Second Nebraska Legislative Assembly in 1855, and was appointed acting Governor of Nebraska from 1858 to 1861. But his love of nature took him in a different direction; he joined the State Board of Agriculture. In 1867 he came up with the idea of setting aside a day to celebrate trees, naming it Arbor Day. His was a simple idea that the people of Nebraska took to heart. Over a million trees were planted on that first Arbor Day, held on April 10, 1872. It quickly went from being a local event held every few years, to a national yearly holiday. The date was changed from April 10 to April 22, to coincide with J. Sterling Morton's birthday. Morton went on to serve as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President Grover Cleveland. He spent the remainder of his years in semi-retirement, writing and visiting his grown children. He died in 1902 while visiting his son in Illinois, and a special train took his body back to his beloved Nebraska City. He and Caroline were both interred in the family plot in Wyuka Cemetery.
The family gave their splendid mansion, called Arbor Lodge, to the people of the state of Nebraska in 1903. It is a state historical park now; Arbor Lodge is open from April to October, and is a great place to learn about trees and conservation as well as J. Sterling Morton and his family. The house and furnishings are intact and reflect how the Morton family made the prairie habitable.
Arbor Day is no longer just a U.S. holiday; it has spread around the world and it's appeal is a testament to J. Sterling Morton and his love of nature. (bio by: Marta Dawes)
Search Amazon for Julius Morton | | | Burial:
Wyuka Cemetery
Nebraska City
Otoe County
Nebraska, USA |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jul 06, 2002
Find A Grave Memorial# 6580321 |
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