ROBERT KEMP MORTON 


The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 558
Kanawha

ROBERT KEMP MORTON brought to the profession of law
an education and early training derived from contact as a
student with some of the foremost institutions of education
in America. He had decided talents for the profession,
and his record as a practicing lawyer for fifteen years has
brought him deserved prominence. Mr. Morton has been
a member of the Charleston bar for the past ten years,
and is widely known over the state as state president of
the West Virginia Elks' Association.

He was born in Tazewell County, Virginia, in 1880, son
of William Benjamin and Margaret (Crockett) Morton.
His parents were also born in old Virginia, representing
families long identified with that commonwealth.  The
Mortons had their ancestral seat in Prince Edward County.
Margaret Crockett represented one branch of the family
that produced the famous pioneer Davy Crockett.

Robert Kemp Morton was educated in Randolph-Macon
College in Virginia, graduating in 1903, with the Bachelor
of Arts degree and did postgraduate work in history and
political science in Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

After one year at Johns Hopkins Mr. Morton decided
to take up the profession of the law. and prepared for
the bar at the University of Virginia.  He began the
practice of law at Tazewell Court House in his native
county in 1906, but in 1912 moved to Charleston. For
some time he was associated in practice with Judge A. S.
Alexander, now on the bench. Mr. Morton is now senior
member of the firm of Morton and Mohler. They have
a large general civil practice and represent among their
clients some of the important business and industrial in-
terests of the state.

Mr. Morton has for a number of years been active in
the Charleston Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, is past exalted ruler of Charleston Lodge,
and the many valuable services he has rendered the Order
led to his being elected president of the West Virginia
Association of Elks at the annual state convention of the
Order at Charleston in September, 1921. He is also a
member of the college fraternity Kappa Alpha. He is a
thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member
of Beni-Kedem Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

Mr. Morton married Miss Julia Ward Davidson, of
Mercer County. West Virginia, in 1909.  Their three
children are Robert Kemp, Jr., Margaret Elizabeth and
William Benjamin III.

Submitted by:  vfcrook@trellis.net (Valerie F. Crook) 

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