Oliver P. Morton papers
Collection
Identifier: L113
Scope and Contents
This collection consist primarily of correspondence and papers from Oliver P. Morton’s senatorial career with an emphasis on the 1876 presidential election and Louisiana politics in 1873 and 1874. There is also family correspondence, financial papers, speeches and notes on Republican politics, the U.S. Civil War, secession, and Reconstruction.
There are also an oversize folder and a volume, which include extractions and a letter from R.R. Barrow, 1872/08/05 and 1872/09/29; speeches by General Sheldon (1872/09/02) and Colonel George Williamson (1872/10/24), a copy from the Houna Terrebonne Banner (1872/10/24), and other miscellaneous materials such as newspapers, broadsides, and a printed memorial for Morton, 1865-1877 (OBC044); and "Nomination by Ballot, Election by Lot with Prayer to God" by a Civil Magistrate as "a proposed REMEDY for our Political Corruptions" (1866-1867) (V438).
Correspondents include Schuyler Colfax, Henry W. Halleck, Andrew Johnson, Henry S. Lane, Abraham Lincoln, George B. McClellan, Joaquin Miller, William H. Seward, Caleb B. Smith, Edwin M. Stanton, Lew Wallace, and Richard Yates.
There are also an oversize folder and a volume, which include extractions and a letter from R.R. Barrow, 1872/08/05 and 1872/09/29; speeches by General Sheldon (1872/09/02) and Colonel George Williamson (1872/10/24), a copy from the Houna Terrebonne Banner (1872/10/24), and other miscellaneous materials such as newspapers, broadsides, and a printed memorial for Morton, 1865-1877 (OBC044); and "Nomination by Ballot, Election by Lot with Prayer to God" by a Civil Magistrate as "a proposed REMEDY for our Political Corruptions" (1866-1867) (V438).
Correspondents include Schuyler Colfax, Henry W. Halleck, Andrew Johnson, Henry S. Lane, Abraham Lincoln, George B. McClellan, Joaquin Miller, William H. Seward, Caleb B. Smith, Edwin M. Stanton, Lew Wallace, and Richard Yates.
Dates
- 1855-1909
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Oliver P. Morton was born August 4, 1823 in Salisbury, Wayne County, Indiana. He was apprenticed to a hatter and worked in that career for four years before attending Wayne County Seminary and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Morton Studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1847. He began his law practice in Centerville, Indiana. He was elected judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Indiana in 1852. He ran unsuccessfully for governor of Indiana in 1856 but was elected lieutenant governor under Henry S. Lane in 1860. He became governor in 1861 upon Lane’s election to the U.S. Senate. He served as governor until 1867 when he was elected to the U.S. Senate. While in the Senate Morton served on the Committee on Manufactures, Committee on Agriculture, and the Committee on Privileges and Elections. He was appointed to the Electoral Commission of 1877 to decide contests in various states during the presidential election of 1876. Oliver P. Morton died on November 1, 1877 in Indianapolis and is interred at Crown Hill Cemetery.
Source:
United States Congress. "Morton, Oliver Hazard Perry Throck (1823-1877)." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed January 24, 2007. https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=m001020.
Source:
United States Congress. "Morton, Oliver Hazard Perry Throck (1823-1877)." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed January 24, 2007. https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=m001020.
Extent
2.66 Cubic Feet (7 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize folder, 1 volume)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from the American Autograph Shop on 1938/11/21; Elizabeth Brayton on 1939/07/01; John Brayton on 1943/08/13; Baker Conway on 1968/10/01; Robert Jacques on 1976/10/18; George W. Franz on 1983/01/20; Indianapolis Public Library during February 2017.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing and finding aid completed by Barbara Hilderbrand during February 2007. Finding aid revised by Laura Eliason on 2015/11/04 and Lauren Patton on 2016/03/17. EAD finding aid revised 2021/09/13 by Lauren Patton.
- Colfax, Schuyler, 1823-1885
- Correspondence
- Governors -- Indiana
- Halleck, Charles A. (Charles Abraham), 1900-1986
- Indiana -- Politics and government
- Indiana -- Politics and government -- 19th century
- Indiana. General Assembly. Senate
- Indiana. Office of the Governor
- Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875
- Lane, Henry Smith, 1811-1881
- Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
- Louisiana
- McClellan, George B. (George Brinton), 1826-1885
- Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913
- Politicians
- Politicians -- Indiana
- Politics and government
- Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )
- Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872
- Smith, Caleb B. (Caleb Blood), 1808-1864
- Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Reconstruction
Creator
- Morton, Oliver P. (Oliver Perry), 1823-1877 (Person)
- Carvajal, Jose Maria de Jesus, 1810-1874 (Person)
- Wallace, Lew, 1827-1905 (Person)
- Title
- Oliver P. Morton papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
