John W. Morton (Tennessee politician)
John Watson Morton | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 19, 1842 |
| Died | November 21, 1914 (aged 72) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Education | Western Military Institute |
| Alma mater | University of Nashville |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 sons, 1 daughter |
| Parent(s) | John A. Morton Sarah Buchanan |
| Relatives | West Hughes Humphreys (1st father-in-law) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Confederate States of America |
| Branch | Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Captain |
John Watson Morton (September 19, 1842 – November 21, 1914) was an American Confederate military officer, farmer and politician. Educated at the Western Military Institute, he entered military service soon after graduation, with the outbreak of war. He served as captain of artillery under General Nathan Bedford Forrest in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Afterward he was the founder of the Nashville chapter of the Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction era.
Although Morton studied medicine after the war and practiced as a physician for two years, he decided to go into farming. He led various agricultural societies and served as the Tennessee Secretary of State from 1901 to 1909.