Richard Lee Morton

Richard Lee Morton was born 20 September 1889 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. He received his B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College in 1910 and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. He also received an M.A. from Harvard. He came to the College of William and Mary as Associate Professor of History and Political Science and was made chairman of the History Department in 1921. Along with Prof. Grimes, he lived in the Alumni House in 1920.

Morton served as editor of the William and Mary Quarterly and wrote The Negro in Virginia Politics (1919), Virginia Since 1861 (1924) and Struggle Against Tyranny, Virginia 1677-1699 (1957) and Colonial Virginia (1960). Morton also edited an edition of Hugh Jones' Present State of Virginia. Prof. Morton's appointments were: Associate Professor of History and Political Science, 1919-1922; Professor of History and Political Science, 1922-1959; Chancellor Professor of History, Emeritus, 1959-1968.

Morton Hall at the College of William and Mary is named in his honor. He was awarded an honorary degree (LL.D.) at Charter Day in 1965. He retired in 1959 and died in 1974.

Material in the Special Collections Research Center

• The SCRC Collections Database includes a number of collections from and related to Morton.

References

• SCRC file.

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