Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Alvertus Willard Morse (1841-1912), Alvertus Jason Morse (1872-1949)

Portrait from the Souvenir of Massachusetts Legislators, 1894.

   A distinguished resident of Belchertown in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Alvertus Willard Morse served one term in the Massachusetts General Court beginning in 1894 and in addition to his legislative service was a Civil War veteran, farmer, and businessman. Born in Belchertown on January 21, 1841, Alvertus W. Morse was the son of Jason (1810-1873) and Betsy (Williams) Morse (1810-1851). He would receive his schooling in his hometown and as an adolescent enrolled at the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Massachusetts. In 1862 he signed on for service in the 46th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers and served with this outfit until being discharged on July 1st of the following year. He reenlisted in the army that same day, and joined the Second Regiment Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, serving until the close of the Civil War.
    Morse received his discharge in September 1865 and on October 1, 1868, he married Martha "Mattie" Stockwell (1849-1903). The couple's marriage extended nearly four decades and saw the births of five children, Bertha Elizabeth (1869-1927), Bessie Lovina Morse (1871-1912), Alvertus Jason (1872-1949), Raymond E. (born 1874), and Ransom W. (born 1880). In the years following his marriage, Morse became active in Belchertown politics, holding a seat on the local school committee from 1871 to 1880. In 1884 he won election as town selectman (serving until 1888) and pulled double duty as town overseer of the poor until 1888. Morse also held the post of superintendent of the Belchertown Creamery beginning in 1889. This creamery is acknowledged as being known across the state for its butter production and did a successful business until its closing in 1917.
    In November 1893 Alvertus Morse won election as a Republican to the Massachusetts State House of Representatives from Hampshire County, defeating Democratic candidate Loman Augustin Smith (1833-1914) by a vote of 725 to 352. Serving in the session of 1894-95, he held a seat on the house committee on Libraries. 
   Following the conclusion of his term in 1895, Morse became the Secretary of the Massachusetts Creamery Association and served in this capacity for several years. He was also active in Belchertown fraternal organizations, being a past commander of the E.J. Briggs Post of the Grand Army of the Republic and a chaplain of the Mt. Vernon, Massachusetts Lodge of Masons. He died in his native Belchertown on September 28, 1912, aged 71, and was interred at the Hillcrest Cemetery in that village.
  
   From the 1894 Massachusetts General Court manual.

Portrait courtesy of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries Special Collections.

  In an update (December 13, 2019) to an already six-year-old article, Alvertus Jason Morse, the son of Alvertus Willard Morse, is profiled. With the help of Morse descendant Moriah Morse, this author was made aware of the fact that political service (as well as odd names) continued in this family in Alvertus Jason Morse, who served three consecutive terms as Mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts. Born in Belchertown on July 15, 1872, Morse would attend local schools and later enrolled at the Massachusetts Agricultural College at Amherst.   
  Graduating in the class of 1894, Morse embarked upon a teaching career that extended several years, and in 1900 married to Lillia May Davis (1875-1960), to who he was wed for nearly five decades. The couple would have two children, Alvertus Davis (1904-1982) and  Martha (1912-1985). At the turn of the 19th century Morse turned his attention to law studies, and in 1901 graduated with his degree from the Boston University Law School. Soon after he established himself in practice in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he resided for the remainder of his life.
  Beginning his career in city politics as a member of the city board of aldermen, Morse also sat as a member of the city council in 1915-16 and in the last-named year was elected as mayor of Northampton. He would be reelected to that office on two more occasions (1917 and 1918) and in 1918 was unopposed at the ballot box.
  Active in the civic and fraternal life of Hampshire County, Morse served as treasurer of the Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden County Agricultural Society beginning in 1914, was treasurer of the local YMCA chapter, and before his mayoralty served as secretary of the Northampton Board of Trade. Morse would also log twenty-five years of service as secretary of the Three County Fair Association, serving from 1924 until his death.
  After his mayoralty, Alvertus J. Morse continued in his law practice, and in 1928 was joined by his son Alvertus Davis. Morse died at a city hospital on May 31, 1949, aged 77, and was survived by his wife and children. He was later interred at the Bridge Street Cemetery in Northampton.

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