Moreton Harbison McNeill ("Mort")

Moreton Harbison McNeill ("Mort") was born April 26, 1867, to Harbison and Susannah McNeill. He was known by Moreton, or “Mort” for short. Mort graduated from Ohio Wesleyan in Delaware, Ohio in 1888.  Two years later he was accredited as a graduate of the Michaels School of Art.  He taught at several colleges: Detroit’s Business University for one year; Nelson’s Business College in Cincinnati for a little over a year and briefly at a school in Dallas, Texas. He also became proficient at an emerging style of ballpoint pen art, a novel technology at the time. However, he returned to the family land to farm and raise livestock, specifically, registered Cotswold sheep. His flocks of sheep consisted of selections from what was considered the best flocks in the U.S. and Canada. He also built herds of Shorthorns and Poled Durham cattle.  Mort married Bertha Simmons (b. August 14, 1869) on June 30, 1904.  They had two daughters, Ruth Winnifred and Dorothy Allen, both born in Laurel, Ohio. Bertha died in 1937. After Bertha died, he went to live with his daughter, Ruth, and her family  in Lakewood, Ohio (listed there in 1940 census) and then Dearborn, Michigan (1950 census). Moreton H. McNeill passed away April 29, 1959 in Clermont County, Ohio. 

Mort and Bertha are both interred at Laurel Cemetery, Laurel, in Clermont County, Ohio.