From A Biographical History of Central Kansas, Vol. I, p. 531
published by The Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago & New York, 1902 

G. W. MORTER 

   G W Morter was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, December 28, 1861, and is a son of John Morter, also a native of that locality.  The grandfather, David Morter, was born in Fulton county, Pennsylvania, and was of German lineage.  Removing to Franklin county, he there spent his remaining days.  His son John was reared upon the family homestead and after arriving at years of maturity was joined in wedlock to Miss Elizabeth Hess, whose birth occurred in Franklin county, where she was also reared and educated.  She was the daughter of John Hess, who spent his entire life in the Keystone state.  Unto Mr and Mrs Morter were born nine children who grew to years of maturity:  Samuel, who served as a Union soldier during the Civil war; Catherine; William; Joseph; David and Mary, who have both passed away; Jerry; John A; and George W.  They also lost two children, John and Oliver, who passed away in early childhood.  The father made farming his life work and followed that pursuit until his death, which occurred when he was sixty-two years of age.  His wife passed away at the age of seventy-five.  Both were members of the German Baptist church and lived earnest, consistent Christian lives.  The father was a Republican in his political views.

   George W Morter spent the days of his youth in the Keystone state and in the public schools acquired a good education.  He was early trained to the work of the farm and early manifested special aptitude in the handling of tools displaying considerable mechanical ingenuity.  He remained in Pennsylvania until 1880, when he came to the middle west, locating first in Aurora and afterward in Batavia, Kane county, Illinois, where he followed the trade of carpentering and was also employed as a machinist in different shops.  Later, however, he returned to the east, and in 1883 he came to Rice county, Kansas, where he has since made his home.  Upon the farm where he yet resides he has lived for sixteen years.  He now has a valuable property, equipped with good buildings, and is successfully devoting his time and energy to the raising of grain and stock.

   In April, 1893, after coming to Kansas, Mr Morter was united in marriage to Miss Lena Goos, who was born in Germany and was three years of age when brought to the United States by her parents.  Her girlhood days were spent in Chicago and in Clinton, Iowa, and in 1879 she came to Rice county, Kansas, with her father and mother, C and Margaret (Flount) Goos.  The latter died in Wilson township, Rice county, in 1896, leaving five sons and five daughters, namely:  Mrs Lena Morter, Kate, William, Anna, Henry, Frank, Rosa, Albert, Dora and Charles.

   In his political affiliations Mr Morter is a stanch Republican and does all in his power to promote the growth and secure the success of the party.  He has served as trustee of his township, and in the fall of 1897 he was elected to the position of county surveyor.  In that office he discharged the duties so capably that he was again made the candidate and once more elected to the office, of which he is the present incumbent.  He has been a faithful and popular official, his labors bringing him the high commendation of all concerned.  He holds membership in the Wesleyan Methodist church and his wife is a member of the Congregational church.  Mr Morter is yet a young man and his salient characteristics are his steadfast purpose, his reliability and his unflagging industry.  These qualities have won him success in business and honor in public life and he is today regarded as one of the popular and highly respected men of his adopted county.