27 Facts About Morton McMichael

Morton McMichael was an American newspaper editor, publisher, civic leader and mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1866 to 1869.

Morton McMichael worked as the editor of The Saturday Evening Post and Godey's Lady's Book and as editor-in-chief of the Saturday Courier.

Morton McMichael co-founded the Saturday Gazette and was publisher of The North American.

Morton McMichael chaired the Executive Consolidation Committee that developed the Act of Consolidation of 1854 to expand the borders of the city of Philadelphia and include all of Philadelphia County.

Morton McMichael served as president of the Fairmount Park Commission.

Morton McMichael's father was a soldier during the War of 1812 and worked with Joseph Bonaparte, the older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte and former King of Spain.

Morton McMichael's family moved to Philadelphia when he was young and he attended the University of Pennsylvania.

Morton McMichael read law under David Paul Brown and William M Meredith and was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1827, but never practiced law.

Morton McMichael became an editor of The Saturday Evening Post in 1826.

Morton McMichael worked as the editor of Godey's Lady's Book from 1842 to 1844.

Morton McMichael published the Saturday Gazette with Joseph C Neal from 1844 to 1847.

Morton McMichael led the merger of the United States Gazette into the North American which brought Robert Montgomery Bird into the organization as editor.

The paper grew to prominence and Morton McMichael became sole publisher in 1854 when co-owner Robert Montgomery Bird died.

Morton McMichael remained publisher until his own death in 1879, though his sons took over active operations in his final years.

Morton McMichael served in a number of political positions throughout his life.

Morton McMichael began his service as a police magistrate and then as an Alderman in the Spring Garden neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Morton McMichael began his political career in 1838 as a Jacksonian Democrat but drifted away from that ideology and became a Democrat, a Whig in 1843 and a Republican in 1857.

Morton McMichael was attracted to the Republicans' strong stance on high tariffs and less so on their abolitionist beliefs.

Morton McMichael served his three-year term as Sheriff during the Philadelphia nativist riots and helped prevent further violence.

In 1854, Morton McMichael chaired the Executive Consolidation Committee, which developed the Consolidation Act of 1854 that merged the city of Philadelphia with many of the surrounding districts into a single political entity.

Morton McMichael's newspaper argued for a new street numbering system to replace the city's confusing address system, which often numbered houses in the order they were built rather than by location and resulted in fractional house numbers along streets.

In 1865, McMichael defeated Democrat Daniel M Fox by 5,000 votes and was elected as the Mayor of Philadelphia.

Morton McMichael served on the board and, once his term ended in 1869, was appointed as president of the commission, serving until his death.

Morton McMichael was offered a position as minister to Great Britain by President Ulysses S Grant but declined.

Morton McMichael was elected as a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1867.

Morton McMichael served as president of the Union League after Horace Binney.

Morton McMichael died on January 6,1879, as a result of inflammatory rheumatism and was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery.