Page:One of a thousand.djvu/440

 426 MORSE. MORSE. dent of the Cambridgeport National Bank. He has accepted positions of public trust only at the earnest solicitation of his fellow-citizens. He was alderman in 1866, and a member of the House of Representatives in 1869 and '73, holding places on important com- mittees, and declining a re-election. In 1879 he was a member of the state Senate, ASA P. MORSE. serving as chairman on the joint committee on prisons, and also on the committee on claims. The committee on prisons were called upon to revise the entire system of prison supervision — a very important and difficult duty. Under the lead of Mr. Morse a new system was perfected, which has proved complete and satisfactory, and the law of 1879 is acknowledged to be a superior piece of legislation. His ability in this direction made him chairman of the special committee on convict law, which investigated that subject in the summer and fall of 1879. The report was ex- haustive and valuable, and settled many questions which had before been in con- troversy. Mr. Morse was re-elected to the Senate in 1S80 by an unusual majority ; again placed at the head of the committee on prisons, and also on the committee on edu- cation and on expenditures. The prison committee were successful, inaugurating many measures of prison reform, there having been no important legislation re- garding prisons for nearly fifty years. The establishment of a reformatory for men was the only important measure proposed which failed. Its success in passing the Senate was due largely to the efforts of Mr. Morse. Though not a leader in debate, Mr. Morse is an effective speaker, concise and convincing in the presentation of a sub- ject. In enterprises for the advancement of the interests of the city, and in all pub- lic services, he has proved himself to be the very best type of the Massachusetts citizen. Mr. Morse was married July 13, 1845, to Dorcas Louisa, daughter of Thomas V. and Elizabeth (Wells, widow) Short. Mrs. Morse died in 1864. Of this union were three children : Mary Louisa (Mrs. Charles W. Jones), Velma Maria, and Ar- thur Porter Morse (deceased). MORSE, BUSHROD, son of Willard and Eliza (Glover) Morse, was born in Sharon, Norfolk county, August 24, 1837. Mr. Morse's parents were the descend- ants of a long line of New England ances- try which counted on its roll many a name known to fame. Among them were Pro- fessor Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the magnetic telegraph ; James Kent, Chief Justice and renowned commentator ; Dr. Franklin, Fisher Ames, General Glover, Edward Everett, and Charlotte Cushman. He attended the public schools of his native town ; fitted for college in Provi- dence Conference Seminary, and Pierce Academy, Middleborough, during the years 1S53, '54, '55 and '56 ; entered Amherst College, September, 1856, without condi- tion, and left during the first year, being obliged to abandon the remainder of his collegiate course on account of ill health. He chose the profession of law, ami studied in North Easton and Boston ; was admitted to the Suffolk bar in October, 1864, and has practiced law in Boston ever since, having, however, always retained his residence in his native town on the old Morse homestead, near Lake Massapoag, a large and picturesque estate which has descended to him and his brothers from their great grandfather, Gilead Morse, an English soldier under General Wolfe, who purchased it on his return from the French war in 1764. In politics Mr. Morse is a pronounced Democrat, and has performed conspicuous service for his party. When questions of