MORTON W. SANDERS, CDR, USN
Morton Sanders '63
Morton Wilson Sanders was admitted to the Naval Academy from San Francisco, California on September 20, 1859 at age 17 years 3 months.
Loss
Morton "died suddenly of heart disease" while he was boating on the Avon river in England.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Morton's sister Susan married Lloyd Tevis, and Harry was their son. Morton's father Lewis/Louis was an attorney in 1850 in Natchez, Mississippi, with son Lewis Jr. and J. H. Haggin. Mrs. Haggin was Morton's other sister who donated the memorial to Morton in England. Everything Lloyd Tevis turned to gold (pardon their 1850 rush to California from Mississippi.) He was known as the foremost San Francisco attorney, went into mining, bought mines Black Hills of South Dakota, bought race horses which won, on and on.
Morton's brother was Edward Johnson Sanders, a Confederate Major in the Civil War. Previously, Edward was in William Walker's War in Nicaragua. His friend was Col. William K. Rogers (formerly William Kissane pardoned from “Sing-Sing” prison). Edward married Elizabeth (Hathaway) in February 1857 in Nicaragua. They returned with William Walker in his defeat that year. Edward and Elizabeth had two children: Ezra Prince, born June 18,1858, and Emma, born in 1860 Sacramento. Edward and Elizabeth divorced in 1861, and she married his friend Col. Rogers in 1864. Ezra married Helena Murphy whose father came to California on the first wagon train and was a State Senator and mayor of San Jose. Edward died on December 4, 1869, in New Orleans of heart disease. Elizabeth died in 1925, and Ezra in 1929.
He is buried in England.
Career
From the Naval History and Heritage Command:
Acting Midshipman, 20 September, 1859. Ensign, 25 November, 1862. Lieutenant, 22 February, 1864. Lieutenant Commander, 25 July, 1866. Commander, 11 April, 1877. Died 11 July, 1878.
Memorial Hall Error
Illness is not a criteria for inclusion in Memorial Hall.
Morton is one of 14 members of the Class of 1863 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
