ALFRED R. ORTON, Surveyor of White County, was born in Perry County, Ohio, November 5, 1833, and is one of two surviving children of a family of three born to John B. and Matilda (Reynolds) Orton, who were natives of Vermont and Pennsylvania respectively, and of English origin. John B. Orton followed the calling of an attorney throughout his entire career; and while a resident of Perry County, Ohio, was called upon to represent his county in the State Legislature two terms. He died in 1 844, and the year following Mrs. Orton and remainder of the family came to White County, settling in Union Township. This has since been the home of the Ortons, and here Mrs. Orton died in July, 1879. Besides a close attendance on the common schools, Alfred R. Orton received the benefits of a three-years' course in Wabash College, after which, for a time, be contracted and executed Government surveying in the West. For the past twenty- three years, he has been chiefly engaged in -merchandising in-Monticello, but in 1880 be received the appointment of County Surveyor, to fill an unexpired term. In 1882, lie was the Republican nominee for that position, and, strange to say, he was the only one of his party elected. The marriage of Alfred R. Orton and Miss Addie C. Parker, of Bedford, Ind., was solemnized December 27, 1859, and to this union three children have been born-Ora, Julius and Emma, deceased. The parents are members of the Presbyterian Church of Monticello.

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