Morton McMichael

Who was Morton McMichael?

Morton McMichael was mayor of Philadelphia from 1866-1869 and a prominent newspaper publisher.

Born in New Jersey to John and Hannah McMichael, he moved to Philadelphia while still young. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, and then read law and was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1827.

Michael became involved in the newspaper field starting in 1826, when he became an editor of The Saturday Evening Post. From 1831 to 1836 he was editor-in-chief of the Saturday Courier. In 1836 he founded the Saturday News, and published the Saturday Gazette with Joseph C. Neal from 1844 to 1847. At the outset of 1847, he became a publisher of The North American, which could claim as a successor to the Pennsylvania Packet to be the oldest daily newspaper in the United States. The paper became a prominent publication under McMichael, who became sole publisher in 1854 until his death in 1879, though his sons took over active operations in his final years.

In public service, McMichael served as sheriff of Philadelphia County from 1843–46, Mayor from 1866–69 and as president of the Fairmount Park Commission from 1867 until his death.