John Morton (naturalist)

John Morton (1671 – 1726) was an English clergyman and naturalist, known for his groundbreaking geological work in Northamptonshire.

Morton served as the Rector of Oxendon, Northamptonshire. He is best remembered for his book The Natural History of Northamptonshire; With Some Account of the Antiquities (1712). This work, while including antiquarian observations, is primarily a detailed geological survey of the region.

Morton’s Natural History meticulously documented the various strata of Northamptonshire, including descriptions of fossils found within them. He recognized that these fossils were the remains of once-living organisms, contributing to early paleontological understanding. He attempted to explain their presence within rocks through the biblical flood narrative, which was a common approach at the time. However, his careful observations and detailed descriptions of the fossils and strata were significant scientific contributions regardless of his theoretical framework.

Morton's work was highly regarded in his time and influenced later geologists and natural historians. His cataloging and classifying of fossils, even within the context of 18th-century scientific understanding, provided a valuable foundation for future study of paleontology and geology.