One of the first people I ever met in Rangeley, and now a long-term client, James Eastlack of Morton & Furbish (M&F) Real Estate, recently gave me an advertisement that quietly mentioned a fifty-year anniversary. I offered my congratulations on being a part of such a successful enterprise and started asking questions. He sent me to his father-in-law Scott Morton. I asked Scott how these past few decades went. “Oh my god, the older you get, the faster it goes!” This is the beginning of how I came to hear a nice story of not just one family business but more like three.  

It all started with Scott’s father, Ben (Hazen) Morton. Just a little bit here about Ben Morton for those who did not have the pleasure of knowing him. I did not know him well myself, but from what I do know, he was always an extremely hard worker and if you know any of his family, it seems to run in the genes.  

My first inclination of his strong work ethic was when I found out that throughout high school Ben worked at Melville Nile Dairy Farm and after graduation he continued to work while at night loading pulp trucks by hand. He worked and saved to start his own business, “Morton’s Market” in Oquossoc when he was in his early twenties. Like many, he put his business on hold to join the army in 1942 where he was an anti-aircraft gunner and received seven battle stars for service. When he returned from his service in World War II, he went back to working the market in the summer months and the rest of the time he worked with his brother Donald (Bart) C. Morton, (also known as D.C. Morton) at Morton Brothers Logging. Over the years he acquired some lake rental properties and in the early fifties he and his wife Norma (Huntoon) Morton, sold the other businesses and started the Town & Lake Motel, which is now run by his youngest son Joey Morton and his wife Sheryl. With a good sense for business and appreciation for land, he started the Morton Agency in 1971.  

Then, in the mid-seventies, (and Ben in his late fifties), he sold Morton Insurance Agency to his eldest son, Scott Morton (who had worked with him for years), and his wife Nancy. At the same time, Scott and Nancy purchased the H. A. Furbish Company from Henry (Don) Beal. They merged the two businesses together to form the Morton & Furbish Insurance & Real Estate Agency.  

Almost thirty years later, Curt Haley, a long-term employee wound up taking over the insurance portion of the business in the late nineties just around the same time Morton & Furbish Rental Agency was added. “I just didn’t have time to do the real estate and insurance. Back in those days I only had one other salesperson working for me. Just didn’t have enough time in the day.” said Scott. With the additional revenue Scott and Nancy were able to acquire the additional businesses of Mountain View Agency Real Estate from Steve and Joanne Bean and the rental agency from Robert and Fran Griscomb.  

It was during this period that their oldest daughter Beth Eastlack was able to run the rental business, and her husband, James Eastlack came to work in the real estate portion of the business. Ten years later Beth and Jamie came to purchasing the Morton & Furbish Real Estate & Rental Agency. 

Meanwhile, one of their other three daughters, Kelly Stokes, and her husband Brad Stokes, not only purchased the Morton & Furbish Insurance Agency just last year in 2020 but in 2003 purchased and ran Oquossoc Grocery (affectionately called “OG”) which was the original business venture- you guessed it, Morton’s Market.  

Weathering the difficulties of a business has meant long hours and dedication, but it has not been simply hard work that has been integral to the family’s success. Nancy and Scott were quick to mention that they have had the good fortune to surround themselves with a great staff. Some of those to name a few that are still there today are Melissa Bean who started working in Morton & Furbish Insurance when she was in high school, Margie Jamison who has been selling properties for M&F for over 35 years, and Carolyn Smith for who has been selling for M&F for over 20 years. They even had the pleasure of having their third daughter, Allison Morton Roeder, (who is currently raising her family in Brentwood, NH), work on the real estate side of the business back in 2002 at which time she became one of the top producers.  

Speaking of great staff members, this year I noticed some new nameplates at the office. Lauren Eastlack, a college student majoring in business and Emily Eastlack, a rising senior of Rangeley Lakes Regional School, daughters of Beth and James, are now also working there when they are not in school. That makes four generations!  

This brings us back to present day and a worthwhile and well-deserved celebration of fifty years of open for business. I asked Scott how it felt to have his family working the businesses. “It’s fantastic, especially since they’ve taken over and then grown. They keep growing it. There’s a lot of families that you pass things down and it doesn’t work. They’ve been very successful, and they’ve done a good job. It’s been great. Nancy and I are both very fortunate to have two families living right here in this small town and the grandchildren all around- that’s fortunate also.” I mentioned to Scott that as a previous employee to several of the businesses (M&F Rentals taking photos, and then later very briefly as a sales agent, lol) I witnessed firsthand not only the hard work, but the family’s sense of teamwork. I gave him the example of last summer when I worked at Oquossoc Grocery and I noticed that even when Allison was visiting, she and her children would come and help her sister Kelly. Coincidentally, Scott told me that Allison was currently visiting, “She is up here right now, Colin (her son) is helping to make sandwiches and was stocking shelves yesterday. Everybody chips in and helps a great deal.” Scott further explained, “The kids grew up working all the time, Allison, Kelly and Beth when they were young, and they’re passing that work ethic on to their children also.” He added, “And they also realize we work in a resort area and it’s seven days a week. If you are going to take time off, you take a day off mid-week, not weekends. And they understand, living in a resort area that is just what you have to do. And they’ve done a great job.” 

Of late, Scott stills offers advice, is the go-to fix-it guy for many of the properties when needed and manages to find time for favorite past times such as golf and boating with his beautiful, beloved, and very hard-working wife Nancy. Nancy herself is frequently found at the office where she keeps a desk and happily helps in both the real estate and rental sides of the agency. It is no wonder why. She is surrounded by long term friends, family and I almost forgot to mention some really cute pups!  

I asked a longtime member of the staff what it is like to have the latest generation to work there over the summer and they said they made sure to put them right up front. “If the girls don’t manage to make people who come in smile, the little pups are sure to!” laughed Sara Eustis. Sounds like great business sense to me!  

To all the hard-working staff of Morton & Furbish Real Estate & Rentals, Morton & Furbish Insurance, and Oquossoc Grocery, I hope you are able to take time some time off to enjoy what is sure to be another beautiful, memory-filled Rangeley summer. You deserve it.