S. D. Norton
S. D. Norton, attorney, Ravenna. The name Norton, a contraction of North-town or North-ville, is of English origin. It is properly Norville, and the first known to bear it in this country were two brothers, Richard and Thomas, the former landing in America in 1620, the latter in 1635; one settling in Massachusetts, the other at Martha's Vineyard. The great-grandfather of our subject, Bethuel, was an explorer, employed by the British Government. He served in the French-English and the Revolutionary wars, and was one of the soldiers who scaled the Heights of Abraham. Our subject was born in Springfield, Summit Co., Ohio, in 1825; son of Thuel and Harriet (Harrington) Norton, the former of whom, with his father, Peter, immigrated to this State in 1807, and settled in Summit County, thence removing to Hiram Township, this county, in 1832, where he died. He was a carpenter by trade, and raised a family of nine children, eight of whom are living. Our subject was reared on a farm and learned the blacksmith trade, which he abandoned for the law, the study of which he pursued after having received a common school education, and was associated with Charles W. O'Neil, one of the best lawyers of the State, his practice being largely in Allen and Hancock Counties. He located in Garrettsville in 1858, and five years later removed to Ravenna, where he has since resided. He was married, in 1845, to Miss Maria Wetherell, a native of New York, and they are the parents of the following children: Adelaide, wife of George Nichols; Julia M., wife of S. R. Poe; Lilia, wife of N. P. Catlin; and Emma. He has served two terms as Mayor of Ravenna; is at present Justice of the Peace; has been twice run for Probate Judge and came near being elected, though his party is largely in the minority, and is a man well known and highly respected.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885