Norton, Emerson M.

Farmer

Birth: January 28, 1862, Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio
Death: July 24, 1931, Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio
Burial: Vienna Township Cemetery, Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio
Find a Grave memorial

Published Biography

From Harriet Taylor Upton, A Twentieth Century History of Trumbull County, Ohio, A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, Its People, and Its Principal Interests (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Volume 2, pp. 256-257:

E. M. NORTON, who is so well known as an extensive agriculturist and stockman, is a native of that portion of Trumbull county known as Vienna township, born there January 28, 1862, a son of Merritt and Dicodymy (Cratsley) Norton. The father died in 1898 and the mother January 7, 1874.

E. M. Norton attended school at Tyrrell Hill, Vienna township, and there gained a fair common school education. He started out in life’s race, in 1882, with one hundred dollars which he had earned himself, together with twenty dollars more given him by his father. With this money he purchased the first horse he ever owned, and he expects to keep her as long as she lives. It was about 1884 when he, in company with his brother Luther and C. A. Pierson, leased a lot of land situated in the northeast part of Vienna township, on which they drilled for coal and were successful in striking a paying vein, which they leased to Evan Morris, of Youngstown. Mr. Norton then formed a partnership with S. W. Dray, in the lumber business, which continued for two years, when he engaged in farming. He purchased forty-seven acres of land where he now resides. Later he bought the interests of the heirs to the old homestead of ninety-five acres. This land he operates as a farm and ably conducts with resulting profit. He carries on general farming and uses the old home place as pasture land and meadow. In 1908 he added fifty-two acres to his home farm. He deals extensively in cattle, having on hand, at this writing, twenty fine “feeders” and some stock cattle.

Mr. Norton is a member of the Grange, and at present is its master, having been such since the organization, excepting two years. He is also very fond of game and hunting sports, and takes time each year to wend his way to the woods of Wisconsin, and also Michigan and West Virginia, where he hunts for big game. To date, 1908, he has succeeded in bringing down fifty-two deer. He also has the pelt of a very large prairie wolf, which he killed in 1906.

In his religious belief Mr. Norton is of the Methodist Episcopal faith, while in his political views he favors the principles of the Republican party. He has served as trustee of his township for six years; also has been a member of the school board.

November 20, 1890, Mr. Norton was happily united in marriage to Miss Cora B. Williams, who was born in Vienna township, August 31, 1879, a daughter of Sidney and Eliza (Hake) Williams. The father was born in Vienna township and the mother in Howland township. (See their sketch.) In the Williams family there were nine children, four of whom are living: Edson, residing in Ashtabula county, Ohio, a farmer; Lina, wife of C. Lamson, of the above county; Allie, of Tyrrell, Ohio, a construction foreman on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway; and Cora B. (Mrs. Norton). One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Norton, Anna May.