Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 473 - 474 

CHARLES A. NORTON, in 1880, came to Kansas and purchased a half-section of fine bottom land, near the confluence of Spring Creek with the Arkansas River, from which he has eliminated one of the finest homesteads in Rockford Township. Most of the land is enclosed, and among the attractive features is a fine orchard with apple and peach trees, while around the residence are the smaller fruit trees which yield the luxuries of the season for the use of the household. Adjacent to these is the beautiful residence, upon which much time and money have been expended, and the other farm buildings are fully in keeping with the requirements of the modern agriculturist and the gentleman of taste and means. Mr. Norton makes a specialty of fine stock, including cattle, mules and horses, from the proceeds of which he realizes annually a handsome income.

      Genesee County, N. Y., was the early tramping ground of our subject, and there his birth took place on the 18th of March, 1830. His parents; Charles and Amy (Knapp) Norton, were natives respectively of Vermont and Connecticut. Charles Norton, Sr., was born in 1789, was reared to farming pursuits, and when a young man engaged in the War of 1812, and witnessed the burning of the city of Buffalo by the British. He was in the battles of Lundy's Lane, Lexington and Plattsburg, and after the troubles of that period were over located in New York, later in Lawrence County, Ohio, where his death took place on the 6th of June, 1854.

      The mother of our subject was born in 1787, and survived her husband for a period of eighteen years, her death taking place in Clinton County, Mo., on the 8th of September, 1872. The children of the parental family were: William, Norman, Harvey, Almon, Alfred L., Polly, Amy, and Charles A., of our sketch. The latter is the only surviving member of the family. He completed his education in the academy at Albany, Ohio, and when twenty-one years of age was united in marriage with Miss Almira, daughter of Rev. William and Candace (Hyde) Holmes, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride, in Scioto County, Ohio, on the 9th of February, 1851. Mrs. Almira Norton was born Dec. 25, 1831, in Scioto County, Ohio. Her father for a period of twenty-five years officiated as a minister of the Baptist Church, not far from the place of his birth, which was in Scioto County, Ohio; he died in 1876, in Ross County, same State. The mother was a native of Canada, and passed away several years before the decease of her husband, her death taking place in Scioto County, Ohio, in the spring of 1852.

      Mr. and Mrs. Norton, in 1853, left their home in Ohio, and located on a farm near St. Joseph, Mo., where Mr. N. tilled the soil until the spring of 1880, which witnessed his arrival in this county. In the meantime he had given eighteen months to the service of his country, having enlisted in the 12th Missouri Regiment in October, 1861. He was promoted to Corporal, and met the enemy in battle near Camden Point and Rochester, Mo., the regiment being under command of Col. O. G. McDonald. He escaped without injury, and returning home, resumed his farming operations, in which he has since been more than ordinarily successful. He is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, and officiated as Treasurer during the organization of Rockford Township, besides serving as School Director in his district the greater part of the time since his residence here. He and his excellent wife are both members of the Missionary Baptist Church, in which Mr. Norton holds the offices of Trustee and Treasurer.

      Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Norton the record is as follows: Candace was born May 31, 1855, and became the wife of Charles F. Chamberlain, a native of Maine; he died in 1883, and she was a second time married, to F. B. Whittemore. Jennie, born Aug. 15, 1857, is the wife of A. M. Hunt, a native of Kentucky, and they are now residents of Rockford Township; Charles W. was born Sept. 18, 1859, married Miss Fannie Law, and is now engaged at farming in Sedgwick County, this State; Amy was born April 2, 1861; Harvey, March 22, 1863; Lida, born Nov. 12, 1866, married A. F. Best, and they are living in Rockford Township; Annette was born Feb. 12, 1869; Mattie, July 27, 1871, and Guy L., Jan. 1, 1879. Those unmarried are living with their parents.

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