#52Ancestors - AT THE COURTHOUSE - Travel Not Required

Researching at an archive like a courthouse is supposedly a mark of a "true" genealogist.  But I've always been too intimidated to give it a try.  Or maybe it just seems overwhelming.  Every time I visit my husband's family cottage in western New York I mean to spend time in the Geneseo County courthouse.  Maybe next year?

In the meantime, I have found courthouse records online - through Ancestry.com.  So I am able to turn the pages of those legal tomes without having to leave the comfort of my own home!  PJs optional - though definitely preferred.

While searching for the will of Phil's 2nd GGF, Asahel Norton, I found the will of his wife Sarah Stedman.  It was recorded on 11 September 1876, ten days after her death.  It lists three daughters by name and one son.  Interestingly, it does not list her husband (still living).  It does provide that anything left after caring for these three women plus other debts should be distributed to "any children not herein before named" to be divided "share and share alike".   As the mother of 12 children (I'm not sure how many were still alive), I would think she might know that could be problematic!

So as always, any new genealogical find raises more questions - where is her husband & where is his will?  what were her assets?  why do three daughters get special mention?

I'm just happy I can do more research from the comfort of my home!

52 Ancestors #21: Selah Stedman, military man (and a picture of our Veteran's Day baby!)

Changing focus this week in preparation for Veteran's Day, I am impressed by how many members of our family have served in the United States armed services.  Both my parents, Jean Hammon and Robert Brooks, and Phil's father, Clint Norton, served during the 1940s and 50s.  But our family fought for this country before it was even a country!

It seems that for Phil he has Revolutionary War ancestors on both his mother's and father's side.  I haven't even had the time to comb through my family for this kind of information though I know my cousin, Virginia, joined the DAR through one of my mother's ancestors.  In this post, I will focus on the man I have the most Revolutionary information about:

Selah Stedman

Selah is Phil's 4th great-grandfather.  His son, Eli Stedman, had a daughter named Sarah or Sally. She married the first Asahel Norton sometime before 1828.  It is through the 9th of their 12 children, Asahel Wellington, that we are descended.

Selah was born in Connecticut in 1762. He served in the war for 3 years from 1777 to 1780. There are many pages of muster rolls containing his service record and I haven't had a chance to go through them all.  Here's a copy of one from August 1777, where he is listed as "Zealous" Stedman.  His enlistment is for 3 years and it began in May of that year.  He is a Private in Captain Samuel Barker's Company of the Connecticut Regiment of Foot. Remember he is only about 15 years old at this time!

By 1779 he was still a Private but was now serving in Major Eli Levenworth's Company in the 6th Battalion Connecticut Forces.  His pay is meager, approximately 2 pounds per month.  There is also a subsistence amount of 3 pounds.  I'm not sure what that means.  There are many of these cards in Fold3, a website devoted to military records.  I followed them month by month and he was a very regular soldier. Amazing dedication for a young man, now only 17 years old.

There is an extensive pension file from 1832, available on Ancestry.com.  For reasons I can't quite figure out, his original application for a pension was returned and he had to offer additional testimony.  Here is a copy of the affidavit sworn on 27 September 1832 which I will try to transcribe.

       

State of New York

County of Livingston.  On this twenty seventh day of September 1832 personally appeared before the county courts of Livingston County aforesaid Selah Stedman a resident of the town of Livonia in the county of Livingston.  Aforesaid aged seventy years who first being duly sown according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed at the 7th June 1832 - That he enlisted in the army of the United States on the 7th day of May in the year 1777 and served in the Regiment commanded by Lieutenant Jonathan Meigs in a Brigade commanded by General Person after Connecticut ___?___ in a company commanded by Captain Samuel Backer - Enlisted for three years and served until the 27th day of April 1780 on which day he was discharged - That he resided at the time he enlisted as aforesaid in the town of Wolingsford, County of New Haven and State of Connecticut - was born in the year 1762 - - That in the year 1777 was at Peckskill in the state of new York and in an alarm marched with his regiment into New Jersey as far as Quibble Town and joined the army with General Washington at the time of the Battle of Scotch Plains.  After the battle marched back to Peckskill and from there to White Plains to watch the enemy and convoy(?) the refugees and cow boys(?). Went into Winter Quarters at Fishkill and had the small pox - had a furlough and went home and in the month of March 1778 joined the army at Robinson ____?___ two miles below West Point on the east side of the North River where the Brigade remained the forefront of the summer then marched to White Plains and there stayed (p 1 ends)

until time to go into Winter Quarters and for that purpose marched into the state of Connecticut and then continued until the spring of 1779 - and marched back to the  Robinson Fords(?) near the North River at which place the regiment continued during the summer of 1779 until time to repair to Winter Quarters and for that purpose marched to Morristown in New Jersey and there continued until the spring of 1780 and from there marched to a town called West??? in New Jersey and was discharged by Col. Meigs on the day above named (to wit) the 27 day of April 1780, discharge lost.

I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any state.

                                           (Signed by Selah  Stedman)

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion that the aforenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states.

This must have worked because Selah and then his widow did receive a pension.  It will be fun to re-read Revolutionary War history and look for these places. I'm not sure I got all the town's correct but they should be identifiable in the records of his regiment.

The good news is we know that Selah survived the war, even surviving smallpox!  By 1783, Selah - now only 21 - was married to Mary Hall.  At some point, following a common migration route, they moved to upstate New York,  The History of Livingston County shows that in 1813 he and Mary were founding members of the First Presbyterian Church of Livonia, New York church.  And that is where he lived until his death on 30 August 1844 at the age of 71.

I love that Selah lived near New Haven Ct where both Jessi and I went to school.  Also that his name comes from the biblical term - Selah  - used 71 times in the book of Psalms.  The meaning is uncertain but it appears to be a direction to musicians to "strike up".  And what a musical family Selah helped found!

I will let Selah - a man who served as a young boy and saw General Washington -sign this record for himself -

On a much lighter note, I want to close with happy birthday greetings to our own Eve G Norton Hanna, born on 11/11 and who did her (sometimes militant) service with the Veteran's Administration.  When you're with Eve, it's always a party!

52 Ancestors #18: Luther Norton, the missing link

I have continued my climb up the Norton side of the family tree.  I thought this would lead to a long trail of Asahels as I mentioned in my post about Asahel Wellington Norton.  So I was excited to prepare for my trip to the Allen County Public Library last month.  In doing so, I reviewed some research I had done last summer in Livingston County.  There were letters at the historian's office from a David Kendall Martin written in 1979.  He seemed to have an interest in and knowledge of the Norton family.  But could I find him after 35 years?

Amazingly enough a Google search turned up his name on a genealogy website with an email address.  There was no date but it was worth a try.  I sent an email on Friday and had an answer the next day!  He sent me information adding 5 generations to the family and introducing me to

Luther Norton

Rosemary Norton at the grave of her 4th great-grandfather
Luther Norton

Luther was a name that was familiar to me from census records and I had assumed it was an uncle of Asahel, father of Asahel Wellington.  But instead it is his father.  In essence, Luther is the father, brother and son of an Asahel Norton!  No wonder I was confused.

So here is how it looks:

Asahel Norton

(1735-1790)

|

Luther Norton

(1780-1848)

|

Asahel Norton

(1806-1877)

|

Asahel Wellington Norton

(1845-1927)

|

William Wellington Norton

(1881-1960)

I was able to trace the first Asahel back to John Norton, born 1634 in Bedfordshire, England.  This John emigrated to the colonies and died in Connecticut in 1704.  It was exciting to finally "cross the pond".

Luther was born in Saratoga, New York where his family (including uncles) had moved from Connecticut sometimes between 1770 and 1776, as the Revolutionary War was starting.  When the English came to  Saratoga under General  Burgoyne, his uncle fought and died serving the crown.  But Luther's father, Asahel, seemed to have stayed out of the combat.  This Asahel died in New York around 1790.

Luther can then be traced to Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, where he settled on land that was being "colonized" by a group from Connecticut.  This group was originally formed with his grandfather, Samuel, as a founding member.  But the Pennsylvanians were not too happy to think that Connecticut was encroaching on its territory.  When the war ended, the Norton family was driven off its land and moved to Livingston County, New York.  There they remained until Asahel Wellington left the state for work in the 1890s.

Luther is buried in Livonia, Livingston, New York and I was recently able to visit.  It is a tiny cemetery right off county road 15.  Unfortunately, his gravestone is completely worn off - only a quote remains on the top, and even that was mostly illegible.  Buried next to him is his wife and a son, Luther A.  It was exciting to find the site but sad to realize that time had eroded so much history.

52 Ancestors: #17 Capturing Four Generations

I've heard it said that we can only remember two generations back - our parents and our grandparents.  So it is always exciting when we can get four generations together and document it in a photo.  Of course, the youngest generation is usually an infant when the photo takes place.

So we were excited earlier this year to take a 4 generation of the Hammon-Brooks-Norton-Cox family.  I've uncovered another 4 generation photo here at Silver Lake New York just hanging on the refrigerator.  So to honor these events I am posting the three different 4-gen photos in my data base.  

Here's my newest discovery:

#1

Hackett-Palmer-Norton

The very tiny man in the middle of this photo is James Nelson Hackett, affectionately known as Grandpa Hackett. I wrote about him here.  This picture was taken at Butler PA on Easter Sunday, April 1968 at the home of his daughter, Gladys Dorothy Hackett Palmer.  Grandpa Hackett died the next year in April of 1969.

Gladys is the small woman next to him and they are both standing in front of her very tall husband, Nelson Pattison Palmer.  To Nelson's right is his son-in-law, Clinton Edward Norton, and his daughter, Doris Jennie Palmer Norton.  Nelson and Gladys' youngest daughter, Dianne Kay Palmer Wetjen is on their left (and her husband Alan Wetjen is probably taking the photo).  

The three adorable children are Eve, Phillip Nelson and Chris Norton.  It's so cool that this time the youngest generation is old enough to remember their great-grandfather.  Here's how it looks in a chart:

                                                 James Nelson Hackett

                                                                  |

                                                 Gladys Hackett Palmer

                                                                  |

                                                 Doris Palmer Norton

                                                                  |

                                                Eve, Phil & Chris Norton

#2

Here is a picture from my side of the family (which I published previously here):

Spangler-Nifong-Autry-Brooks

Here is the family tree tracing the women from left to right.

Rebecca Jane Spangler Nifong

     |

Mary Esther Nifong Autry

       |

Ruth Autry Brooks

         |

Walter Allen Brooks (my father's brother)

#3

Hammon/Brooks-Norton-Cox

And finally here is the newest four generation photo, taken this past Mother's Day 2014:

And in case you can't remember these faces I'll give the tree.

Jean Hammon & Robert Autry Brooks

|

Janet Esther Brooks (Norton)

|

Danielle Helen Norton Cox

|

Chloe Rose Cox

52 Ancestors: #16 Doris Jennie Palmer Norton - Happy (Belated) Birthday!

Doris Jennie Palmer Norton

 

          

Doris mid-1930s

Silver Lake 2009

Doris Jennie Palmer was born on 17 June 1929 in Olean, New York while her parents were visiting her maternal grandparents, the Hacketts.  She was the first child of her parents, Nelson Pattison Palmer and Gladys Dorothy Hackett. Doris grew up in Butler, Pennsylvania where her father taught Physics at Butler High School.  Here is an excerpt from a biography she started about her early life.  I love the little details about sneaking out of church and finding her classes boring!

As I grew up, I learned to do my homework faithfully (being careful not to neglect my Physics homework), practice piano every day, and go to the Methodist Church on Sunday.  All of these tasks were reasonably pleasurable, but being a normal kid, I usually complained about homework and practicing. The Methodist church was easy to like because I had  fine girl friends and a really nice Sunday School teacher (the wife of our Pennsylvania Senator).  I admit that sometimes my girlfriends and I would sit in the balcony during church then sneak out and get a coke at the nearby drugstore. Actually, my experience at the Methodist church for 10 years while I was growing up was probably my reason for seeking churches in the cities where I lived when I left Butler.

Graduating from Butler High School expanded my ego because I was Valedictorian.  Later, I found out that college was full of valedictorians and most of them were a lot smarter than I was. My college of choice was the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, NY.  As a piano major I was required to practice 4 hours a day.  This was an experience in discipline; and my teacher was very encouraging. However, at the end of my first year, I decided to do a double major in piano and business administration so that I would have more job opportunities. Quite honestly, I didn't know how boring the business courses would be.  Then, I met The Boyfriend, Clint Norton, who liked all my courses better than I did so he helped me with my business administration homework. I learned that Clint was a theory /flute major but was interested in performing arts management as a career. Clint and I soon discovered that we liked each other well enough to get married, so I accelerated my studies and completed my BA in Piano and Business Administration in January and we got married in March.

The marriage was 11 March 1951 in Butler.  This wedding photo shows Clint Norton with his father William Wellington Norton.  Doris' maid of honor was Jeanne Moore.

Wedding of Clinton Norton and Doris Palmer

I love this story of their first apartment and the life of a newlywed.

April, 1,1951.  Here we are, Clint Norton and Doris Norton, who was yesterday Doris Palmer, now Mrs. Norton.  We are now on our way from Butler, PA to Rochester, NY.  Collectively, Doris and Clint have a cloudy youthfully optimistic view of their future together but they are young enough not to be worried about that far away sometimes ominous philosophy called “the future”.

             Being borderline penniless, we were on the look for a free lunch, as well as family nourishment, so we stopped in Smethport, PA, to see Aunt Virginia and Uncle Leo (my mother’s brother), for lunch. Then, we moved on to Perry, NY.  We found a free sleepover and dinner at the Hedwig Highway House where I had been a waitress during our summer at Silver Lake, NY. You might think that we had no plan.  Not true.  Both of us had found jobs in Rochester after graduation, before our wedding so we were on our way back to the city where we went to college, The University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music.  Clint’s job was Assistant Manager of the Riviera Movie Theatre.  My job was nebulously defined—something in the office of Taylor Instruments (maker of thermometers).  The “something” turned out to be deadly boring.  Clint wasn't exactly thrilled with movies and box office every night.  But then there was our cute little furnished apartment where we could relax—as long as we didn't stretch out too far.  The bathroom was neon pink so no nite-lite was needed; the bedroom was mostly taken up by the mattress.  The kitchen and living room were the same.  Next to the breakfast table was an old upright piano.  For lounging we sat on the back porch and talked to the neighbors’ whose back porches were connected to ours.  

The Nortons lived a peripatetic lifestyle.  Fortunately, Doris has compiled a list of where they lived and why.

5. Duxbury, MA 1951 summer theater

6. Hopewell, VA 1951 Dad music store; Mom teaches 3rd grade; Mom writes copy station WHAP

7. Olean, NY 1953 Dad at paper company; Eve born

8. Wichita Falls, TX 1956  Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra

9. Columbus OH 1957 Phil born; Dad managing Symphony

10. San Antonio 1959 Mom teaches K-6 music; Dad manages Symphony; Chris born

11. Baltimore, MD 1963 Dad manages Symphony; Mom teaches at Peabody Prep school for Music (piano)

12. San Antonio 1965 Mom teaches K-6 music; Dad sells Real Estate

13. Fredonia, NY 1966 Mom gets her Masters Degree in Organ from SUNY-Fredonia; Dad works at SUNY-Fredonia in Arts Management (Rockefeller Performing Arts Center)

14. Akron, OH 1970 Mom gets Ph.D. from Kent State; Mom teaches at University of Akron and Walsh College (Private college in Canton, OH); she also takes on some private piano students; Dad works managing the EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall

15.Austin, TX 1979 Mom was instructor in class piano at UT; p/t clerk at Foley's department store when she first got there;  Dad worked at UT Performing Arts Center and then retired to take on position at International Society of Performing Arts (ISPA) as Executive Director; Mom was the Administrative Director of ISPA and ran the conferences throughout the world. 

16. Nashville 2011 (December) Mom moves to Blakeford.

As you can see, Doris continued to add to her professional and academic credentials despite all the moves. She also added three children -Eve, Phillip and Christopher - who kept her busy with their own musical, athletic and scholastic pursuits. She and Clint were married for almost 57 years before his death in February 2008.  Here are some great family photos (though I am glad we have left the 70s behind us!)

Last week, Doris celebrated her 85th birthday!  She continues to play the piano several hours each day, takes a daily walk at the nearby mall and loves attending the movies.  She also keeps up on all the antics of her 8 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.  Happy Belated Birthday!

52 Ancestors #15: Asahel Wellington Norton - What's In A Name?

In my return to genealogy research I am trying to be more methodical.  I am working my way up my husband's paternal line from father to father.  So I guess that it is fitting for my Father's Day post.

The name Asahel appears to have entered the Norton family by the late 1700s through a man I believe was the father of an Asahel Norton born in 1806 in Pennsylvania.  This Asahel is my husband's 2nd great grandfather.  His son and namesake was born in 1845 as

Asahel Wellington Norton

In following the trail of Asahel W's life, it was interesting to see how many different ways the name Asahel was recorded.  Here's how it looked on a variety of documents:

                   1850 US Census - Asahel W, age 5

                   1855 NY Census - Asael W, age 9

                   1860 US Census - Wellington, age 15

                   1870 US Census - Norton, Wm A, age 24

                   1873 US Passport - Asa Wellington Norton though he signed the form A. Wellington Norton

                   1880 US Census -  A. W. Norton, age 35

                   1892 NY Census - Albert W. Norton, age 46

                   1900 US Census - A. W. Norton, age 55

                   1910 US Census - Wellington A Norton, age 64

                   1920 US Census - Asahel W Norton, age 74

Asahel died in 1927.  For years, the family only knew of him as A.W. and didn't know what those initials actually meant. But due to his association with the University of Rochester, we were able to get more details. Here is a snapshot of a listing from the University's directory:

I have never found a picture of any of these Asahels though I hope to do so someday.  I did find an interesting description of A. W. Norton in his 1873 passport application.  At the age of 28, Asahel W is described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall with a high forehead, brown eyes and a prominent nose.  His mouth as of medium size a regular tilt.  His chin was full on a square, rather angular face.  He had dark brown hair and  a rather dark complexion.  The most fascinating detail is that his right leg is about four inches shorter than his left.  I can't quite read it correctly but I believe the note is that his right leg is lame.  Still, Asahel went to Europe that summer, returning on 13 August aboard the S.S. California from Glasgow Scotland.  A few months later he married Martha Sampson, a young woman he met while boarding with her family as a teacher.

The name Asahel did not continue to the next generation.  But the middle name Wellington did - it was given to A. W.'s son, William Wellington, who I wrote about here.  I would conjecture that the name Wellington came from the very popular Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in the first half of the 1800s.  Now my job is to see how many generations back I can take the name.  Is it only 3 generations or are there more?!?

52 Ancestors #14: Mary A Norton - and how I got caught down the wrong tree

After a long hiatus, it's hard to get started again with blogging.  I had meant to write every Sunday about someone with someone who was born that month.  I got caught up in needing pictures, more information, etc.  ENOUGH ALREADY.  I need to just write about what I have to write about.  So here's my problem this week.

Mary A Norton

born around 1838

All I really knew about Mary A Norton came from the 1850 census of Groveland, Livingston, New York where she is listed in the household of Asahel and Sally Norton.  The record shows Mary A, age 12, female, born in New York.  And there it stops.  All we know is that she was probably born in 1838 in New York, most likely as a child of these two adults.  Interestingly, there is another Mary A listed as the wife of Calvin Norton, Asahel's brother, living next door!

Of course, that didn't keep the shaky leaves from popping up on my Ancestry tree.  And I followed them right down to a Mary Ann Norton of Wilkes-Barre, PA.  For some reason, I thought these two were one and the same.  I think it was on of those late nights and I kept right-clicking, saving and moving on.  I found a husband for Mary Ann, children, a death date etc.  It was a gold mine. But all along I felt uneasy.  This Mary Norton was shown as being born in PA not NY.  Of course, I'd seen that kind of thing before and also knew that the boundary between the two states was often crossed by the Norton family (Asahel was born in PA for example).  

I even put all this information on Family Search thinking I had found a new family.  Fortunately someone caught the error and pointed out the differences.  Now I am spending my Sunday going back and unlinking all these people who should never have been connected in the first place.

Where did my Mary A go?  I'm not sure.  There is a 20 year old Mary A Norton listed in the 1860 census as a teacher - though not a child - with the John B Norton family of Hartford, Washington, New York.  This would date her birth year to 1840.  Is this an uncle?  Hartford is a long way east of Groveland, but it could be possible if she was seeking employment.

Another family history mystery to solve with a lot of erroneous information created by ME that still need to be cleaned up!

52 Ancestors #9: Whittleseys Born in March - But Maybe Not Related!

As I was searching for Norton ancestors born in March, I was happy to find not one but two Whittlesey siblings with March birthdays.  According to the records I have, my husband is related to the Connecticut Whittleseys.  This is a distinguished family with a lot of research ready for me to include.

Here's what I know:
Phil's grandfather, William Wellington Norton, is the son of Asahel Wellington Norton and Martha Sampson. Martha was born in Elmira, New York to Joseph and Azuba Sampson.

Here's what I thought was true:
Azuba Sampson was born Azuba Shipman Whittlesey in the year 1827 in New York.  It is the two siblings of this Azuba who were born in March; Susan in 1824 and Elias 1828.  And that's where things fell apart.

As I looked at details of Azuba Shipman Whittlesey's life I saw links to a baptism record in Saybrook, Connecticut in 4 July 1819.  This was followed by a marriage record, also in Saybrook Connecticut, to a James Hildreth on 1 August 1837.  But my Azuba Sampson would only have been 10.

What to think?!?  Obviously there are two Azubas.  From census records of Azuba Sampson (who is sometimes called Zuba or even Aguba), 1827 is repeatedly the birth year.  Also, the same records consistently indicate she was born in New York.  However, she does show the middle initial W and has parents born in New York.  In fact,  the 1850 census lists a 10 year old named William Whittlesy (different spelling).

I am now fairly sure that our Azuba is NOT the Azuba Shipman Whittlesey we have so long thought to be ours.  So no birthday posting about her siblings and LOTS more research to do.

But I don't want to leave this Norton  birthday week without a shout out to the incomparable

Emily Grace Norton

Artist, humanitarian, and world traveler - Happy 24th Birthday this March!

52 Ancestors: #5 Four Generations (Almost) of February Nortons

While it was hard to find January birthdays in our family tree, February is another story.  This week we have three of four generations born within a day of each other!

It all started with

William Wellington Norton

William Wellington Norton was born 16 February 1881 in Elmira, New York.  He is the paternal grandfather of my husband, Phil.  He taught in schools in New York before moving west.  I found record of him both at the University of Nebraska (1898) and thence to Minneapolis where he attended the University of Minnesota.  While there he directed a Chatutauqua Orchestra and Band that traveled throughout the midwest.  This picture is taken from a flyer, dated 1909, I found in the University of Iowa archives,  It says that he directed the University of Minnesota Glee Club for three seasons.  Praise is recorded from Kansas to South Dakota.  He certainly got around!

While in Minnesota, he must have met his wife, Jennie Belle Lewis, whom he married in 1915. I have blogged both about the wedding here and Jennie Belle here.  According to his obituary in the Phi Kappa Psi journals, he moved to Flint in 1921, teaching and conducting until his retirement in 1948.  During the summer months he taught music at the national music camp at Interlochen, Michigan.

After Jennie Belle Lewis' death in 1944, W.W. remarried and moved to California around 1948.  He died in Stockton CA on 24 October 1960.  Here is a later in life photo of Dr William Wellington Norton.

While residing in Flint, William and Jennie Belle had five children.  The youngest of these, Clinton Edward Norton, was born on his father's 42nd birthday, February 16, 1923!  Clint is my husband's father and inherited Daddo's (their nickname for William) musical talents. I love this photo of Clint.  I think he must be 8 to 10 years old.

World War II broke out while Clint was still a young man and he served in the Air Corps of the US Army (there was no Air Force at that time).  It was during his service that his mother passed and he flew a plane up to Flint to attend the funeral.  Here's another great photo of Clint. Don't you love a man in uniform?

Like his father, Clint was well educated (a Norton tradition!) choosing the University of Rochester.  I find it interesting that he returned to the New York area.  Clint's grandfather, Asahel Wellington Norton, has a degree from the University of Rochester.  Clint also used his schooling to find a wife as he met Doris Jennie Palmer at Rochester.  They married in 1951.  Clint's work as an administrator of performing arts centers took them all over, including stops in Fredonia, New York, Akron, Ohio and Austin TX.  He died in Austin on 9 February 2008, just a week shy of his 85th birthday.

The next generation of Nortons just missed having a February birthday by less than 24 hours.  Clint's youngest son, Christopher Scott Norton, was born on January 31st.  I guess my brother-in-law, Chris, just couldn't wait for the new month.  He did inherit the family musical talents and also attended the University of Rochester, studying at the Eastman School of Music. Like his father, he, too, found a bride at the university.  Chris and Leslie Boggs Norton married in 1983 and have two beautiful daughters. Chris is a professor of music and the director of percussion studies at Belmont University in Nashville TN. He has traveled even more extensively than his grandfather, W.W., both performing and directing. See if you spot the family resemblance.

After (barely) skipping a generation, another February Norton appeared.  Phillip Robert Norton, my son and William's great-grandson, was born on February 19 - a

three days after William's and Clint's birthdays (Thanks, Phillip, for correcting me). Though he does not get paid for his musical talents, we enjoy his spontaneous lyrics and his skill on Rock Band!  Phil graduated from National Louis University with a degree in information systems. He works as a systems analyst and is the best big brother that four younger sisters could want.  I think the Norton look continues with him.

Happy Birthday to all these amazing Norton Men!

Who is the REAL George W. Hackett?

I was excited to find an obituary and gravesite for George W Hackett, Phil's 2nd great-grandfather.  Now I have birth and death dates!  The Hackett family were solid Pennsylvania citizens spending decades in McKean County.  George was born and died there.  His son James (Phil's great-grandfather) was born in McKean County and died nearby in Potter County.  And so it goes.  So it should be simple to find his George's parents, right?  WRONG!!

There are many trees on Ancestry that point to a James Hackett as the father of our George (also known as George W).  James appears in the 1870 as James Hacket (one t) with a son named George.  But this George is listed as being 10 years old.  Our George was born in 1852 (per his gravestone and his obituary) which would make him 18 in 1870.  Yet all the other particulars check out, especially that they are living in Keating, McKean County, PA.  Looking at other 1870 census records, we find numerous George Hackett/Hackets born in the 1850s in Pennsylvania - much closer in age to our George.  But none of them living in McKean County.

So what to do?  Looking at the original image of the 1870 census helps.  Here George, son of James, is listed before a younger son, named Judson.  Judson's age is clearly marked as 12.  The numerals used for George's age are very faint with a clear one and a curled 0.  Or is it a 6?  I think it should read as 16.  Even though this doesn't match with the age calculated from his obituary/gravestone, it DOES make sense when we look at the numbers recorded on other censuses as George aged.

George's age as listed on the 1900 census would have him born in 1856.  In the 1910 census, his birth year is calculated as 1853 and in the 1920 census, it finally appears corrected at 1852.  I need to go and find the 1860 and 1880 census records to complete the set.  It will be interesting to see how old George is listed on these!  It appears that math was not his strong suit  - or maybe he just didn't like birthdays?

So if we assume that the Hacketts stayed in McKean and also that the age listed on the 1870 census is indexed incorrectly, we can conclude that George is the son of James and Eliza Hackett, with a younger brother named Judson!  Now on to climb more of the Norton/Palmer family tree.

New York New York!

I am coming to the realization that all of Phil's family - both Norton and Palmer - were in upstate New York within a 100 mile radius during the 1800s.  Yet the two families didn't come together until Doris Palmer (from Pennsylvania) and Clinton Norton (from Michigan) met at the University of Rochester in the 1950s.  Nearby were the final resting places of their grandparents.  The Palmer side  stretches from Buffalo (where the Pattisons are buried) to Alfred (where the Palmers are buried).  The Nortons can  be found in Geneseo with status as founding pioneers of Groveland.  And just over the line in Pennsylvania we have the Hacketts.

Now I just need to organize my thoughts and research to spend a week or two driving the backroads!  But at least this week I'll be able to get to Geneseo and Temple Hill Cemetery for a visit with Asahel Norton. More picture to come I hope!

Pictures to come!

William Wellington Norton & Jennie Belle Lewis Marriage

I know that part of being a genealogist is locating original records.  But all my past attempts have met with silence on the part of the governmental unit contacted.  This time I went through the internet and found the record in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota!  For $9 this is what I got:

Many things fascinate me about this marriage license -
1.  It is certified!
2.  It lists William's father as Reverend A.W. Norton and a licensed minister.  A.W. is also listed as having an address in St Paul.  Though I knew A.W. was a professor and college president.  I was unaware that he was actually an ordained minister.  I also thought of him as living in the Dakotas, not Minnesota.  Not sure when the move happened.
3.  It leaves the mystery of how William and Jennie Belle met.  I believe that William Wellington was a student at the University of Minnesota.  I would love to know the real story.