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Seneca County, Ohio
History & Genealogy

“The stern joy which warriors feel
In foemen worthy of their steel,”

when, at Perryville, a stubborn fight with the Confederates was had.  This was quickly followed by a skirmish at Lancaster, then, on December 30th, the year was closed by the memorable battle of Stone River.  The young soldier bore himself well in all these scenes of carnage, and won the admiration of his comrades by his conduct, and often to this day he is greeted by survivors of that fight by their recalling incidents of Stone River.  In this battle the One Hundred and First Regiment took a most prominent part, and suffered greater loss than any other regiment engaged in the fight.  Nearly all its officers were killed, the gallant Colonel Leander Stem being among the number. The remnant of the regiment passed the winter in scout duty around Murfreesboro until it was ordered to take part in the Tullahoma campaign, and later to move against Chattanooga.  It was in this latter campaign, at the battle of Chickamauga, September 20th, during the second day's fight, while supporting the Hotchkiss battery, that Sergeant Norton was wounded, his ribs on the left side being broken, and his left lung injured, from which he has never fully recovered.  He was left lying on the field of battle until found in an unconscious condition by his brother, Cyrus G. Norton, who was also a member of his company.  He was taken to Chattanooga and placed in the old dye house used as a hospital, from which place he was removed to Stevenson, Alabama, and then to Hospital No. 8, at Nashville, Tennessee.  Here he was granted a furlough, and returned to his home on a visit.  Rejoining his regiment at Nashville, he was ordered by the brigade commander to report before an examining board for promotion to the regular army, under general orders requiring the selection of the most capable men to officer new troops.  After a severe examination he was passed and received his commission as lieutenant, signed by President Lincoln, and was assigned to the One Hundred and Twenty-third United States (Colored) Infantry, with orders to1 report to General John M. Palmer, who sent him to Louisville, Kentucky, to drill the colored troops.  This detail was not regarded with favor by many of the officers, who declined such assignment, but Lieutenant Norton, believing it a soldier’s duty to obey orders, hastened to' his post and at once began to carry out his orders.  After the dark-skinned soldiers had acquired considerable proficiency in military tactics and were under good discipline he was made adjutant and detailed with a body of troops to go to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to locate and care for a quantity of ordnance, remaining at this place until Oct. 16, 1865, when he was mustered out by an error.  Orders had been sent to muster out the One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment, but in copying the order at division headquarters it was made to read “One Hundred and Twenty-third,” and thus, inadvertently, his connection with the army ceased.
     In the meantime Lieutenant Norton had married.  While at home on his furlough, on the 19th day of July, 1865, he went to Fostoria, the home of his bride, and there wedded Miss Adeline Hemming, then in her twentieth year of age, who accompanied him back to Louisville and remained with him until he was mustered out.  Miss Hemming was the daughter of Thomas Hemming, who was one of the early settlers of the county, and who was the oldest educator, in point of service, in northwestern Ohio, having been engaged in teaching for over fifty years.  He was also county surveyor for a number of years, and as such made the survey of Seneca county.
     Returning to civil life, Mr. Norton took up the study of medicine in his father s office and soon became a valued assistant.  His close application was, however, too great a strain upon his health, and in 1869 he went to Hampton, Iowa, and entered upon a separate practice of his chosen profession.  Deriving great benefit from the invigorating climate, his health became restored, and he soon had a large practice, constantly increasing, until in 1871, his father being accidentally killed, he returned to his native village and for eight years was the leading physician of that part of the country.
     Having inherited the creed of Democracy, observation and study but deepened and strengthened his convictions and belief in the truth and solidity of Democratic principles. In those stirring times of political action he could not refrain from taking more than a passing interest in the events of the day, and when he entered into the field of political conflict his keen sagacity, sound judgment and enthusiastic devotion to party principles soon placed him at the forefront as a leader.  Recognizing his ability and fitness, his party in Seneca county in 1873 placed him in nomination as their representative to the general assembly of the state, to which office he was elected by a large majority.  Here his qualifications were quickly recognized, and he became one of the leaders, and his fund of information, his readiness in debate, his fluency of speech and his eloquence gave him prominence. He was placed on important committees, and was elected speaker pro tern, of the house.  His course while in the legislature gave him a high standing in the councils of his party in the state, where he was recognized as one of its foremost advisers.  During his attendance at the general assembly he devoted his evenings and spare moments to the study of law, in the office of Hon. George L. Converse, at Columbus, and in 1879 was admitted to the bar.  It was largely due to Mr. Norton's efforts that the law was passed requiring all public officers to execute all pension papers free.
     At the close of the general assembly in 1879 Mr. Norton returned to Tiffin, which he made his headquarters while acting as general manager and solicitor for the Wiley Construction Company, of Massachusetts.  During 1880 he purchased the paper known as the Herald, and edited it with such vigor that the first issue brought a five-thousand-dollar libel suit, which, however, was never prosecuted.  The Herald was later sold to Dr. E. B. Hubbard, and subsequently became the Tribune.  Mr. Norton still kept an active interest in local politics, serving as president of the school board, president of the common council, and as a member of the Seneca County Agricultural Society.  The only political defeat that Dr. Norton ever met was when he ran for councilman on the famous “cow ordinance.”  Standing for rigid enforcement of its provisions, he was defeated by the vote of a large number who wanted their cows to run at large.  In 1884 he was delegate to the national Democratic convention.  In August, 1885, he was appointed auditor of Seneca county in place of F. E. Stoner, deceased, and in October of the same year was elected to
the office, and again in 1887 was re-elected.  He was appointed as United States inspector of customs at Panama by President Cleveland, but declined.  He served as chairman of the Democratic state central and executive committees, and as chairman of the state convention.  In 1890 he was appointed by Governor Campbell as state commissioner of railroads and telegraphs, serving the state with fidelity and success, during the whole of Governor Campbell’s administration, and for four months under Governor McKinley, when he resigned to accept a position in the law department of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In 1896 Dr. Norton was nominated by the Democracy of the thirteenth district of Ohio for representative in congress, at a convention held at Marion, Ohio.  In 1898 he was renominated, at Upper Sandusky; in 1900, at Bucyrus, he was again for the third time nominated; and in 1902, at Sandusky, by an overwhelming majority, he was again selected as candidate for the fourth term in congress, and each time he has been elected by increasing majority.
     In congress he has served on the invalid pensions and District of Columbia committees, and he has given time and attention to the duties of his office.  His quick perception, his sound judgment, wise counsel and unfailing good nature join in giving him a firm hold upon the esteem, confidence and friendship of his fellow members.  He is ever ready to champion the principles of his party, and is ever at the front, taking the advance step, and points out in speeches of combined logic, argument, sarcasm and eloquence the true position upon which Americans, as such, regardless of party can stand.
     Dr. Norton, with his social nature, of course could not but have some affiliation with fraternal organizations, so we find that in the winter of 1864-5, at Louisville, Kentucky, he became a member of Compass Lodge, No. 222, F. & A. M., and in 1882 a member of Tiffin Lodge, No. 80, Knights of Pythias.  He was a charter member of Leander Stem Post, G. A. R., and a regular attendant until, at the death of General W. H. Gibson, this post united with another post and took the name of W. H. Gibson Post; then Mr. Norton, with a large number of others, withdrew, believing it was a wrong to the memory of the heroes who died on the field of battle to drop their name for one who had no greater military claim and who had been honored in civil life.  Mr. Norton is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and finds pleasure in the friendships and fraternal spirit found in that order.
     Generous to a fault and social to a high degree, Mr. Norton wins friends easily, and he has the happy faculty of drawing them closer to him as the years pass by.  Viewed in a personal light he is a strong man, of excellent judgment, fair in his views and highly honorable in his relations with his fellow men.  His integrity stands as an unquestioned fact in his career and his example is well worthy of emulation.
Source:  A Centennial Biographical History of Seneca County, Ohio - Publ. by Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page 422