Samuel Norton was born in southern Vermont, probably in Bennington. His father moved the family to present day New Haven Mills VT ca. 1790 and helped to build and establish the mills and village, which were originally called Nortons Mills. The family emigrated to Canada ca.1805 to homestead and became early pioneers of Barnston, Stanstead County, Quebec. He married Orpha Heath, also a native of Vermont in 1808. He returned to the US and is listed in the 1820 census in Barre, NY and in the 1830 census in Elba NY. The family eventually settled in Cattaraugus County, NY at some time in the 1830's to ca.1840, as he is listed as a resident of Freedom, NY in the 1840 census. In the 1850 and 1855 census he is listed in nearby Farmersville NY. At this point he was likely being cared for by his son Elon. Like his father he was reported to be a millwright by trade. Along with Elias Wood and others he founded the First Universalist Church of Sandusky, NY in 1845.

Samuel had three sons - Hiram, who moved to the upper mid west, Samuel S. who served with the Union in the Civil war and settled in the Centerville, NY area and Elon Alonzo Norton Sr. who established a sawmill business in Sandusky, NY.

Reference Sources:

Long Island Genealogy Society
History of Stanstead County, Quebec by B F Hubbard 1874
"New Haven In Vermont 1761 - 1983" (Harold Farnsworth) from the New Haven Historical Society
History of Addison County VT by H P Smith 1883
Historical Gazetteer of Cattaraugus County NY by W Adams 1893
History of Cattaraugus County NY by L H Everets 1879
Census records found online including olivercowdry.com

Thanks to relative and Find A Grave contributor Jim Lyke for his priceless contribution of the photo of Samuel.