Sylvester Norton was born in the state of New York, his parents probably moved there from Conn. Sylvester reported on the 1880 federal census that his parents were both born in Conn. There was a Jonathon Norton in Camden Township, Oneida County N.Y. census in 1820 which I believe was his father. There were three girls and three boys living in the household at the time. Oneida County is in the Mohawk valley and on the Erie Canal.
They moved from New York to Warren County Pennsylvania about 1829 when he was a boy and then to Athens County, Ohio, by 1840,where he married Elizabeth Mingus in 1843. A record of the marriage is in Athens County but after 1843 part of Athens County became Morgan county and in 1850 they were living in Homer Twp., Morgan Co. Ohio (1850 census p. 207) and they had two children, Chauncy and Lucinda. They moved to Ross County Ohio (possibly Richmond Twp) sometime before Sarah was born in 1853 and were there when Robert was born in 1857.
The family moved to Missouri about 1861 where they resided until 1865 They were living at Ralls County, (near Hannibal) Sylvester and Chauncy enlisted together at New London, September 1864 in the Union army - Co. E 39th Regiment of the Inf. Missouri, March 1865 he was honorable discharged. His son, Chauncy, died at a hospital in Glasgow Missouri from disease only a few months after he enlisted.
Because Missouri was a "southern" state, Sylvester wanted to leave Missouri and they moved soon after Sylvester got out of the army because they are listed on 1865 census living in LeSueur County next to Cyrus Norton in Tyrone Township.
"It was in 1868 that the decision was made to come to Rock County. Sylvester, together with several others, traveled through southern Minnesota in an effort to find a suitable location to homestead in the newest of American frontiers. According to the Homestead Act a man could get 160 acres of land if he would promise to till and improve the land for five years. His decision to settle here was reached when he saw the winding Rock River with its many trees, promising both water and fuel for the home seeker. It was the latter part of August, the year following, Robert Norton recalls, that the family and all their possessions reached the east bank of the river. Their first farm work on arriving here was cutting prairie hay for use during the hard winter months ahead. The family lived in a sod hut until a more suitable home was built. At this time there were only a few families living in the area." (Told by Robert Norton)
They moved from New York to Warren County Pennsylvania about 1829 when he was a boy and then to Athens County, Ohio, by 1840,where he married Elizabeth Mingus in 1843. A record of the marriage is in Athens County but after 1843 part of Athens County became Morgan county and in 1850 they were living in Homer Twp., Morgan Co. Ohio (1850 census p. 207) and they had two children, Chauncy and Lucinda. They moved to Ross County Ohio (possibly Richmond Twp) sometime before Sarah was born in 1853 and were there when Robert was born in 1857.
The family moved to Missouri about 1861 where they resided until 1865 They were living at Ralls County, (near Hannibal) Sylvester and Chauncy enlisted together at New London, September 1864 in the Union army - Co. E 39th Regiment of the Inf. Missouri, March 1865 he was honorable discharged. His son, Chauncy, died at a hospital in Glasgow Missouri from disease only a few months after he enlisted.
Because Missouri was a "southern" state, Sylvester wanted to leave Missouri and they moved soon after Sylvester got out of the army because they are listed on 1865 census living in LeSueur County next to Cyrus Norton in Tyrone Township.
"It was in 1868 that the decision was made to come to Rock County. Sylvester, together with several others, traveled through southern Minnesota in an effort to find a suitable location to homestead in the newest of American frontiers. According to the Homestead Act a man could get 160 acres of land if he would promise to till and improve the land for five years. His decision to settle here was reached when he saw the winding Rock River with its many trees, promising both water and fuel for the home seeker. It was the latter part of August, the year following, Robert Norton recalls, that the family and all their possessions reached the east bank of the river. Their first farm work on arriving here was cutting prairie hay for use during the hard winter months ahead. The family lived in a sod hut until a more suitable home was built. At this time there were only a few families living in the area." (Told by Robert Norton)
Sylvester Norton was born in the state of New York, his parents probably moved there from Conn. Sylvester reported on the 1880 federal census that his parents were both born in Conn. There was a Jonathon Norton in Camden Township, Oneida County N.Y. census in 1820 which I believe was his father. There were three girls and three boys living in the household at the time. Oneida County is in the Mohawk valley and on the Erie Canal.
They moved from New York to Warren County Pennsylvania about 1829 when he was a boy and then to Athens County, Ohio, by 1840,where he married Elizabeth Mingus in 1843. A record of the marriage is in Athens County but after 1843 part of Athens County became Morgan county and in 1850 they were living in Homer Twp., Morgan Co. Ohio (1850 census p. 207) and they had two children, Chauncy and Lucinda. They moved to Ross County Ohio (possibly Richmond Twp) sometime before Sarah was born in 1853 and were there when Robert was born in 1857.
The family moved to Missouri about 1861 where they resided until 1865 They were living at Ralls County, (near Hannibal) Sylvester and Chauncy enlisted together at New London, September 1864 in the Union army - Co. E 39th Regiment of the Inf. Missouri, March 1865 he was honorable discharged. His son, Chauncy, died at a hospital in Glasgow Missouri from disease only a few months after he enlisted.
Because Missouri was a "southern" state, Sylvester wanted to leave Missouri and they moved soon after Sylvester got out of the army because they are listed on 1865 census living in LeSueur County next to Cyrus Norton in Tyrone Township.
"It was in 1868 that the decision was made to come to Rock County. Sylvester, together with several others, traveled through southern Minnesota in an effort to find a suitable location to homestead in the newest of American frontiers. According to the Homestead Act a man could get 160 acres of land if he would promise to till and improve the land for five years. His decision to settle here was reached when he saw the winding Rock River with its many trees, promising both water and fuel for the home seeker. It was the latter part of August, the year following, Robert Norton recalls, that the family and all their possessions reached the east bank of the river. Their first farm work on arriving here was cutting prairie hay for use during the hard winter months ahead. The family lived in a sod hut until a more suitable home was built. At this time there were only a few families living in the area." (Told by Robert Norton)
They moved from New York to Warren County Pennsylvania about 1829 when he was a boy and then to Athens County, Ohio, by 1840,where he married Elizabeth Mingus in 1843. A record of the marriage is in Athens County but after 1843 part of Athens County became Morgan county and in 1850 they were living in Homer Twp., Morgan Co. Ohio (1850 census p. 207) and they had two children, Chauncy and Lucinda. They moved to Ross County Ohio (possibly Richmond Twp) sometime before Sarah was born in 1853 and were there when Robert was born in 1857.
The family moved to Missouri about 1861 where they resided until 1865 They were living at Ralls County, (near Hannibal) Sylvester and Chauncy enlisted together at New London, September 1864 in the Union army - Co. E 39th Regiment of the Inf. Missouri, March 1865 he was honorable discharged. His son, Chauncy, died at a hospital in Glasgow Missouri from disease only a few months after he enlisted.
Because Missouri was a "southern" state, Sylvester wanted to leave Missouri and they moved soon after Sylvester got out of the army because they are listed on 1865 census living in LeSueur County next to Cyrus Norton in Tyrone Township.
"It was in 1868 that the decision was made to come to Rock County. Sylvester, together with several others, traveled through southern Minnesota in an effort to find a suitable location to homestead in the newest of American frontiers. According to the Homestead Act a man could get 160 acres of land if he would promise to till and improve the land for five years. His decision to settle here was reached when he saw the winding Rock River with its many trees, promising both water and fuel for the home seeker. It was the latter part of August, the year following, Robert Norton recalls, that the family and all their possessions reached the east bank of the river. Their first farm work on arriving here was cutting prairie hay for use during the hard winter months ahead. The family lived in a sod hut until a more suitable home was built. At this time there were only a few families living in the area." (Told by Robert Norton)
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