Arthur enlisted in Company G, 81st New York Volunteers and served at Fort Monroe, Virginia near the end of the Civil War. He was the son of Elon Alonzo and Sarah Norton. His Civil War Military Service Record shows him to have been born in 1846, a bit of a fib in order to join the army. He is listed correctly in the 1860 census as age 12. He married Henrietta Shuart on August 30 1874 and they had five children. In the 1880 census he is found in Kendall, McKean County PA and employed as a carpenter. In 1883 their son Rex was born in Virginia. At some point they moved back to Cattaraugus County NY. Arthur and Henrietta then moved to Virginia in March of 1884 for reasons unknown. The local newspaper records their departure to Virginia saying that it is "where they intend to make their future home." Henrietta was born in Virginia and this may have something to do with their move.
Two of their children had already been born in PA and VA. Henrietta passed away on August 27 1885 from typhoid fever(?) and he later married for a second time to Virginia Elnora Martin of Powhatan County, Virginia on December 21 1886. They had three children, the youngest being Virginia who died soon after birth and is buried in Powhatan County.
Their son Alton was born in Sandusky, Cattaraugus County NY in September 1892, indicating that he had once again moved back to New York State. His father Elon Alonzo died in February of this year and he may have returned to become involved in the family mill.
From the Wyoming (NY) County Herald
Friday October 28, 1898.
"Mrs Arthur Norton has been visiting her parental home in Virginia"
Arthur and his brother George Clarence Norton appear to have taken over the family saw mill in Sandusky NY after their father's death in early 1892, or possibly earlier. The mill was started about 1865 and the buildings are shown on an 1869 map. They do not appear on a 1914 map of the business district published by the Town of Freedom.
According to the 1900 census it seems the entire Norton family was employed at the mill - fourteen years later it no longer exists and the family members are dispersed throughout western New York State. I wish I knew what happened.
He is buried next to his son David Ray Norton in Almond, NY.
Reference Sources:
Online census records
Long Island Genealogy Society
Historical Gazetteer of Cattaraugus County NY by W Adams 1893
History of Cattaraugus County NY by L H Everts 1879
CMSR (Complete Military Service Record)
1869 map of Freedom, NY, probably by Beers (Reproduction)
Yorkshire Center NY Press Fri Mar 7 1884
(Thanks to the Cattaraugus County NY Museum and research library.).
Freedom 1811 - 2011 by the Town of Freedom
The Wyoming NY County Herald
Two of their children had already been born in PA and VA. Henrietta passed away on August 27 1885 from typhoid fever(?) and he later married for a second time to Virginia Elnora Martin of Powhatan County, Virginia on December 21 1886. They had three children, the youngest being Virginia who died soon after birth and is buried in Powhatan County.
Their son Alton was born in Sandusky, Cattaraugus County NY in September 1892, indicating that he had once again moved back to New York State. His father Elon Alonzo died in February of this year and he may have returned to become involved in the family mill.
From the Wyoming (NY) County Herald
Friday October 28, 1898.
"Mrs Arthur Norton has been visiting her parental home in Virginia"
Arthur and his brother George Clarence Norton appear to have taken over the family saw mill in Sandusky NY after their father's death in early 1892, or possibly earlier. The mill was started about 1865 and the buildings are shown on an 1869 map. They do not appear on a 1914 map of the business district published by the Town of Freedom.
According to the 1900 census it seems the entire Norton family was employed at the mill - fourteen years later it no longer exists and the family members are dispersed throughout western New York State. I wish I knew what happened.
He is buried next to his son David Ray Norton in Almond, NY.
Reference Sources:
Online census records
Long Island Genealogy Society
Historical Gazetteer of Cattaraugus County NY by W Adams 1893
History of Cattaraugus County NY by L H Everts 1879
CMSR (Complete Military Service Record)
1869 map of Freedom, NY, probably by Beers (Reproduction)
Yorkshire Center NY Press Fri Mar 7 1884
(Thanks to the Cattaraugus County NY Museum and research library.).
Freedom 1811 - 2011 by the Town of Freedom
The Wyoming NY County Herald
Arthur enlisted in Company G, 81st New York Volunteers and served at Fort Monroe, Virginia near the end of the Civil War. He was the son of Elon Alonzo and Sarah Norton. His Civil War Military Service Record shows him to have been born in 1846, a bit of a fib in order to join the army. He is listed correctly in the 1860 census as age 12. He married Henrietta Shuart on August 30 1874 and they had five children. In the 1880 census he is found in Kendall, McKean County PA and employed as a carpenter. In 1883 their son Rex was born in Virginia. At some point they moved back to Cattaraugus County NY. Arthur and Henrietta then moved to Virginia in March of 1884 for reasons unknown. The local newspaper records their departure to Virginia saying that it is "where they intend to make their future home." Henrietta was born in Virginia and this may have something to do with their move.
Two of their children had already been born in PA and VA. Henrietta passed away on August 27 1885 from typhoid fever(?) and he later married for a second time to Virginia Elnora Martin of Powhatan County, Virginia on December 21 1886. They had three children, the youngest being Virginia who died soon after birth and is buried in Powhatan County.
Their son Alton was born in Sandusky, Cattaraugus County NY in September 1892, indicating that he had once again moved back to New York State. His father Elon Alonzo died in February of this year and he may have returned to become involved in the family mill.
From the Wyoming (NY) County Herald
Friday October 28, 1898.
"Mrs Arthur Norton has been visiting her parental home in Virginia"
Arthur and his brother George Clarence Norton appear to have taken over the family saw mill in Sandusky NY after their father's death in early 1892, or possibly earlier. The mill was started about 1865 and the buildings are shown on an 1869 map. They do not appear on a 1914 map of the business district published by the Town of Freedom.
According to the 1900 census it seems the entire Norton family was employed at the mill - fourteen years later it no longer exists and the family members are dispersed throughout western New York State. I wish I knew what happened.
He is buried next to his son David Ray Norton in Almond, NY.
Reference Sources:
Online census records
Long Island Genealogy Society
Historical Gazetteer of Cattaraugus County NY by W Adams 1893
History of Cattaraugus County NY by L H Everts 1879
CMSR (Complete Military Service Record)
1869 map of Freedom, NY, probably by Beers (Reproduction)
Yorkshire Center NY Press Fri Mar 7 1884
(Thanks to the Cattaraugus County NY Museum and research library.).
Freedom 1811 - 2011 by the Town of Freedom
The Wyoming NY County Herald
Two of their children had already been born in PA and VA. Henrietta passed away on August 27 1885 from typhoid fever(?) and he later married for a second time to Virginia Elnora Martin of Powhatan County, Virginia on December 21 1886. They had three children, the youngest being Virginia who died soon after birth and is buried in Powhatan County.
Their son Alton was born in Sandusky, Cattaraugus County NY in September 1892, indicating that he had once again moved back to New York State. His father Elon Alonzo died in February of this year and he may have returned to become involved in the family mill.
From the Wyoming (NY) County Herald
Friday October 28, 1898.
"Mrs Arthur Norton has been visiting her parental home in Virginia"
Arthur and his brother George Clarence Norton appear to have taken over the family saw mill in Sandusky NY after their father's death in early 1892, or possibly earlier. The mill was started about 1865 and the buildings are shown on an 1869 map. They do not appear on a 1914 map of the business district published by the Town of Freedom.
According to the 1900 census it seems the entire Norton family was employed at the mill - fourteen years later it no longer exists and the family members are dispersed throughout western New York State. I wish I knew what happened.
He is buried next to his son David Ray Norton in Almond, NY.
Reference Sources:
Online census records
Long Island Genealogy Society
Historical Gazetteer of Cattaraugus County NY by W Adams 1893
History of Cattaraugus County NY by L H Everts 1879
CMSR (Complete Military Service Record)
1869 map of Freedom, NY, probably by Beers (Reproduction)
Yorkshire Center NY Press Fri Mar 7 1884
(Thanks to the Cattaraugus County NY Museum and research library.).
Freedom 1811 - 2011 by the Town of Freedom
The Wyoming NY County Herald
Gravesite Details
Thanks to cousin Barb Henry for her research. Thanks to cousin Jim Lyke for sharing his family photos. Also thanks to cousin Brian Zimmer for sharing his family photos and for sponsoring this memorial.
Family Members
Siblings
