From the history of Wyandot County, Ohio

Agricultural intrests of Antrim township find a worthy and progressive representative in Steven P. Norton, who is a native son of the section and who since beginning his active career has been engaged in farming here. Success has attended his well directed efforts and he is today the owner of one hundred and sixty acres on section 7, one of the best improved and profitable enterprises in this part of the state. He was born March 22, 1856, and is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Nesbit) Norton, both natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in York County March 26, 1822, and the latter, in 1823. The father came to Wayne County and then to Wyandot County in pioneer times, settling in Antrim twp. in 1847.From that time until his death, which occured in 1879, he engaged in farming, becoming a prosperous and successful agriculturist. His wife passed away, her death having occured in 1887. In this family were thirteen children, John G., Amanda, Hiram, Rebecca, Finley, Elizabeth, Catherine, Clay, Stephen P., Katie, Addie, Sarah and Benjamin, all of whom are living except the last named, who died in infancy.

Stephen P. Norton was raised to the occupation of farming and his childhood was similar to that of most farm lads. He had the advantage of a good education, attending the district school until he was seventeen and then spending four winters in the Ohio Northern University at Ada. After he put aside his books he farmed upon the homestead, aiding his father in it's development until after the latter's death in 1879. Five years afterward Stephen P. Norton rented a farm in the vicinity and for a number of years cultivated this property, making it a valuable and well managed agricultural enterprise. In 1889 he made his first purchase of land, buying eighty acres which he developed for sixteen years, after which he sold this farm and in 1905 bought one hundred and sixty acres on section 7. He has here steadily carried forward the work of improvement, errecting fine buildings upon his land, which is now provided with a barn. originally twenty-six by eighty-nine feet, but with an L addition forty-three by theity-three feet. All of the other buildings are modern, adequate and in good repair and the attractive appearance of the farm is an evidence of Mr. Norton's careful and intelligent supervision. He raises hay, corn and oats and in addition is extensively interested in stock breeding, keeping ten head of cattle, six horses, one hundred sheep and forty hogs.

On October 16, 1889, in Crawford county, Mr. Norton married Miss Clara Sabina McCracken, a daughter of Jessie M. and Mary L. (Cook) McCracken, farmers in that part of Ohio. Her great-grandparents were Alexander and Margret (Marshall) McCracken. The former, whose natal year was 1746, died at Cambridge, Ohio, on the 9th of September, 1851, aged one hundred and four years, four months and fifteen days. His wife, a daughter of Lord Marshall of Ireland, was born in 1763 and died at Xenia, Ohio, on the 29th of June,1827, at the age of sixty-four years. Theit children were as follows: Henry, born March, 1783, who died on shipboard, on the Atlantic Ocean; Sarah (McCracken) McHenry, who was born in Pennsylvania in June, 1785; Mrs. Lillie (McCracken) Reid, whose birth occured on the 20th of November, 1786, and who passed away at Cambridge, Ohio, when eighty-four years of age; William, who died at Cambridge, Ohio, when eighty-four years of age; Robert, whose natal day was April 5, 1790, and who passed away at the age of ninety-three years; James and Alexander, twins, who were bornon the 11th of October, 1791; Henry, the second of the name and the father of Jesse M. McCracken, who was born on the 30th of July, 1793, and died at Monmouth, Illinois, on the 21st of April, 1838, at the age of forty-five years; Mrs. Martha (McCracken) Harbinson was born on the 10th of April, 1795, and died in Kansas; Mrs. Margret (McCracken) Gaff, born January 11, 1797, who died in Los Angeles, California, at the age of ninety-three years; John, who was born on the 1st of April, 1799; Mrs. Jane (McCracken) McConnel, whose birth occured on the 22nd of January, 1801, and who passed away in Wooster, Ohio; Arthur born February 9, 1804, who died in Houston, Texas, on the 27th of March, 1887, when eighty-three years of age; and Mrs. Mary (McCracken) McClary, who was born on the 17th of March, 1807, and passed away in Kansas. Jesse Mitchel McCracken, the father of Clara S. Norton, was born at Xenia, Ohio, on the 8th of May, 1832, while the birth of his wife, Mary Louisa (Cook) McCracken, occurred at Bucyrus, Ohio, on the 10th of August, 1839. Unto them were born ten children, as follows; Hattie Belle, who was born at Bucyrus, Ohio, on the 23rd of March, 1862; Frank Hopkins, whose birth occurred at Bucyrus, Ohio, on the 12th of January, 1864; Clara Sabina, who was bor at Upper Sandusky, Ohio, on the 2nd of December, 1865; William Henry, who was born at Bucyrus, Ohio, on the 9th of March, 1868; Jay Cook, whose birth occurred at Bucyrus, Ohio, on the 20th of July, 1870; Anna May, born at Wyandot, Ohio, on the 8th of May, 1872; Mary Grace, born at Wyandot, Ohio, on the 23rd of March, 1874; Authur Marshall, who was born at Nevada, Ohio, on the 22nd of September, 1876; Maggie Laura, born at Bucyrus, Ohio, on the 20th of June 1879; and George Ralph, whose bith occurred at Bucyrus, Ohio, on the 3rd of August, 1883.

Mr. and Mrs. Nortonare the parents of ten children: Frederick E., born in 1890; Louis A., 1892; May R., 1894; Thomas J., 1896; Joseph M., 1897; Olive G., 1899; Robert R., 1902; Clarence E., 1904; John H., 1907; and Albert S., born in 1909. The family are members of the Baptist Church.

Stephen P. Norton does not affiliate with any particular political party, voting independently according to his personal convictions. He served for two years as township supervisor and was for a similar period a member of the school board, his public service being marked by able, conscientious and far-sighted work. Antrim Township numbers him among her most valued native sons, for his success has come as the result of his own labor and energy and his life has been at all times honorable and upright, worthy of the high esteem in which he is uniformly held.

[Illegible] Norton

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