Contra Costa-Los Angeles County CA Archives Biographies.....Norton, Noah 1786 - 1871
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Author: W. A. Slocum & Co., Publishers (1882)

NOAH NORTON, (deceased).—Was born at Norton Hill, Greene county, New York, April
7, 1786, and as a young man, commenced his career as a boatman on the Hudson
river. He married early, and removed to the shore of Lake Ontario. At that time
a considerable contraband traffic was maintained upon the lake border, and the
subject of our sketch, as an officer of the Government, gained quite a
distinction for efficiency in the detection and capture of smugglers. On the
outbreak of the war of 1812, he was one of the earliest to respond to the call
of his country for volunteers. He served as Lieutenant throughout the war, but
was in command of a company at the battle of Lundy's Lane, where his conspicuous
gallantry attracted the favorable notice of General Scott. After peace was
declared, Mr. Norton removed with his family to the then wild territory of
Michigan, and was the first settler in what is now the town of Adrian, where,
subject to constant peril from Indian raids, he established his home.
Afterwards, with the increase of population, he engaged in and carried on the
business of brick-making for some years. Subsequently, while traveling in the
southwestern States, he was taken down at New Orleans with the yellow fever,
which carried him almost to the door of death. The excitement incident to the
outbreak of the Mexican war was at its height on his recovery, and his patriotic
impulses led him to volunteer as a soldier. Failing to hear from him for many
months, his family were led to fear his death, but during the greater part of
the war he was employed by General Scott upon secret service, and after the
close returned home, to the great astonishment of his family, who had long
supposed him dead. His children had grown up during his absence, and with the
exception of the youngest, had all married. After a short time spent at home, he
engaged successfully in gathering specimens and objects of interest for a museum
in Pensacola, Florida. Subsequently, he gathered an interesting collection, and
established a museum of his own at Adrian, the place of his residence. On the
discovery of gold in California, he became infected with the gold fever, and
after disposing of his museum, joined a train fitting out to cross the plains,
and journeyed with it to Salt Lake, where the company laid over for the Winter.
In the Spring, Norton, with a portion of the company, took the southern route,
and were the first of the immigrants who arrived at Los Angeles in 1850. Having
discovered a prospect of gold in crossing the desert on the way to Los Angeles,
Norton, and some others of the party, after remaining a while at that place,
resolved to return and test the value of their discovery. While the party were
at work one day, in their mine, Indians visited their camp and carried off all
their provisions, except a small sack of flour, obliging them to abandon their
working, and make their way back to Los Angeles, with no subsistence for the
long desert journey but the scanty measure of flour. For some years the subject
of our sketch remained at Los Angeles, engaged in farming. He then went back to
Michigan. Soon after his return his wife died. After marrying a second time, he
returned to California and engaged in the work of prospecting for coal, that
resulted in the discovery of the famous Black Diamond vein in Contra Costa
county. Mr. Norton was in all respects a remarkable man, combining wonderful
intrepidity and energy with an acuteness of thought, and an indomitable will,
equal to any emergency. His bodily vigor allowed him frequently during the last
year of his life, to walk a distance of ten miles. He was a great reader,
particularly fond of studying history, and always well-informed upon the affairs
of the time. He was in all respects, an intelligent, energetic and honorable
man, whose name should not be suffered to fall into oblivion. The thriving
little town of Nortonville takes its name from this gentleman. He died in
Oakland in the year 1871.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING ITS GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION;
TOGETHER WITH A RECORD OF THE MEXICAN GRANTS; THE BEAR FLAG WAR; THE MOUNT
DIABLO COAL FIELDS; THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT, COMPILED FROM THE MOST
AUTHENTIC SOURCES; THE NAMES OF ORIGINAL SPANISH AND MEXICAN PIONEERS; FULL
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; SEPARATE HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP, SHOWING
THE ADVANCE IN POPULATION AND AGRICULTURE;
ALSO,
Incidents of Pioneer Life; and Biographical Sketches
OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
AMD OF ITS TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO: W. A. SLOCUM & CO., PUBLISHERS
1882.


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