Sullivan County PA Archives Biographies.....NORTON, Powell 1841 - living in 1899
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  File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
  Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 30, 2005, 6:33 pm
  
  Author: Biographical Publishing Company
  
  POWELL NORTON, who is located at Campbellville, Sullivan County, is one of the
  most enterprising business men of Forks township. He was born January 31, 1841,
  in Forks township, being a son of Thomas and Mary (Bird) Norton.
  
    Thomas Norton, the father of our subject, was born in England, May 6, 1808,
  and in 1830 immigrated to America with his brother Charles. Both bought tracts
  of wild and uncultivated land of Dr. Priestly, Thomas buying one hundred acres
  on what is now known as Norton's Ridge in the northwest part of Forks township.
  After clearing a small part of the land which was heavily covered with timber,
  Mr. Norton built a small log cabin and began life there with small resources,
  but a  most  resolute  determination  to  succeed. Mr. Norton married Mary Bird,
  born November 8, 1816, and a daughter of Powell Bird. As the years passed they
  cleared the farm and made many new improvements thereon. Mr. Norton was a
  blacksmith by trade. In his younger days he worked some at Eagles Mere; later in
  life he did all of his own blacksmithing and most of that of his neighbors. He
  was a stanch member of the Democratic party, and served the township as
  supervisor, collector, etc. Mr. Norton died February 2, 1884, at the age of
  seventy-six years, and was buried in the Bird cemetery. He and his good wife
  were the parents of eight children, as follows: Esther, wife of George Schill of
  Elkland township; William, a farmer in Forks township; Powell, our subject;
  Emeline, who died at the age of fifteen; Ira, who died at the age of one year;
  Lydia, wife of Daniel Miller; Maria, who married W. S. Pieffenbauch; Washington,
  who died at the age of twenty-five; George B., who married Jennie Campbell of
  Estella, Pa.; and James, who died at the age of fourteen.
  
    Powell Norton married Mary B. Bedford, daughter of Rev. Richard and Arvilla
  (Wheat) Bedford. Rev. Richard Bedford was a son of Richard Bedford, and was born
  in England. His father immigrated to this country when he was about twelve years
  of age and two years later his mother died. His father then married Laurena
  Waller. He moved to Forks township, Sullivan County, Pa., where he settled on
  the estate now owned and lived upon by Mrs. Watson Fawcett. His children by his
  first wife were named Richard, Hannah and Franklin. By his second union he had
  two children: Varley and Alice, both deceased. Rev. Richard Bedford studied
  theology and was ordained a Methodist minister, which profession he followed
  many years, settling in his later life on the old Bedford homestead in Forks
  township, where he spent the remainder of his days. He was one of the most
  active and prominent men in his district. He was a man of superior education and
  fine intellect and, although books in his day were high-priced, he gathered the
  largest and most up-to-date library in Sullivan County. A portion of the library
  is now in the possession of Mr. Norton and he has added many valuable volumes.
  Mr. Bedford was the first superintendent of schools in Sullivan County and
  served as one of the first associate judges of the county, filling the judgeship
  for two terms. He also represented Sullivan County two terms in the State
  Legislature. Rev. Mr. Bedford's useful life was closed at the age of seventy-one
  years, his wife departing this life at the age of sixty. Their children were:
  Mary B., wife of our subject; Ada, who married Watson Fawcett; and three who
  died in infancy.
  
    Powell Norton, the subject of this biography, attended the public schools of
  his native place where he received a good fundamental education. When a young
  man he started as a farmer for himself, buying the Rogers farm in Forks township
  which consisted of 140 acres. Besides making many improvements on the land he
  built a new house and barns. Together with John W. Norton he bought the Campbell
  flour and feed mill. John W. Norton was succeeded as our subject's partner by S.
  M. Hotteinstein, the firm now being Norton & Hotteinstein. They do a large
  custom trade, dealing extensively in flour, feed, meal and grain, and also
  handle all kinds of agricultural implements necessary in that section. They own
  a traction engine and do threshing, silo-work and the like.
  
     Mr. Norton erected at Campbellville a house and store which he rented for a
  period of years to Mr. Merithew, but now he conducts a country store in the
  place. He is also postmaster, having served in that capacity for fifteen years.
  This post office was established in 1843 by the father of our subject's wife and
  John Campbell was the first postmaster. Mr. Norton owns his father's homestead
  which is conducted by his only son now living, Richard W., who married Lizzie
  Hotteinstein. George I., a second son, died at the age of seven years.
  
  
  Additional Comments:
  Extracted from:
  
  Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District
  Published by 
  Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)
  
  
  
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