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Saturday, December 21, 2013

Surname Saturday ~ NORTON of Martha’s Vineyard

NORTON


Nicholas Norton arrived in New England in the 1635 company of Reverend John Hull.  The first record of him in Massachusetts in in 1637 in Weymouth.  He lived in Weymouth for twenty years before resettling on the island of Martha’s Vineyard.   

Nicholas Norton appears in many records on Martha’s Vineyard as “Goodman Norton”.  He was involved in several lawsuits and was both the plaintiff and defendant in the records.  In 1673 he joined the “Dutch Rebellion” with his townsmen.  This was an attempt by Holland to re-take New York.  When the English won New York back in 1674, it restored the authority of Governor Thomas Mayhew over the island.  He was officially “Governor for Life”.

The last will and testament of Nicholas Norton:

The last will and testament of me Nicolas Norton Being very weak in body but of perfect understanding and Souend memory After my death and desent Christian burial: I give and bequest my worry good as foloeth:-
Iprimes: I give my Son Izak Norton on half Comminig as also fouer Small Shares of medow
Secondly I give my Son Benjamin Norton all my medow at Saniacantick as also my medow at Morthals neck beach from the Crick dug into the Great pond westward as also my now dwelling hones and all my land aioyning to my Sayd houes after the deces of my wife Elizabeth Norton as also my lots at quompasha with all my devided land Elsewhere: provided my Sayd Son Beniamin deliver up his now dweling houes to my now wife Elizabeth Norton with the land aioyning to the Sayd houes: to be at my Sayd wifes sole will and pleseuer to dispose of at or before her desese, as also all that medow I have from a Creek to Izak Norton Medow
thirdly. I give Moses Cleveland the Remaynder of the Sayd medow to joyne with Weeks medow also on halfe Commonidg with all prevleges belonging there untoo
fourthly I give my Son in law Thomas Wolling on halfe Commonidg with all prevelidges belonging to it with a pese of medow from Izak Norton’s medow to the Creeke abofe named.
fifthly I give my Son Joseph Norton a tract of land lying at Saniacantacket joyning to the mill Creke which I bought of Mr Sam.
Sixtly I give that whole Commonidg which was Arys to my aforeSayd Son Beniamin Norton
Seventhly I give to Elizabeth Norton my wife all my Catle Coues oxen Steeres & Sheepe also all my hors kind & furder I give my Sayd wife Elizabeth Norton all my houeshold goods Beding pewter bras Iron tin wood wood as Chests trunks tables Chayers and all other things not named, also all plowes Carts Chayns yoks and all other utensells with all lumber: furder I leve my Sayd wife to give my dafter pese and my dafter wil (Wollong or Williams) and my dafter Stanbridg & my dafter Butler Something to Every one of them as much as shee sese cause: as also my dafter huxford to her my wife knows my mind
Eithly, my medow at the neck Caueled the Manado I leve to my wife Elizabeth Norton
Ninthly I doe apoynt my Sayd wife Elizabeth Norton to be my Sole Execitor and to performe my will as abof whritin.
The mark of N Nicklis Norton
Witness
Richard Sarson
Joseph Norton.

Some sources for Norton genealogy research:

The History of Martha’s Vineyard by Dr. Charles Banks, Volume III Family Genealogies:  pages 341 – 382  also available at this webpage http://history.vineyard.net/nortoni.htm

Also, the genealogy of Isaac Norton in the second and third generations at this link:

My Norton Genealogy:

Generation 1: Nicholas Norton, born about 1610 in Broadway, Somersetshire, England, died 1690 in Edgartown, Massachusetts on the island of Martha’s Vineyard; married about 1640 probably in Weymouth, Massachusetts to Elizabeth Isaac, born in England, died between 8 June and 8 October 1690 in Edgartown.  Eleven children.

Generation 2:  Isaac Norton, born 3 May 1641 in Weymouth, Massachusetts; died in 1723 on Martha’s Vineyard; married Ruth Bayes, the daughter of Thomas Bayes and Anne Baker. She was born 2 July 1643 in Dedham, Massachusetts; died after 1723 on Martha’s Vineyard. Eleven children.

Generation 3: Mercy Norton, born 1687; married on 30 November 1715 in Edgartown to James Claghorn, son of Shubael Claghorn and Jane Lovell.  Mercy had a child out of wedlock with Reverend Samuel Osborn.  

Generation 4:  Samuel Osborn m. Keziah Butler
Generation 5:  Samuel Osborn m.  Sarah Wass
Generation 6: Sarah Osborn m. Charles Skinner
Generation 7: Ann Skinner m.  Thomas Ratchford Lyons
Generation 8: Isabella Lyons m. Rev. Ingraham Ebenezer Bill
Generation 9:  Caleb Rand Bill m. Ann Margaret Bollman
Generation 10: Isabella Lyons Bill m. Albert Munroe Wilkinson
Generation 11: Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

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Copyright © 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

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