The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-04-08
HIRAH.

shocked last Friday OH learning that
Thuel Norton, an old and highly es-
teemed citizen, had met with fatal
accident. The circumstances in brief,
are as follows: MIR. Norton, who was
seventy-nine years of age, left his
home at the Center, in the morning,
to go to his farm, some three miles
away, in a southwesterly direction.
From Deacon Riders south, to the
farm, near mile, is all the way down
hill, but of easy grade except few rods
near the foot, where it is very steep
and stony. just as he arrived at the
steep part of the hill his horse became
frightened at some colts playing in
field near, and ran, upsetting the car
riage, catching the unfortunate man
beneath, and dragging him some dis
tance, before the horse cleared from the
carriage. He was Immediately con-
veyed to his daughters home near by
Mrs. J. R. Hopkins-where he was
kindly and tenderly caled for. Medi-
cal aid was promptly summoned, but
of no avail. He fingered till near 2
O'Clock p. m., in an unconscious state,
and expired. -- .'..I
am we'll aware of the objections to
lengthy obituaries, but under the pres
ent circumstances, a more than ordi-
nary mention is due. The deceased
was born near the city of Utica, Oneida
Co., n. Y, March 10 1901, and came
to Ohio while in infancy, his father
settling in Vernon, Trumbull Co. In
1905, just IS years ago, his father re-
moved to Middlebury, then part of
Portage, now of Summit county, where
subject of this too brief sketch, it may
be inferred, was subjected to all the
trials, hardships and privations of a
pioneer life. There are none now in
our midst under fifty years of age that
can imagine, much less appreciate,
those trials and privations. Those who
endured them are rapidly passing away
and but short time can elapse when
all we can learn of early days in the
settlement of this county, will be from
what we read, and not from hearing G
the pioneer. What a change has been
wrought in seventy-five years. The
wilderness where the city of Akron
now is, was his hunting ground.
Where the young man now hears the
scream of the locomotive, the rumbling
of the street car and the busy hum of
the city, he heard in his youthful days
the fierce howl of the wolf, the ugly
gro wi of the bear and the hiss of the
reptile. Where the youth now treads
the paved streets, he in youth plodded
through swamp and bramble. Where
the youth now revels in music, games
and feasts, his youthful music was the
sounding ak and falling timber, his
games, hard days work, his ,feasts, fru-
gal meals. In clearing up the land
around Middlebury and Akron, his
time was occupied during youth and
early manhood, till 1882, when he came
to this township, and remained till his
death. Ia 1922 he married Harriet
Harrington, two years his junior, and
who survives him. He was the father
of nine children, three sons and six
daughters, all of whom, save one, are
living. One of the sons, Seth D., an
attorney, resides in Ravenna James,
formerly Recorder for this county, re-
sides in Garrettsville, and Richard is
State Superintendent of Schools in the
State OF Missouri. OF the surviving
daughters, three are in Portage county
and two in Western States. He was
possessed of peculiar characteristics :
very resolute, but modest to an eX-
treme courageous, but unassuming
and unobtrusive, never indulging i'll
wrangfes or disputes of pronounced
religious views, yet tolerant and char
liable toward all others.
If his youthful paths were strewn
with thorns, his old age, in some re-
spects, was peculiarly pleasant. By
industry, economy and frugality he
had gathered a competence He had
seen his large family of sons and
daughters-save one-pass the meridi-
an oflife's years, in good circumstances
and in respectable social positions. He
could gather around him host Of
grandchildren and great-grand-chil-
dren to call him blessed. Of him it
can be said, as it can of very few, he
had lived seventy-nine years and never
had an enemy. = . 4
The community has lost an accom-
modating neighbor, the family and in
Il II. h,,cE II, off
tionate father, the world an honest
man. The remains We're deposited in
the vault Sunday afternoon, with brief
exercises, Prof. Persons conducting
the services. The funeral discourse
will be delivered next Sunday at l
o'clock, p. M, by Rev. DR.. Thayer, of
Warren,
CORRECTION. = It is claimed that
great injustice has been done by my
communication last week, in saying
that young lady had submitted to
search, for money that another had
lost. My statement was made from
common report. But 1 am informed
by the faculty that no search was made;
that there was no fOund datiOn for such
a report, and that the story was invent
ed by maliciously inclined persons Tor
mischief. All that was done was under
the belief that the money had been
misplaced, as it proved to have been,
but no such thing as search was en
tered into. The correction is cheer
fully made.
A GOOD TIME.-There was a stirring
time at the residence of Mr.. and Mrs.
Benjamin Tilden, last Saturday, Oh the
occasion of a sugar party. A large
number of friends were present and
were right Hospitality entertained.
Uncle Ben and his good wife have
peculiar tact for making their guests