Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-07-05
A HALF CENTURY
The Gotsen Wedding Of Col. E. n.
Norton and Wife.
A Joyous Reunion Scene at WINE Cliff
Farm Yesterda y-CoI. Norton's Life
How the Semi-Csntennial Was
Passed.

How the Senli-Ienlenn'dI WAS
Passed.
The Fourth of July has TO Col. E. NJ. Nor,
ton and wife, memories and precious ones,
too, other than as our National birthday.
Fifty years ago, yesterday, this worthy
couple became man and wife, and since
that time they have pursued their way,
through care and trial, to their present hap
piness and prosperity. When the, fiftieth
anniversary--the golden wedding day--ap
preached, it was determined to celebrate II
in worthy manner and accordingly inyi
tations for the event were issued and the
arrival of the day awaited with great in
terest. .....- .'
In response to the following invitation, a
large number OF the relatives and personal
friends of Col. E. NJ. Norton and his anna
bic wife of half century visited his hospit
able residence, yesterday:
lSS2-lsS2.
MR.. AND MRS. Z. NJ. NORTON
Request the pleasure OF your company on the
II
TUESDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 4TH,
at two O'Clock.
Zine Gig Farm, Portland, Ohio.
Col. Norton was born in the year 1912,
and the year 1882 found him just emerging
from an apprenticeship to his trade as a
mailer, at Phenixville, Pennsylvania,
where he had become acquainted with and
learned to love Miss Diana P. Kneeland.
He was in his 10th year and she in her 18th.
On the 4th of July of that year, just fifty
years ago yesterday, accompanied by a
friend and his sweetheart" as the Colonel
expressed it, the youthful pair celebrated
the nations anniversary by trip to Ches-
ter, Pa, and becoming joined in holy we'd
lock. Miss Kneeland was a niece OF the
celebrated Universalist clergyman, Dr.
Kneeland, who stirred the religious ele-
ments OF New England to their depths
about those days. She was beautiful ana
attractive young lady, and, said the Col,
onel,, Yesterday, ''she is as beautiful and
attractive to me this day as she was fifty
yearsago." I'm all these fifty years, con-
tinued the Colonel. 81 say absolutely !
have never seen a soul on this earth that
l would exchange for her, yet l have seen
dear little creatures, bone of my bone ana
flesh of my flesh wither by the wayside.'
Dear little Josephine" the Colonel went
on in a quiet way, I" was the sweetest thing
that ever came to this earth Except her
mother) She, came to, us within twelve
months after our marriage; and SIX months
thereafterS left the two to seek employ
ment in Pittsburgh. l found WORK as
mailer at the Lippincott mill, where ma.
chine or two had been started. Mr.. Spauld-
ing, you know him, who afterwards helped
to make Wheeling nails famous, was at
work at this mill and he and being prac-
tical nailers, gave the mill its reputation.
Spaulding, the late S. H. Woodward, Calvin
Doty and Mr.. Savery lived with me, after 1
brought my wife and child to the Smoky
CITY. After remaining in Pittsburgh sew
eral wears and accommodating some means,
| went to Brownsville, Pa, with Edward
Hughes, who started iron works at that
place. This" unused the Colonel, twas
about one year before the big fire in Pitts
burgh. About twelve months later,
Mr.. Ed. W. Stevens came to Wheel
ing with 500, OOO-which was a big
fortune in those days-and took what is
known as the Top mill He wrote asking
me to come and take charge of a nail de-
partment in the mill for HINT havingsiX
or eight machines. My brother George w.
and came on. Mr.. Stevens was roller,
and he and had worked together years be-
fore. He had made fine fortune, while l
had saved up some $1,000 to $4,000. He was
a visionary man; too clever for this earth
sort OF an angel in breecheS, utterly unable
to say no to any one who had designs on
his pocket book. Poor man / love his
memory.
well, l loaned Stevens my hard-earned
savings, to help him along while others
were plucking him; buthe secured me well.
He trusted everybody, and, OF course, fail
ed--too visionary-but warm-hearted, gen.
erous, and companionable. How l hate
these old-blooded people-tbese Lizards,
cold and slimy-these iron-wedges that
would drive through your soul for pelf. l
have one of that kind in my mind now;
YOU know him well he is your neigLbor-
butt am wandering.
"Yes, poor Stevens was IN failing con-
dition, and said: Let Us build a nail fac.
tory; one disconnected from a general roll
ing mill. Everybody said it would fail. |
said knew how to build a nail mill, and
will put up every dollar can raise on the
hazard. Stevens and l procured John
Hunter and Robert Morrison as partners;
and went to work and built with my own
hands the old Virginia mill, right where
the b. Il o. depot now stands. Missouri
lion ore had Just been discovered, and
that, with my practical skill, enabled me
to bring out strictly ttrst-class nail.
After a time saw | could very greatly
improve on that mill, so | sold my interest
to Zach. Yarnell, with determination to
build mill with which We could excel all
previous attempts in the manufacture OF
nails. l went to Pittsburgh, and, like
Peter the Hermit, fell upon my knees to
my friends and co-laborerS-men who then
were and are at the head of the nail bust.
ness-to put money into the new enterprise.
S. H. Woodward, William Bailey, Calvin
Doty, Henry Wallace, Holstein Harden,
John Wright,-well, twenty in all, Joined
in building an establishment to be owned
and operated by practical mechanics alone.
| succeeded in raising about 49, 900 from
these men, and then admitted Henry Moore,
whom you remember well-a capitalist--as
a partner with an 5000 investment. |
built mill, land had s., 900 lett, better
mill than is now usually built with $780,
eco. This was the Belmont mill, and it
proved q grand success. We who operated
it were practical men; ambitious to make n
reputation and to make moncy-and We
made both. We made the best nails in the
United States-as everybody who knew
anything about it conceded.
After some time | was approached
by some of the partners, who
believed the swarm had grown
too large for the hive, proposing ID
build still another mill. This was freely
asSented to, and the La Belle was the re-
suit.
President Lincoln appointed me United
States Marshal, which Office l held for
eight years; and during that time / sold
my interest in the Belmont mill, and, in
connection with Major Alonzo Loring.
Henry h. List and others, purchased the
Belmont iron and nail works, which were
known as the Norton Iron Works At
ter years of labor there / sold again, and
with my brothers George W., now dead,
and Fred, built the big mill at Iron
ton, Ohio, the biggest concern of the kind
in America had been President of the
mills with which l was connected in
Wheeling, but of this Ironton mill, Capt.
George W. Norton was made President and
remained so until his unfortunate death
from a steamboat explosion. l was then
called to the Presidency and practical man.
agement. After three years of residence at
lronton and management of this concern,
was approached by capitalists of Ashland,
Ky, to build similar establishment which
offer embraced. This is very valuable