Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-08-22
LONG. EVENIFUL LIFE
William Wallace Norton, of Ell.
we'll, Celebrated Eishty-Eishth
Birthday Last Week.
.GRATI0T COUNTY PIONEER
He Came TO Alma in 1853. Bringing
First Team of Horses
TO the Place.

Last Thursday William Wallace
Norton, one of Gratiot county's oldest
pioneers, celebrated his eighty-eighth
birthday at his home two miles west
OF Elwell, In company with his
grandson, George H. Mays, Of
Topeka, Kan, he visited the Record
office on Wednesday and related some
interesting incidents OF his life. Few
persons living hereabouts have had
more eyentful history than Mr.
| Norton. He came TO this state in
1910, locating at Grand Ledge when
that town was a little frontier settle
ment Soon after coming to Michi-
gan he undertook the job of supply
ing stone for the foundations of the
first state capital building at Lansing
| Great flat boulders, exactly suited to
/ building purposes, were lying at the
bottom of Grand River, where it
flows through Lansing. Mr.. Norton
worked for 30 days bringing these
stones to the surface, being obliged
to dive into 10 or - feet of water
in order to reach them. Sometime
latter he opened the first street in
Lansing. He chopped down the
trees, took ont the stumps and clean
ed ont space for a thoroughfare
eight rods wide. The street ran north
and south, but Mr.. Norton has for
Cotton its name At Grand Ledge
Mr.. Norton built the first dam across
Grand river 1t was solidly con
structed and stood until recent years.
Village lots in Grand Ledge were
not held for fancy prices at that early
day MIR. Norton tells OF purchasing
81 lots for SlSO In 1919 he was
seized with the gold fever and wish
ing to raise funds quickly to pay his
expenses TO California he sold all his
real estate for 20 shillings a lot.
Leaving his family in Michigan Mr.
Norton set ont for the Golden State
in 1850, travelling across the plains
in company with large band Of
fortune seekers. Immediately on his
arrival in California he went to the
gold district on branch of the
American river east OF Sacramento.
He remained there a little over a year
and accumulated about $4,000. His
return was FASTENED by the receipt
OF letter informing him that two
of his children were i'll. The letter
was sent in April and reached Cali
fornla in February Mr. oNrton went
home by way of the Isthmus of Pana-
ma, and although that was the quick
est route, the journey occupied near
ly two months.
Mr. Norton made his first visit TO
Alma in 1853. a few months after
Gen. Ralph Ely had founded the
town. He came here in the winter
with a sleigh load of provisions from
Grand Ledge. On his arrival Mr.
Ely told him that his team of horses
was the first that had ever been driven
into the settlement For the next
few years Mr.. Norton was engaged
almost exclusively in the transporta-
ton OF supplies from Grand Ledge
to Alma Very little specie or cur
rency of any sort was in circulation
in the Michigan backwoods settle
ments and furs, venison, potash and
shingles were generally accepted as
legal tender. The pioneers were an
open-handed, honest class of people.
Credit was extended even to strang-
ers and generally the confidence was
not misplaced. Mr. Norton trusted
the people with whom he dealt, as
was shown by the fact that he
brought eight wagon loads of sup
plies to this locality before receiving
anything in payment for them.
In 1866 Mr.. Norton moved TO this
county and took up a tract of land ad
joining Isabella county. 1t was an
excellent piece of land, heavily tim
bered with the forest pine, and cost
25 cents per acre.
When in the full prime of vigorous
manhood Mr. Norton had more than
a local reputation for his fairness of
endurance and his skill with the axe
and rifle. He was always i'll demand
at a raising or when a good axe-man
was needed 10 form the timbers for
new house or barn. Little Billy
Norton as he was Familiarity known
in those days, was generally on hand
at all the shooting contests for miles
around and was justly respected as
worthy competitor. To settle