New Britain herald., 1914-04-23
Well Known Resident Dead After
 a Lingering Illness. DROWNED IN NEW YORK STATE
Deceased Woman Was Mother of Towns Fire Cllief-ThOmas F. Ryan's Body Found in River at Canaan, N. Y.-Auto Hits Deer.

After an illness of several months,
 Mrs. Esther l.. Norton, widow of
 Captain Andrew Norton, and a we'll
 known resident of Plainville for sev-
 eral years, died last evening at the
 home of her son, Fire Chief Minton A. I Norton of Washington street. Mrs. Norton had been a cancer sufferer
 for some time and for several days
 her condition had been precarious. Besides her son, with whom she
 lived, Mrs. Norton is survived by two
 children, a daughter, Mrs. Cora
 Belden of Rocky Hill, and a son by
 her first marriage, Frederick D.. Spencer of this place. She also has a brother, John Stellman of New York. Funeral services will be held to- morrow afternoon at o'clock from her sons home. Rev. F. L.. Grant, pastor of the Congregational church,
 will of1iciate. Burial will be in Lake Compounce cemetery. The body and
 mourners will be taken to the ce1ne- tery in special trolley car. Mrs. Norton was seventy-eight years of age and was born in Gran by. She was twice married. Her first husband, Reuben Spencer, died but a few years after their wedding. Cap tain Andrew Norton, her second hus- band, died in 1897. In his time he was one of the best known | residents of this section of the state. He was brother of Cad Norton, one l of the founders of Lake CompOunce summer resort, and for years was a ] captain of a canal boat which piled l between Northampton and New l Haven through Plainville. Captain 1 Norton was one of the original 1 Forty-niners. .- On account of her funeral the store 1 of the Plainville Hardware company, with which her son, Minton A., is connected, will be closed tomorrow. Mrs. Norton had many friends fn ] this vicinity and her passing will be generally regretted.
 Drowned in New York State. Word has been received of the l death by drowning in Canaan, N. Y., l of Thomas F. Ryan, who at one time | was well known member Of the of | flee force of the New York, New l Haven and Hartford railroad in Plainville. Details of the manner in 1 which he met his death are lacking. | the only information secured being l that his body was found yesterday. J. F. Atwater. traffic manager for 1 the American Hardware in New Brit
 ain, formerly a railroad man in this 1 place, received word yesterday from l the medical examiner in Canaan con- corning sRyan's death. The doctor 1 sought information concerning the dead mans relatives.
 l Ryan has a sister living in Winsted l and MT. Atwater notified her of the finding of the body. Her husband
 left last evening for Canaan to make 1 arrangements for the funeral.
 l MT. Atwater received a letter from Ryan last Wednesday. At that time
 he was located in New Haven but in his letter he said that his mother had l died but a few weeks before and he was making plans to go west. A re- ply to the letter was mailed the following day and it is believed that it was probably found in Ryan's pocket, resulting in the notification being sent to MT. Atwater.
 1 Ryan had a number of friends in l this town. He was we'll liked among l his associates at the local freight l office.
 1 Auto Hits Deer.
 l Blinded by the dazzling glare from
 the headlights of an approaching au- 1 to a large buck deer halted as he was
 crossing the highway on Farmington 1 avenue last night and was struck by l the machine. The auto was owned by
 a Bristol man who was on his way ] home. He was proceeding at good l