Patrick Norton (1835 - 1919)

Born 10 Feb 1835 in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Husband of Ellen (Woods) Norton — married 19 Sep 1864 in Rochester, Olmsted, Minnesota, United States

Husband of Bridget (McLaughlin) Norton — married 23 Jun 1898 in Rochester, Olmsted, Minnesota, United States

Descendants

Died 17 Apr 1919 at age 84 in Rochester, Olmsted, Minnesota, United States

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Biography

Patrick was born in 1835 in Dublin to John Norton and Mary Conley.

In about 1855, his father passed away according to his mother's 1895 obituary.

By 1854, Patrick immigrated to the US at about age 19. (Patrick's 1854 immigration date is from his 1857 naturalization statement and it conflicts with the earlier dates given on the 1900 and 1910 Census and the 1910 County History.) The next year, he was in Madison, Wisconsin. By 1856, he was in Rochester where he remained the rest of his life. It is possible that his brother Thomas 14 accompanied him except that Thomas is not living with him in the 1860 Census.

In about 1866, Lizzie 23 and her mother Mary immigrated to the US and settled in Rochester. There are no records for her father John in the US. The only evidence is that Lizzie's 1906 obituary mentions that she came with her parents but that story doesn't gibe with mother Mary's earlier 1895 obituary.

From 1856 to 1859 in Rochester, Patrick clerked at the York State House hotel. From 1859 to 1868, he was a blacksmith at Clark and Lockie. In 1864, he married Ellen Woods. They had five children, all born in Rochester. In 1868, the blacksmith shop was called Norton and Haines.

In 1871, Patrick built and then operated the Norton House Hotel at 104 S.E. 2nd Street in Rochester. Ellen passed away in 1886. In 1894, Patrick sold the Norton House Hotel to Mrs. J. W. O’Rourke. Mr. and Mrs. O’Rourke ran the hotel with the help of Patrick’s sons John and Frank.

Patrick used the proceeds of the hotel sale to purchase an 80-acre farm with a large colonial-style home in north Rochester. In 1898, Patrick 63 married Bridget McLaughlin 44. He passed away in 1919. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery adjacent to both wives.

Olmsted County Democrat, 30 Jun 1898, page 3

Quietly Married.

Friday's Daily.

At 8 o'clock yesterday morning at St. John's church, Mr. Patrick Norton of this city and Miss Bridget McLaughlin of Farm Hill were quietly married, Rev. Wm. Riordan officiating. Miss Nellie McLaughlin and Mr. Thomas McLaughlin, Jr., attended respectively, the bride and the groom.

Mr. Norton is one of the best known and most highly esteemed men in the county, having represented the first district in the board of county commissioners on more than one occasion. Miss McLaughlin is held in affectionate regard by many friends in the vicinity of her home and the city.

Mr. Norton has lately built a comfortable house on his property just east of Broadway bridge on the north side of the river. Here Mr. and Mrs. Norton have taken up their abode and will reside permanently.

History of Olmsted County, 1883, p. 973

Patrick Norton, hotelkeeper, was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1835. When sixteen years of age he came to America and located in Salem, Massachusetts, remaining six months; thence to Madison, Wisconsin, where he remained two years. In 1856 he came to Rochester and was employed as clerk in the "York State House." In 1859 he began learning the blacksmith trade, which he followed twelve years. In 1871 he erected the hotel now known as the Norton House, which he has since conducted. He was married in 1864, to Miss Ellen Woods, a native of Canada. John, Mary, Josie and Frank are their children's names.

History of Olmsted County, 1910, p. 478

Patrick Norton (1826-1918)

Born in Dublin, Ireland, 1826 — came to America in 1850 arriving in Boston. 1851 moved to Wisconsin and came to Rochester 1856, working in the shop of Clark and Lockie, blacksmithing until 1873. At that time he opened the “Norton House” on the site of the present Norton Hotel, No. 104 2nd St.S.E. (the former site of the Pioneer Baptist Church, built 1858), 1st church to build its own edifice. The Norton House became a popular farmer’s hotel, when hauling grain. The spacious barn provided care for the horses.

In 1894 he retired from the hotel business, and purchased an 80-acre farm in north Rochester, now the Silver Lake area; the original house was facing east; this was turned around to face the south and the lake. The property subsequently was owned by Otto Riess, Ben Mitchell, C. E. Ginther, and presently, by Clifford Johnson — the home address is 324 14th Street N.E. Mr. Johnson remodeled the house into a Colonial style architecture.

Patrick Norton married Ellen Woods (sister of Patrick Woods) of Rochester, on _____. Their four children were:

• John M. Norton, born July 1, 1866, married November 26, 1888 to Fredericka Getzman, children: Eileen, Maria, Eva, John, and Joseph (deceased).
• Mary married Martin C. Lawler, children: Fabian and Gerard, adopted a daughter.
• Josephine married John E. McGovern, they raised 8 children, see page 344.
• Dr. P. Frank Norton (M.D.), born August 15, 1876, graduated from American Medical College, Chicago, practiced in Minte, ND.

All four were raised and educated in Rochester.

1860 Federal Census in Rochester:

• Stewart Clark 26 Blacksmith born Ohio
• wife Elizabeth 30 born New York
• daughter Mary 8 months born Minnesota
• John Westerman 25 Blacksmith born Ohio
• Patrick Norton 26 Blacksmith born Ireland
• Emma Burt 20 Domestic born Germany

1870 Federal Census in Rochester:

• Patrick Norton 34 Blacksmith born Ireland
• wife Ellen 30 Keeps House born Canada
• son John 4 born Minnesota
• daughter Mary 1 born Minnesota
• Maggie Carry 20 Downstairs servant born Ireland
• Anna Norton 13 born Wisconsin
• Angels Clark 23 Blacksmith born Canada
• James McClelland 22 Blacksmith born Canada
• Hugh McCloud 23 Blacksmith born Canada
• Thomas Scott 30 Wagon Maker born Canada
• William Malckey 24 Clerk born Canada
• Jerry Murphy 24 Tailor born Canada
• William Turres 28 Machinist born New York

1880 Federal Census in Rochester:

• Patrick Norton 45 Hotel Keeper born Ireland
• wife Ellen 42 Keeping House born Ireland
• son John 14 born Minnesota
• daughter Mary 12 born Minnesota
• daughter Johanna 10 born Minnesota
• Johanna O’Rourke 38 works in tailor shop
• John O’Rourke 10
• 7 servants
• 9 boarders

1900 Federal Census in Rochester:

• Patrick Norton 65 Farmer born Ireland (immigrated 1852)
• wife Bridget 42 born Canada (immigrated 1864)

1910 Federal Census in Rochester:

• Patrick Norton 74 Farmer born Ireland (immigrated 1851)
• wife Bridget 50 born Canada (immigrated 1862)

Sources

• 1857 Naturalization Record [1]
• 1860 Federal Census [2]
• 1870 Federal Census [3]
• 1880 Federal Census [4]
• 1900 Federal Census [5]
• 1910 Federal Census [6]
• History of Olmsted County, 1910, p. 478
• 1919 Minnesota Deaths and Burials give his parents as Jno Norton and Mary Connally [7]
• Findagrave [8]