Adam Norton (1883 - 1969)

Born 10 Mar 1883 in Cisco, Eastland, Texas, United States

Died 1 Feb 1969 at age 85 in San Antonio, Bexar, Texas, United States

Biography

Mr. Norton was named "A" at birth, then began using the name "Adam" when he went to work for the oil company. His birth certificate reads A Norton. The information for his birth certificate was filed 19 Sept 1947 when he was 65 years old, with affidavits signed by Willie Norton and T.S. Davis (Eastland Co, TX Birth Record, Pg 21767, Delayed Registration)

"A" and Kate were married in Martha, Greer Co, OK, and moved to Wichita Falls, TX, soon after. Cora Mae, their first child, was born there. From there, "A" moved the family to Shiloh where he was a tenant farmer. In the 1910 Limestone County census, A and Kate with Cora M were living next door to Zacharias and Georgia O Norton with Claude and Bertie. Pauline and Robert were born across the road from Sunday's log cabin in Shiloh. Henry Lee, another son, and a set of twins, Vester Allen and Vernie Christine, were born in a community called Kickapoo (south of Shiloh where Bethel Cemetery is located).

They moved by train to Olden, in Eastland County, TX, in 1919 where "A" worked for Humble Oil and Refinery Company. The 1920 census shows A Norton as an oilfield worker living with Kate and children Cora M, Pauline, Robert, Henry, Vester, and Vernie, living in Olden City next door to brothers Addison and family, and EA and Addie, and down the road from Zack and Dealie and family, and Samuel and Minnie and family. In 1922, after only about two years in Olden, they tore the house down and moved it back to Mexia on the train and rebuilt it.

Betty Mozell, their youngest daughter, was born in Mexia. Adam bought a new Chevrolet in 1925 in Mexia. They had been to the movies at the Juarez Theater. When he drove the car home, the seven kids walked home behind the car because he had never driven until that time. Vernie attended one year of school in Mexia. Walking to school on McKinney Street in Mexia in wintertime there was a stream of kids all along the route. She was 7 years old at the time. Robert went to the Sumpter Street School and then to McKinney.

Since they were working for the oil company, the late 1920's took them to several oil boom towns. In 1928, they moved to Mildred, Texas, southeast of Corsicana in Navarro County, where they lived for only one or two terms of school. They moved to New London, in Rusk Co, Texas, on September 1, 1930, and lived in a tent until they could build a house. They lived in primitive surroundings, with dirt floors and carrying water from a well of a neighbor. Wherever they went, a garden and chickens were a must. When the depression hit, they managed to have enough. As a child, Vernie remembered going to cotton fields early in the morning where she and her twin were kept under the wagon in the shade while the others picked cotton. Kate managed to fix enough lunch or bring out beans, sweet potatoes and cornbread. The day running water came to the Norton house was a joyous one and then came electric lights. They still had Saturday night baths in a "Number 3" washtub set beside a cast iron wood stove. Surgery and medicine have come a long way since those days. Vernie remembers that her oldest brother had surgery in the old Dr. Brown Hospital and was there a month from a ruptured appendix. Adam stayed with his daughter, Vernie, and her husband in Luling while Kate was hospitalized at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston. After her death, he lived with Vernie and J.C. in San Antonio, then in a nursing home in San Antonio before moving to the Sunshine Nursing Home in New London. It is interesting that the Sunshine Nursing Home building was formerly the First Baptist Church of New London, which Adam and family helped build. The kids scraped paint off the old window panes and served water and Kool Aid to the workers, one of which was Adam. It was appropriate that he lived there his last days. His room was about where the baptistry had been. Adam died in Overton 1 February 1969.

His obituary read: ADAM NORTON RITES HELD AT HENDERSON

Funeral services for Adam Norton, Jr., 85, of San Antonio were held Monday morning in the chapel of Crawford-A. Crim Funeral Home in Henderson with the Rev. J. Travis Gibson officiating. Burial was in the Lakewood Memorial Gardens.

Mr. Norton died Saturday morning in the Overton Memorial Hospital following a lengthy illness. He was a native of Cisco and had been a patient in the Sunshine Nursing Home in New London.

He was a retired gauger employed by Humble Oil and Refining Company and a member of the Parkview Baptist Church in San Antonio.

Survivors include two sons, R.E. Norton of Baytown and Henry Lee Norton of Joinerville; three daughters, Mrs. Cora Mae Fohn, Overton; Mrs. Pauline Rhodes of Lyford, and Mrs. J.C. Turner of San Antonio; 10 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.

His grandsons served as pallbearers.

Son of Anthony Norton and Nanny Tomlinson.

He was a retired oil guager, 85 years old, widowed, and a resident of San Antonio, Texas. Informant was Mrs. J. C. Turner; burial was February 3, 1969. Crawford-A. Crim was in charge of arrangements.

Sources

• 1920, 1930, 1940 US census

• Oklahoma, County Marriage Records, 1890-1995

• U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54030323/adam-norton