Genealogical items transcribed
by
Bennett Norton Benson, M.D.
Great-great-grandson
of Archibald Norton
June 1999
The Archibald Norton Bible is bound in brown leather, measuring approximately 9.25 x 11.25 x 2.625 inches. On the spine are the words 'HOLY - BIBLE' in gold letters on a red background. While the binding is still intact, it is in poor condition. The spine is about 90% intact, with the front cover attached along 75% of the edge, but the back cover is only attached along about 45% of the upper edge. All of the pages are attached at the spine, but the pages appear to be greatly worn, stained and mottled by use, time, moisture, and possibly mildew. The pages are basically beige in color, and the paper has the texture of thick rough newsprint. It is a reference bible, published in 1830 by (and sold by) N. & G. Guilford and Morgan & Sanxay of Cincinnati, Ohio (originally stereotyped by E. White of New York). To quote the main part of the title page:
THE HOLY BIBLE CONTAINING THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, TRANSLATED OUT OF THE ORIGINAL TONGUES, AND WITH THE FORMER TRANSLATIONS DILIGENTLY COMPARED AND REVISED, WITH CANNE'S MARGINAL NOTES AND REFERENCES. TO WHICH ARE ADDED, AN INDEX; AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF ALL THE NAMES IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, WITH THEIR SIGNIFICATIONS; TABLES OF SCRIPTURE WEIGHTS, MEASURES, AND COINS, &c.
While this is basically the King James Version of the Bible as we know
it today, I found no reference to that term other than this interesting
notation in what is now commonly called a preface:
To The Reader
As the Dedication of the English translation of the BIBLE to king James
the first of England seems to be wholly unnecessary for the purposes of
edification, and perhaps on some accounts improper to be continued in an
American edition, the Editors have substituted a short account of the
translations of the Old and New Testaments from the original Hebrew and
Greek in which they were written.
The near proximity of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 to the
time of the publishing of this volume (1830) suggests that resentment
still ran high even when it came to publishing this Bible; that the term
King James Version as we know it today was too painful to be recognized.
Due to the overall condition of the bible, I feel it best not to
subject the book to potential damage to the spine and the cord holding
it together to photocopy the pertinent pages. I plan to consult a
conservator of old books about possible restoration of this Bible so
that it will be around for many more generations.
The ownership (possession) of this Bible over the approximately 170
years since publication is presumed (or known) to be as follows:
1) Archibald Norton
2) George Hanan Norton, his son
3) Fannie Thomas Norton, George's second wife
4) Frank Claud Norton, son of George and Fannie Norton
5) Carl Thomas Norton, son of George and Fannie Norton
6) Lucy Catherine Benson Blaine Clarke [LBC], great-granddaughter of
Archibald Norton
7) Bennett Norton Benson, great-great-grandson of Archibald Norton
While this Bible has been in the possession of many family members,
there are only rare notations in the margins by those using it in the
past.
Now on to the Family Records located on pages between the Old and New
Testaments. The entries appear to be by those listed above (# 1-6), and
also probably the wife of Archibald Norton and the first wife of George
H. Norton. Most early entries are in a brown tone ink, while entries by
#4 above are in black, #5 above are in blue-black, and the most recent
entries by #6 above are in either blue-black or blue ink. The various
members of the family listed appears to be determined by who was in
possession of the Bible at the time, and generally only that family line
is followed. These pages are formatted into two columns with a heading,
but the rest is free form (no lines). Most of the entries have a single
or double horizontal line drawn to separate adjacent entries. I will
attempt to transcribe the entries as they appear, including
misspellings, punctuation errors and grammar that is different from
current times. Editorial notations will denoted by [ ]. Also see the
editorial notes at the end where I identify the various listings and
mark them with unique symbols.
Marriages.
[Left hand column] [First page]
Archibald and Nancy Norton was Marrid the 27 of June 1824
John J. and Laureta P. Barker Norton was married the 20th of June 1848
[Barker was inserted between the P. and Norton above the line of the
rest of the text]
William. J. and Nancy A. [Wilson] Norton was married the 15 of September
1850
George. H. [Elizabeth smeared out on first line] and Elizabeth
[Hutchison] Norton was married the 19 of November 1850
John & Martha A. [Norton] Lemmon was married July 17th 1851
Thomas Gibson and N M Norton was married the 9th of Feb 1858
[Right hand column]
Geo. H. Norton and Fannie Thomas was Married the 18th of Aug 1874
F. B. Benson and Jennie Norton - Dec. 15 1897 - at Dry Ridge, Ky. [entry
by LBC]
Lucy C. Benson and Robert O'Hara Blaine, July 14th, 1930 [entry by LBC]
Lucy B. Blaine and John W. Clarke October 23, 1943 [entry by LBC]
Births.
[Left hand column] [Second page]
Archibald Norton was born the 15th of December 1797
Nancy [Mitts / Nichols] Norton was born the 13th of March 1803 [wife of
Archibald]
George Hanan Norton was born the 16th of October 1825 �
William Jackson Norton was born the 18th of February 1828 �
John James Norton was born the 23th of March 1830 �
Martha ann Norton was born th 2s of Aprile 1832 �
[Right hand column]
Samiel [Samuel] Durbon Norton was born the 17th of August 1834 �
Charles Ruddell Norton was born the 16 of November 1836 �
Mary Jane Norton was Born the 8th of December 1838 �
Nancy Marget [entry corrected to Margaret with 'ar' entered above an
insertion mark between the g and e] Norton was Born the 3 of November
1841 �
Thomas Henry Norton was Born the st 1 of March 1844 �
[Left hand column] [Third page]
Archibald [scratched out and the following entered under it in a second
handwriting] Archibald, Japet [entry corrected to Japhet with 'h'
entered above an insertion mark between the p and e] Newland, Norton was
borned the 19 of May 1848 �
William Leroy Norton was born Dec 6th 1851 *
Benjamin Franklin Lemmon was born Sept 1st 1852 #
Ann. Eliza. Norton was born jan 24th 1853 ?
Thomas K. Norton was born June 12th 1851 ?
[Right hand column]
[Entered above the word 'Births.']
F. B. Benson - born May 24th - 1863 [entry by LBC]
[Under the column heading]
John David Norton was born Apr 29th 1853 **
James Archibald Norton was born July 29th 1854 *
John Breckinridge Norton was Born January 10th 1857 *
John Newton Lemmon was born [ed was crossed out] Sept 9th 1856 #
Jennie Norton was born July 31st 1867 *
Frank Claud [originally spelled Claudius but the 'ius' was crossed out]
son of Geo H & Fannie Norton was Born the 18th of Sept 1876
Carl Thomas - son of Geo. H and Fannie Norton was Born Sep 10th [10th
written over in modern times to clarify an illegible entry by LBC] 1880
[In the bottom margin of the page was the following entry probably from
the 1870's]
Fannie Thomas wife of Geo. H. Norton was born Aug 23d' 1844
Deaths.
[Left hand column] [Fourth page]
Archibald Norton Died March the 17 1848
Nancy Norton died Jan. 31st 1855 [wife of Archibald Norton]
John Breckinridge Norton died May 5th 1860
Archibald Japhet Newland Norton died Nov 6th 1865
Betty the wife of Geo H Norton died January 12th 1873
From a clipping - John J. Norton died Jan 24, 1889 [entry by LBC]
[Right hand column]
John Lemmon Died July 11th 1862
Thomas H. Gibson died March 10th 1866
George H. Norton died June, 4th 1905.
Fannie Thomas Norton died Mar 12th 1919
Frank Claud Norton died Apr 2nd 1934
Robert O'Hara Blaine November 16th, 1940 [first husband of LBC][entry by
LBC]
Forest B. Benson December 23, 1950 [entry by LBC]
Carl Thomas Norton Dec. 7, 1957 [entry by LBC]
Jennie Norton Benson Feb. 8, 1958 [entry by LBC]
Editorial Notes:
� Denotes children of Archibald and Nancy Norton.
* Denotes children of George H. and Elizabeth Norton.
# Denotes child of John and Martha Lemmon.
** Denotes child of William Jackson and Nancy A. Norton.
? Denotes parents unknown at the present time. The child is probably a
grandchild of Archibald and Nancy Norton.
Return to Home Page