Michael Norton (December 25, 1837 in County Roscommon,

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

– April 23, 1889 in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

) was an American politician from New York.

Life

The family emigrated to

when Michael was still an infant. he began to work when eight years old, first in a crockery factory, then in a sugar refinery. At age 16, he became a mess boy aboard the steamer ''

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

'' of the

Collins Line The Collins Line was the common name for the American shipping company started by Israel Collins and then built up by his son Edward Knight Collins, formally called the New York and Liverpool United States Mail Steamship Company. Under Edward C ...

. After six trips across the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

, he abandoned the maritime service, and became a

cooper Cooper, Cooper's, Coopers and similar may refer to: * Cooper (profession), a maker of wooden casks and other staved vessels Arts and entertainment * Cooper (producers), alias of Dutch producers Klubbheads * Cooper (video game character), in ...

instead. He fought in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

as a captain of volunteers from May to November 1861, when he resigned his commission to take care of the family after his father's death. He was an Alderman of New York (3rd D.) from 1865 to 1870. He was a Democratic member of the New York State Senate (5th D.) from 1868 to 1871, sitting in the 91st, 92nd, 93rd and

94th New York State Legislature The 94th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to April 21, 1871, during the third year of John T. Hoffman's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the provis ...

s. He was a member of the

Tweed Ring William Magear Tweed (April 3, 1823 – April 12, 1878), often erroneously referred to as William "Marcy" Tweed (see below), and widely known as "Boss" Tweed, was an American politician most notable for being the political boss of Tammany H ...

, and was admitted to the bar without studying law. During his second senatorial term, he left the Ring and joined the Young Democracy (an Anti-Tweed faction of

Tammany Hall Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York City political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society. It became the main loc ...

. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (New York Co., 5th D.) in

1873 Events January–March * January 1 ** Japan adopts the Gregorian calendar. ** The California Penal Code goes into effect. * January 17 – American Indian Wars: Modoc War: First Battle of the Stronghold – Modoc Indians defe ...

. Later he joined Irving Hall and the County Democracy, both Anti-Tammany organizations affiliated with the Democratic Party. He was Civil Justice of the First District from 1882 until his death.

Sources

''The New York Civil List''
compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough, Stephen C. Hutchins and Edgar Albert Werner (1870; pg. 444)
''Life Sketches of the State Officers, Senators, and Members of the Assembly of the State of New York in 1868''
by S. R. Harlow & S. C. Hutchins (pg. 123ff)
''Manual of the Corporation of New York''
by Joseph Shannon (1869; pg. 618)
''MICHAEL NORTON DEAD''
in NYT on April 24, 1889 {{DEFAULTSORT:Norton, Michael 1837 births 1889 deaths Democratic Party New York (state) state senators New York City Council members New York (state) state court judges Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly Politicians from County Roscommon 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American judges