Thomas Norton b. 1753 Goochland, VA
wife Elizabeth (Hawk?)

Sarah Norton b. May 1777 Rockingham, VA
Moses Norton b. 1779 Rockingham, VA, d.July 4, 1833
James Norton b. 1780 Rockingham, VA
Elizabeth Norton b. 1781 Rockingham, VA

Sarah Norton born 1st child of Thomas Norton. The date is extrapolated from the Rockingham Court Book November 26, 1781 Thomas Norton Deceased
"On the motion of Peter Vaneman that the church wardens bind out Sarah Norton daughter of Thomas Norton who has left his wife & family destitute of the means of subsistance to Peter Vaneman until she comes of age being now 4 1/2 years of age." Rockingham County, Virginia Minute Book, 1778-1792 Part I 1778-1786.

Thomas purchased 300 acres on a branch of the North Mill Creek commonly known as "Wolfs Place" in south-east Rockingham, VA in 1778.

This land that Thomas purchased in Rockingham is only 40 miles from the family farm in Fluvanna county. It is just over the Blue Ridge Mountains and served as a "safe" place as the British moved through Ablemarle and Fluvanna in 1780. We find from James Norton Pension applications that he started his service from Fluvanna in 1779 but thereafter operated from Rockingham indicating that the whole family was living on Thomas' farm.

Thomas Norton land in Rockingham on the North side of Jacob Wise land.
I'm able to place Thomas Norton's Property at Goods Mill, Rockingham, VA

It is interesting to note that Thomas' land is about 5 miles from the earliest Baptist church in the Sheandoah valley at Linville Creek.

Thomas dies on Prison Hulk in Charlestown Harbor 1781?
From the Sellers History, "another one of then was taken prisoner and died in a prison ship, in Charleston harbor, in 1780 or 1781."

This event probably doesn't refer to Thomas because we have him serving jury duty when he should have been a prisoner in South Carolina. Thomas is the only brother of the family to die, but it appears he died at the Battle of Yorktown.

The Sellers history is a mixed up with a non-related Norton history from South Carolina and has been the source of a great deal of confusion.

It obviously refers to our family history but is mixed up with the Marion SC Norton history. DNA research determined that this Norton line from Horry and Marion counties in South Carolina is not related to our family. source Don't even try to sort out what isour family and what is the Marion, SC family. There's just a little of both in every line.

The author of this work was William Sellers. As it turns out, his daughter was the wife of the promient Congressman from Marion County, James Norton. His source for the Norton history was the father of James, John W. Norton who was a celebrated veteran of the Civil War. So how did John W. Norton of Marion, SC get his family history mixed up with ours?

This is where Nimrod Norton comes in. Nimrod's father, Hiram Norton was one of the wealthiest men in Kentucky. Nimrod was sent to two military schools and when the Civil War broke out he was living in Missouri. There he raised the first regiment for the Confederacy. Later he was elected to the Confederate Congress in 1864 at Richmond, Virginia.

John W. Norton and his three sons were among the first to join the Confederacy and were sent to Virginia to serve with Robert E. Lee and the Army of Virgina until the war ended. In 1864 they were engaged in defending Richmond and were in close proximity with Nimrod Norton for several months. They must have met and compared family history. Both came from Virginia. both had five brothers that fought in the Revolution and both had a brother who died in battle. The names of the brothers were even similar. William, James, John, David and Solomon. Except that in Nimrod's family the name was Thomas, not Solomon.

John W. Norton knew his ancestor was William in South Carolina, but was real fuzzy on relationships and names. Nimrod must have filled in the blanks. After the Civil War John W Norton went back to Marion county South Carolina and contributed a family history to the Sellers book that had a little bit of Nimrod's history and a rather fuzzy selection of his own. It took DNA to sort things out, but with know with great certainty that these families are not connected.

The November the court in Rockingham, VA was ready to bind out Thomas infant children Nov 1781 just 5 weeks after Yorktown surrendered.

November 26, 1781
"On the motion of Peter Vaneman that the church wardens bind out Sarah Norton daughter of Thomas Norton who has left his wife & family destitute of the means of subsistance to Peter Vaneman until she comes of age being now 4 1/2 years of age." Rockingham County, Virginia Minute Book, 1778-1792 Part I 1778-1786

1782
June 24

1782
February 2

Children of Thomas bound out in Rockingham.

June 24, 1782
"Court orders that the Church Wardens bind out Moses Norton, James Norton and Elizabeth Norton orphans of Thomas Norton deceased according to law.
Rockingham court book 1782

Thomas Norton land in Washington, VA
Page 411 - Thomas Norton, assigned to Sebens Main - 42 ac - treasury warrant #8175 dated February 2, 1782 - on a branch of the south fork of Holstein River -in a valley on an old waggon road - in flatwoods - in Zackens Cole's survey - to Eleazer Cole's land - March 28, 1794

Settlement of Thomas Norton's estate 1783

June 23, 1783
"Ordered that Isaac Hawk be ordered to pay to James Davis the money in his hands by an _______? of the goods of Thomas Norton."
Rockingham Court Minute Book James Davis vs Thomas Norton.

1783
July 14, 1783
"Thomas Norton, Corporal in Revolutionary War, Virigina Line. paid £82-2-5."
Pay record for the Virginia Line. The payment was recieved by James Hawk.

Thomas is captured at Charlestown

The Seige of Charlestown South Carolina

1779--(Dec) General Washington orders 1,400 Continentals to join the forces of General Benjamin Lincoln defending Charles Town.

1780--(Feb 10) British troops under Sir Henry Clinton land on Seabrook Island, and make preparations to lay seige to the city. South Carolina Gazette editor Peter Timothy takes a spyglass up the steeple of St. Michael's Church and reports seeing smoke from hundreds of British campfires.

1780--(March) British warships sweep past the forts guarding the harbor entrance to anchor within broadside range of the city. British Army crosses the Ashley River and establishes a line of breastworks 1,800 yards north of Charles Town's defensive line, completing their encirclement of the civilian population.

1780--(March 29) British siege begins; lasts 40 days.

1780--(May 12) After a bitter struggle, General Benjamin Lincoln surrenders Charles Town to the British, their greatest prize of the Revolutionary War. Two-and-a-half year occupation begins.

1780--(August 27) British troops arrest prominent citizens for encouraging resistance and imprison them in the dungeon of the Old Exchange. Only those signing an Oath of Loyalty to the Crown are released.