Richard H. Norton
Richard Henry Norton | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Norton by Charles Milton Bell | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 7th district | |
| In office March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1893 | |
| Preceded by | John E. Hutton |
| Succeeded by | John T. Heard |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Henry Norton November 6, 1849 Troy, Missouri, US |
| Died | March 15, 1918 (aged 68) St. Louis, Missouri, US |
| Party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Westminster College Saint Louis University Washington University in St. Louis |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
Richard Henry Norton (November 6, 1849 – March 15, 1918) was an American lawyer and politician. A Democrat, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri.
Biography
Norton was born on November 6, 1849, in Troy, Missouri, the son of Elias Norton. He studied at Westminster College, Saint Louis University, and the law school of Washington University in St. Louis, graduating from the latter in 1870.[1] He was admitted to the bar in 1870, after which he began practice in Troy.[2]
A Democrat, Norton represented Missouri's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1889, to March 3, 1893.[2][3] He had previously ran in five Democratic primaries for Congress.[1] In the Democratic primary for the 1888 election, he faced Judge Elijah Robinson, and they tied. Instead of by vote, Norton was decided the Democratic candidate by the flip of a penny;[4] this event led Champ Clark to support primary elections.[5] His tenure in the House was his first and only position in public service. He was a member of the Committee on Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi River, alongside fellow Missouri Representative Frederick G. Niedringhaus.[6] In 1900, Ainslee's Magazine described his tenure as overlooked and "neither a favorite nor an object of dislike".[7]
After serving in Congress, Norton worked in law and agriculture.[2] In 1874, he married Annie Ward; they had one child together.[1] He died on March 15, 1918, aged 68, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.[8] He is buried in the City Cemetery, in Troy.[2]
References
- ^ a b c "Birth of Richard H. Norton". Bethany Republican-Clipper. 7 November 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ^ a b c d "Bioguide Search". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved 2026-01-04.
- ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Norton". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved 2026-01-04.
- ^ "Former Congressman Dies". Columbia Missourian. 15 March 1918. p. 1. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ^ Webb, William Larkin (1912). Champ Clark. Neale Publishing Company. pp. 55, 56.
- ^ Congress, United States (1890). Official Congressional Directory. U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 67, 68, 140.
- ^ Ainslee's Magazine. Howard, Ainslee & Company. 1900. p. 431.
- ^ "Hon. Richard H. Norton". Ralls County Record. 29 March 1918. p. 5. Retrieved 2026-01-03.