Norton Township was named for proprietor and principal landowner Birdsey Norton, a wealthy merchant from Goshen, Connecticut. However, he never set foot in Norton--he died six years before the township was organized in 1818. Early settlers, the first of whom were James Robinson and John Cahow, carved their way through the wilderness to build on this fertile land. In its early form, Norton included seven small hamlets: Loyal Oak, Western Star, Sherman, Johnsons Corners, Norton Center, Hametown, and New Portage. Each hamlet had its own unique shops, taverns, blacksmiths, and mills. These...