Norton Family Farm

Norton Family Farm

 Phil wrote on the back of the picture: "Sept. 19, 1943 Sunday. "Our Barn."

                                          I took it from the roof of our house. Looking east".

Phil wrote on the back of this picture: "Sunday, September 19, 1943. I took this picture of the neighborhood. Looking north".

Simply titled "Home"

FWN Sr

*NEW*  Farm Stories by Phillip Paul Norton

Scio, New York

Description of the farm: You're looking at the house, and from the inside of the house, Grandma and Grandpa's main place was in the left side.  In the middle was a huge middle room and upstairs was a huge bedroom and on the right side was Mom and Dad's living quarters.  We spent a lot of time in the huge middle living room. 

Our dad was taken out of school in the 2nd grade because his father, Oliver S. Norton didn't think that Dad was smart enough.  Actually Dad was hard of hearing and that hindered his school work.  Dad overcame a lot (through no thanks from his father) and actually was as bright as any Norton.

Big Round Top and Little Round Top were hills on the farm (names derived from the Civil War).  We spent many hours riding Fanny (the farm horse) into these hills with Molly (the farm dog) tagging along.  

Dad had a very large vegetable garden that was needed to supply food for our large family.  This was during the depression -- we all had to pitch in and help, from cultivation to weeding, doing whatever was needed. One time in particular I remember was that we were planting seeds.  Bruce and I had to dig the holes and Don would cover the hole after Fred did the really hard job of dropping the seed in the hole. We lived on the Schrader farm until I was elementary school. We moved into Wellsville,  (14 Seneca St.) when Dad got a job with the Wellsville Water and Light. 

If we kids wanted spending money, we had to find work to make money.  Fred was very industrious and he delivered newspapers to a big manufacturing industry.  In those days you were allowed to go right into the place and deliver papers to those who were working with the big machinery.

Our house was the main gathering spot for all the neighborhood boys. There was a big plot of land next to our house where we played all sorts of sports. Bruce was probably the best at horse shoes.

*NEW*  FWN Sr.

*NEW*  FWN Sr.

Map of the Norton Family Farm drawn by Phil Norton

Schrader Family Farm, Stanndards, New York