History of Norton, (Bristol County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

Edward Hammond Clarke, physician, was born at Norton, Mass., Feb. 2, 1820; son of the Rev. Pitt Clarke. He was graduated from Harvard in 1841. After two years at Fayal as tutor in the family of Consul Dabney, he returned home and was graduated M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania in 1846. He made a special study of the diseases of the ear in Europe and on his return to the United States settled in Boston, where he attained eminence as an aurist. In 1855 he succeeded Dr. Jacob Bigelow as professor of matetia medica at Harvard college, resigning the chair in 1872 and serving as a member of the board of overseers of Harvard, 1872-77. He was opposed to the higher education of women purely on physiological grounds and wrote "Sex in Education," in answer to which Mrs. Julia Ward Howe published "Sex and Education." He delivered, by invitation, an address on the "Education of Girls," before the National educational association at Detroit, Mich., Aug. 5, 1874. He was a fellow of the American academy of arts and sciences. He published Observations on the Treatment of Polypus of the Ear (1869); Physiological and Therapeutical Action of Bromide of Potassium and Bromide of Ammonium, in conjunction with R. Amory (1871); Sex in Education (1873); The Building of a Brain (1874); and Visions; a Study of False Sight, written during his last illness and published with a memoir by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes (1878). He died in Boston, Mass., Nov. 30, 1877.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Benjamin Braman, microscopist, was born in Norton, Mass., Nov. 23, 1831. He was graduated at Brown university in 1854, was tutor in the University grammar school for one year, instructor of Latin at the University of Michigan the following year, and was graduated at Andover theological seminary in 1859. He became pastor of the Congregational church at Shutesbury, Mass., in 1860. In 1862 he was the principal of the academy at Westport, Mass. In 1863-'64 he taught at Astoria, N.Y., and subsequently engaged in teaching drawing in the Cooper Union, N.Y. He was president of the New York microscopical society, corresponding secretary of the Torrey botanical club, member of the New York academy of science, and editor of the Journal of the New York Microscopical Society. He died in Norton, Mass., Jan. 20, 1889.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

George Leonard, representative, was born in Norton, Mass., July 4, 1729; son of Judge George and Rachel (Clap) Leonard. He was graduated at Harvard, A.B. 1748, A.M. 1751; was register of the probate court, 1749-83; and was admitted to the bar in 1750. He was married Nov. 27, 1759, to Experience, daughter of the Hon. Samuel White, of Taunton. He was a representative in the provincial legislature, 1764-66; councillor, 1770-75; judge of the probate court, 1784-90; judge of the court of common pleas, 1785-98, and chief justice, 1798-1804. He represented Massachusetts in the 1st, 3d and 4th congresses, 1789-91 and 1793-97; was a state senator, 1792-93, and a state representative, 1801-02. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Yale in 1753 and that of LL.D. from Brown in 1804. He died in Raynham, Mass., July 26, 1819.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor