Elijah Hise Norton (November 21, 1821 – August 6, 1914) was a

U.S. congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

during the

United States Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

Biography

He was born in Russellville, Logan County, Kentucky, November 21, 1821 and attended the public schools and

Centre College Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky. It is an undergraduate college with an enrollment of approximately 1,400 students. Centre was officially chartered by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1819. The college is ...

Danville, Kentucky Danville is a home rule-class city in Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 17,236 at the 2020 Census. Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes ...

He graduated from the law department of

Transylvania University Transylvania University is a private university in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded in 1780 and was the first university in Kentucky. It offers 46 major programs, as well as dual-degree engineering programs, and is accredited by the Southern ...

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...

, in 1842 and was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in

Platte City, Missouri Platte City is a city in and the county seat of Platte County, Missouri within the United States. The population was 4,691 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. History Platte City was founded by Zadock ...

, in 1845. He served as county attorney in 1850 and judge of the circuit court of Missouri 1852–1860. Prior to the

, Elijah served as an outspoken voice against Missouri's secession from the Union. He was a member of the Missouri Constitutional Convention of 1861, where he voted against secession. He was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-seventh Congress (March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863), where, despite his opposition to his state's secession, he opposed waging war against the Confederacy to preserve the Union, believing that "it would be better for all concerned to let the seceding states depart in peace" He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth Congress. He was a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1875, and was one of the primary authors of the Missouri Constitution of 1875. The Missouri Constitution of 1875 sometimes was informally called "Norton's Constitution" due to his major influence over its content and his knowledge of constitutional law. Elijah was subsequently appointed and then elected as judge of the

Supreme Court of Missouri The Supreme Court of Missouri is the highest court in the state of Missouri. It was established in 1820 and is located at 207 West High Street in Jefferson City, Missouri. Missouri voters have approved changes in the state's constitution to give ...

, serving from 1877 to 1888. After his judicial term was over, he was urged to run for Missouri governor and for United States Senator from Missouri, but he declined. He then resumed the private practice of law and the care of his estate and died in Platte City, August 6, 1914. His interment was in Platte City Cemetery. He was a devout baptist, and at the time of his death was the oldest living Freemason in the United States. William Harrison Norton was his great-grandson.

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Retrieved on 2009-03-18 {{DEFAULTSORT:Norton, Elijah 1821 births 1914 deaths Missouri state court judges Judges of the Supreme Court of Missouri People of Missouri in the American Civil War Centre College alumni Transylvania University alumni Missouri lawyers People from Russellville, Kentucky Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri 19th-century American legislators People from Platte City, Missouri 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers