A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Norton, John
NORTON. (Retired Captain, 1840. f-p., 21; h-p., 35.)
John Norton was born 24 May, 1771, and died 26 Sept. 1845.
This officer entered the Navy, about 1789, as A.B., on board the Phoenix 36, Capts. Byron and Sir Rich. John Strachan; under the latter of whom, while cruizing off the coast of Malabar in company with the Perseverance frigate, he took part, 19 Nov. 1791, in an obstinate action (produced by a resistance on the part of the French Captain to a search being imposed by the British upon two merchant-vessels under his orders) with La Résolue, of 46 guns, whose colours were not struck until she had herself sustained a loss of 25 men killed and 40 wounded, and had occasioned one to the Phoenix of 6 killed and 11 wounded. Removing, in Nov. 1793, to the Alexander 74, Capt. Rich. Rodney Bligh, he was on board that ship when captured, off Scilly, 6 Nov. 1794, after a glorious resistance of more than two hours, and a loss in killed and wounded of 40 men, by five French 74’s and three frigates under Rear-Admiral Nielly. On his release from French prison in Aug. 1795, he joined the Topaze 36, Capt. Stephen Geo. Church, and sailed for the Halifax station, where he witnessed, 28 Aug. 1796, the surrender of the French 36-gun frigate Elisabeth. He was confirmed a Lieutenant of the Topaze, after having acted for four months as such, 8 Jan. 1799; and he was subsequently appointed – about 1801, to the Resolution 74, Capt. Hon. Alan Hyde Gardner, which ship was paid off on her return from the West Indies 15 July, 1802 – 22 Sept. 1803, to the Trent 36, bearing the flag of Lord Gardner at Cork – 14 Dec. 1804 and 24 Aug. 1805, to the command of the Marie tender and Frisk cutter, on the Home station – and (having left the latter vessel in Sept. 1816), 30 April, 1807, as Senior, to the Fame 74, Capt. Rich. Henry Alex. Bennett, in the Mediterranean. In the Frisk he assisted, in April, 1806, at the capture and destruction of a battery, of 3 long 36-pounders, with a garrison of 50 men,[1] situated on Pointe d’Equillon, in the Pertuis Breton, and was highly commended by Lord Cochrane for his zeal on the occasion. He continued in the Fame until Feb. 1811; he then took up a commission bearing date 21 of the preceding Oct.; and on 10 Sept. 1840 he accepted the rank of Captain on the Retired List.
We may add, that, when in the Topaze, Capt. Norton had been severely wounded by an explosion of powder while clearing for action. He married 16 Sept. 1803, and had issue one daughter.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1806, p. 684.