Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
William E. Norton, Jr. Boatbuilding and Biographical History |
Collection |
William E. Norton, Jr. |
Catalog Number |
2019.24.37 |
Date |
1937-present |
Scope & Content |
Willliam E. "Billy" Norton, Jr. was a deadrise boatbuilder from Deltaville, Middlesex County, Virginia Billy Norton (William E. Norton, Jr.) • Builder of deadrise boats, Deltaville, Virginia (born 1937) • Worked after high school as a mate on the buyboat "J.C. Drewer," which was owned by Captain R. Dea Ailsworth • Bought a partially built deadrise boat from Alfred Norris and finished building the boat with his father’s help • Worked the boat in the oyster patent tong fishery for seven years, fishing in the winter and working at the railway in the summer • Founded Norton’s Yacht Sales in 1961, adjacent to Norton’s Marina, which was founded by his father Ed Norton in 1948 • Billy Norton bought his father’s railway, boatbuilding and marina business in 1969 when Edward Norton retired • Sold Norton’s Yacht Sales to his daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and Ken Schmalenberger, in 1995 • Bought the former former Montgomery and Wilson Railway property in 1995, operating Timberneck Marina at this location until 2017 Norton Yachts • Founded as W.E. Norton Railway by William E. Norton, Sr. in 1945 • Norton’s Yacht Sales established in 1948 • Full service marina with 65 slips on Broad Creek • Previously known as Norton’s Marina and Norton’s Marina & Yacht Sales • Third generation family run business until sold in 2018 • Located at 84 Marina Drive, 97 Marina Drive and 970 Timberneck Road • Includes three parcels, 4.25 acres, Middlesex County Parcels 41-21-15, 41-22-1, 41-23-2 • Larger tract of 1.8 acres was formerly the site of the Montgomery & Wilson Railway |