William Augustus Norton

Who was William Augustus Norton?

William Augustus Norton was a noted educator, civil engineer and author. He was born in East Bloomfield, New York.

Norton graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1831 and began his academic career there as assistant professor of natural and experimental philosophy. During this time, he also participated in the Black Hawk War. In 1833, he became professor of natural philosophy and astronomy at the City University of New York. In 1839, he moved to Delaware College as professor and then in 1849, became president. He had planned to turn the school into a scientific institution but was discouraged and left in 1850, to become professor of natural philosophy and civil engineering at Brown University. In 1852, Norton came to Yale to found the School of Engineering. He was professor of civil engineering at the Sheffield Scientific School. In 1873, he became a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences. He remained at Yale until his death in 1883.

He was the author of An Elementary Treatise on Astronomy and First Book of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy.