The Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Representative Men of Chicago, Milwaukee and the World's Columbian Exposition

              BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY AND PORTRAIT GALLERY.
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for the practice of law, and especially with the view of associating with himself as a partner in the practice his son, Walter B., who was studying law, and, although in delicate health, was thor¬ oughly educated and a young man of sterling qualities and of great promise, and to whom Mr. Ennis and his family looked forward with the brightest hopes ; but before he regained his health, and before he was able to enter upon the duties of his chosen profession, he died, on March 31, 1890. Since the death of his son Mr. Ennis has endeavored to confine his practice to corpo¬ ration law.
He occasionally, upon special requests, pre¬ pares and delivers an address upon subjects of current interest. He read before the Illinois State Bar Association, at its twelfth annual meet¬ ing, an exhaustive paper upon the subject of "Commerce: Intra-State and Inter-State; Its Regulation and Taxation." He also read, on the occasion of  the banquet at the twelfth  annual
meeting of the American Bar Association, a complimentary sentiment upon the subject of "The American Bar Association."
Mr. Ennis' daughters are highly educated and accomplished young ladies, having been graduated at Dearborn Seminary in Chicago, and at Miss Brown's, in New York, besides having received special instruction in special branches of study.
His mother resides in Chicago and his brother in New York.
Mr. Ennis has been for many years a Mason of the higher degrees—Royal Arch, Knights Tem- lar and Scottish Rite. He is a member of the City, State, American and National bar asso¬ ciations.
In politics he has always been a Democrat. While of positive political opinions, he favors strict economy and practical reform in the man¬ agement of public affairs, municipal, state and national. His efforts have been blessed. He has a large business and a most desirable clientage.
JAMES SAGER  NORTON,
CHICAGO,   ILL.
THE professional man who has the advantage of an early and liberal education, an exten¬ sive and varied course of reading, and whose well- developed mind has been enlarged by considera¬ ble travel, possesses many advantages over his less fortunate associates. By study he has culti¬ vated his intelligence, and by intercourse with others he has gained experience.
James Sager Norton, gifted with more than ordinary ability, afforded early opportunity for study, and who finished his academic course with foreign travel, is to-day amongst the most promi¬ nent professional men of this city. He was born December 6, 1844, at Lockport, III. His parents were Hiram Norton and Elizabeth, nee Sager, both of whom were descended from highly re¬ spected families. His father was a grain mer¬ chant at Lockport, and the proprietor of the Norton Mills. Young Norton received his ele¬ mentary education at the public school, and later at a select school in his native town. He was afterwards entered at Kenyon College, Gambler, Ohio, where he proved himself to be an   earnest
and careful student. His progress was such that his parents determined to send him to Yale, where he graduated with honor in the class of 1865. A docile student, a cheerful companion and a careful and accurate reader, his training and culture reflect credit on his professors.
Being twentv-one years of age, he resolved on making the law his future profession, and, after a year of travel in Europe entered himself as a student in the Columbia Law School, New; York City, where he made considerable progress in the study of the theory of law.
When Mr. Norton completed his course at the law school, he chose Chicago as his residence, and entered the law ofifice of Scammon, McCagg and Fuller. Here he gave evidence of the ability which he has since developed. He w^as admitted to practice in 1868, his first association being with Benjamin D. Magruder, then Master in Chancery, and now Judge of the Supreme Court of this State. He was afterwards associated for many years with John N. Jewett, under the firm name of Jewett &  Norton.    The present firm of Nor-