John Norton

John Norton (May 6, 1606 – April 5, 1663) was a Puritan divine in England and Massachusetts. Career Norton was born at Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. He was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge (BA 1627), and ordained in his native town. He became a Puritan and sailed in 1634 to New England, landing at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1635. He was 'called' to the new settlement of Ipswich, Massachusetts and ordained 'teacher' there in 1638. He was an active member of the convention that formed The Cambridge Platform in 1648, and was a contributor to its drafting. In 1652 he became a colleague of John Wilson at the first church in Boston, where he succeeded John Cotton as minister. In the following years, Norton became a leading opponent of the Antinomians and a chief instigator of the persecution of the Quakers in New England. However, he, along with Wilson, privately opposed the conviction and execution of Ann Hibbins for witchcraft. Mrs. Hibbins was hanged on June 19, 1656. She was the third person to be executed for witchcraft in Boston.