He grew up in Columbus, Ohio, moved to New York City and started an import-export business, met and married Margaret Dows Herter, known as Polly or Mary.
[1] In 1923, they began publishing lectures delivered at the People's Institute, the adult education division of New York City's Cooper Union.
William and Margaret had a daughter, Anne Aston Warder Norton (1928-1977).
[2] The Nortons soon expanded their program beyond the Institute, acquiring manuscripts by celebrated academics from America and abroad.
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