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GEORGE
WHITEFIELD NORRIS
Mr.
Norris is a resident farmer of Cass township, and was born in
Fairfield county,
Ohio
, on the 27th of July, 1846. Six years later he removed with his
parents to Hancock county, since which time he has been a continuous
resident. He was brought up on a farm, where he engaged in the
occupations incident to his environment, receiving an ordinary
school education. When our country was threatened by internal
disturbances, in the troublous times of the Civil war, Mr. Norris,
though a mere boy, was exceedingly anxious to engage in the defense
of the
Union
. His age, however, was a bar to the active expression of his
loyalty until the year 1864, when he enlisted as a member of Company
F, of the Forty-seventh Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a
private soldier,. In this company he served until the time of his
honorable discharge at the close, of the war, participating in all
the service that fell to the lot of his command. Returning to the
pursuits of peace, he engaged in farming, and has since then been a
member of that honorable class which is proud to number among its
members such men as Washington, Jefferson and many other of the
prominent men of this country. December 21, 1870, he led to the
matrimonial altar Miss Sarah A., daughter of Alexander and Catherine
Baker, who is a woman of superior attainments and during all of
these years has been a true helpmate to her husband. She is a native
of Hancock county, having been born in Cass township February 2,
1849. Her grandfather on the maternal side was one of the pioneers
of the county, the name of John H. Eckert appearing in the
handwriting of President Andrew Jackson on the original patent to
the farm on which .she and her husband now reside. Mr. Norris and
his wife have cultivated this farm since 1870. Its ninety acres
consist of most valuable soil, and contain one gas well. Mr. Norris
is a Republican in politics, has held the office of
township trustee, and at the date of the present writing is the
honored treasurer of the township. Fraternally, he affiliates with
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a worthy member of
Stoker Post, No. 54, of the Grand Army of the Republic. Alexander M.
Norris, now deceased, the father of our subject, was born in Harford
county,
Maryland
, September 17, 1808. As was the custom in that early day, he was
apprenticed to a trade, and became an expert and skilled
worker in leather, following for a number of years the particular
branch of the trade known as shoemaking. In 1835 he emigrated to
Fairfield
county,
Ohio
, and in 1852 removed to Hancock county, where he abandoned the
trade of his early life and began a career as an agriculturist. Here
he purchased at various times lands amounting to two hundred and
twenty acres. He became a man in good circumstances before he died.
He was a man of fine judgment, honest, industrious, and respected by
his neighbors, among whom
he had considerable influence. Politically he was a Republican,
though he was not given to taking part in the public life of the
community. He was married twice, first to Mary J., the daughter of
John Norris, in 1837. By this union there were six children, four of
whom grew to maturity, and three still living: Mary F. Elizabeth A.;
and Sarah J. The mother died in 1844, and for his second wife Mr.
Norris chose Maria, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stone, the second
marriage following close upon the death of the mother of his
children because of their helpless condition. The second marriage
was consummated in 1845, and to this union were born five children,
three of whom are now living, George W.; David L.; and Annie R. Mrs.
Maria Norris was a native of
Virginia
, having been born November 23, 1811. She died in June, 1892, her
husband, Alexander M., dying in September 1898. Mr. and Mrs. George
W. Norris have three children: John N., Belle
and George D. Mr. Norris owns two hundred and fifty acres of fine
land on
which there are now four oil wells.
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