Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 995 - 996 

JOSEPH E. NORRIS. The name of this gentleman is familiarly known as one of the substantial farmers of Park Township, to which he came in February, 1871, and homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 17, west of the Arkansas River. He has been eminently successful as a tiller of the soil, and being a man of good judgment, usually wise in his investments.

             The early home of Mr. Norris was in Round Prairie, Sangamon Co., Ill., where his birth took place Nov. 16, 1833. His father, Joseph Norris, Sr., was born in Maryland on the 18th of May, 1789, and was one of a large family of children. The following history of his life was published in an obituary notice in a paper at the time of his death:

             Joseph Norris departed this life at Edina, Mo., on July 31, 1879, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. The deceased was born in the city of Baltimore, Md., May 18, 1789. When at the early age of eighteen years the migratory tide carried him westward to Bracken County, Ky., where he settled near Augusta until the breaking out of the War of 1812. Being filled with that patriotism which will ever render the Kentuckians of that war famous in song and American history, at the age of twenty-three he enlisted in the line to fight the British, and fought it through in Capt. John Paine's company, with honor and distinction, in several engagements with the best soldiers of the world. At the close of the war he was honorably discharged and returned to his home, and there, on the 27th of January, 1816, was married to Miss Lyda Welch, and soon after moved to Bourbon County of that State, where he resided until the autumn of 1827, when he removed to Sangamon County, Ill., where he resided until the breaking out of the Black Hawk War, in the year 1832, in which he took an active part throughout, participating in several engagements, in one of which his horse was shot from under him in a charge, and a "redskin" in the act of tomahawking the rider was only prevented by a well-directed saber stroke by one of the deceased's comrades severing the Indian's head from his body. That inborn spirit of emigration peculiar to his race again prompted him to move in 1837, this time to Stephenson County, Ill., where he remained for twenty years. After this period of time in Illinois, the deceased fell in with that tide of immigration Missouri ever had, and in 1857 located in Shelby County, Mo., where he remained until the death of his wife, May 23, 1875, being the seventy-ninth year of her age, and over the fifty-ninth year of her married life. He then removed to this county, where he spent the remainder of his days. The deceased was a noble type of the old-time "big-hearted" pioneer, who had felled the forests and driven out the red man and wild beasts, and reclaimed the lands between here and the Atlantic seaboard. The deceased reared fourteen children, of whom eight survive him, five sons and three daughters, all of whom reside in Kansas save two, his son George and Mrs. Gibler, wife of our popular Sheriff. Thus ends the eventful life of one who belonged to the last century, and who did his part to lay deep and well the foundations of our political and religious liberty, and blessed with long years upon earth, and a large family, he now rests from the strife of life and crosses that bourne "whence no traveler ever returns."

             Joseph E. Norris served a thorough apprenticeship at farming in his youth, and completed his education in the district schools of Stephenson County, Ill. He crossed the Mississippi with his father's family, and continued with them during their removals until the outbreak of the Rebellion. A few months later, on the 2d of November, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, 3d Missouri Cavalry, and thereafter was in active service until being mustered out on the 16th of December, 1864. That year he assisted in recruiting the 4th Arkansas Mounted Infantry. His regiment was detailed for duty mostly in their own State and Arkansas.

             After his discharge from the army Mr. Norris returned to Knox County, Mo., of which he continued a resident until his removal to this county. His health was greatly impaired by the privations and hardships which he endured in the service, but being fortunate in securing a fertile tract of land he succeeded in building up a good homestead, although be commenced with very little means. He has a substantial set of frame buildings, good live-stock and farm machinery, and in his later years is enabled to look around him and view with a reasonable degree of satisfaction the result of his labors. His course as a man and citizen has been such as to commend him to the people around him, by whom he is held in universal esteem.

             Mr. Norris, on the 30th of May, 1864, was united in marriage with Mrs. Levina Johnson, nee Cason, who was born in St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 17, 1840. Two years later her parents, Martin and Elizabeth (East) Cason, removed to Independence County, Ark., where they spent the last years of their lives. The father was a mason by trade, and departed this life in 1871, at the age of sixty-seven years. The mother passed away soon after the death of her husband, and was sixty-one years old.

             Our subject and his wife became the parents of eight children, one of whom, a little daughter, died in early childhood. Mattie is the wife of William Friend, who is farming in Adair County, Iowa; Adah is the wife of William Snively, of Wichita; the others are named respectively John T., Joseph Martin, Ludia Maude, Lewis B. and Charles B. Mr. Norris, politically, is a stanch Republican, and while in Missouri was the incumbent of various local offices. His estimable wife is a member in good standing of the Missionary Baptist Church, with which she has been identified many years.

[ Home ]