William Benjamin Norris (abt. 1825 - 1908)

Born about 14 Feb 1825 in Alabama, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Louisa Jane (Pearce) Norris — married 2 Feb 1843 in Pike County, AL

Descendants

Died 27 Jul 1908 at about age 83 in Lula, De Soto, Louisiana, United States

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Biography

Buried at Barber Cemetery, Mansfield, Louisiana (tombstone has birth in 1812 but census shows it was 1824 or 1825). Six miles SW toward Logansport. Benjamin was involved with the Masons.

There is a tombstone by Benjamin's with the name of Lucinda Norris and has the words "Our Mother". It was a second marriage. Lucinda had two children from a previous marriage, James Dean and Alice Dean. Lucinda and Benjamin had nine children; the first three born in Alabama: a baby, born and died about 1869, Nancy (b. 1870) and Mary (b. June, 1871). In late 1871 Benjamin and Lucinda sold their land in Alabama to Robert L. Black (Louisa Jane's brother-in-law) and with some other families (Pearce, Waters, Garrett, Lee, Burkett, & others) moved by wagon train to the northern part of Louisiana. They crossed the Mississippi River at Natchez and probably stopped in Winnfield before moving on to Bienville Parish. Many years later, my grandfather, Henry Abud Norris would tell stories about that wagon train trip that occurred when he was about 8 years old. Henry told how Benjamin and the other men would go hunting for food along the way. On one occasion, they killed a bear. Benjamin and Lucinda had five children born in Louisiana: Oma Lee (b. 1875) and Matthew (b. 1878) were born at what is now Hall Summit in Red River Parish. By 1880 they had moved to the area of Mansfield in Desoto Parish where the last three children were born: Ethel (b. 1880), Lucinda (b. 1882) and Joseph (b. 1883). That was the last move for Benjamin and Lucinda. They lived there until his death in 1909. Lucinda's dates are shown as born 01-01-1842 and died 08-30-1922. Benjamin and Lucinda are both buried in the Barber Cemetery about 5 miles out of Mansfield.

Sources

• Great granddaughter Janice Norris Rose

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource File, " database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:S159-JM2 : accessed 20117-05-11), entry for Iney Jane/OUTLAW/.

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDXD-SY7 : 7 September 2017), Laura Norris in household of Benjamin Norris, 3rd Ward, Red River, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district ED 44, sheet 72B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0467; FHL microfilm 1,254,467.

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS59-66Y : accessed 27 September 2017), Bingeman Norris, Ward 3 (south part), De Soto, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 53, sheet 3B, family 54, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,563.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35529494/benjamin-norris: accessed 24 September 2023), memorial page for Benjamin Norris (14 Feb 1824–27 Jul 1908), Find a Grave Memorial ID 35529494, citing Barber Cemetery, Lula, DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, USA; Maintained by Jason Oliver (contributor 47114843).