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Born Abt 1744-50 - Died 1827
William Norman is the son of Joseph Norman and Joseph's first wife, Mary Read. He is the grandson of Isaac Norman and Frances Courtney of Virginia. He was born about 1750 and served in the Revolutionary War. In Joseph Norman's will of 1783, he left "to my son William Norman, a Negro woman named Gude and no other part of my Estate."
We now know that William made the move to Lincoln County in 1793. We have a copy of an affidavit given by Thomas Dallas (deponent) for John Matthews in an application for a pension, (a Revolutionary War compatriot and Lincoln County neighbor of William’s), Thomas Dallas states in part:
"Deponent (Thomas Dallis) was an orphan and partly raised by William Norman, Senior, an uncle to the Deponent who removed from the state of Virginia to that part of Wilkes County which is now Lincoln, State of Georgia in 1793 as well as Deponent now remembers, and Deponent came with him."
These are the facts upon which it has been determined that William was married twice. First to Mary Ross by whom he had George. Then to Uphany Harrison, the mother of the rest of William's children. There is an 1814 Lincoln County land transaction in which William Norman and his wife "Uphanny" sold 20 acres of land to William Hill. Also, John Randolph Glaze, a great-grandson of William, and grandson of Susannah Norman and David Glaze, states in his handwritten notes that his great-grandmother was named Euphemia Harrison. This information is in Chapter 6 of "The Scribe on Flat Creek" by Rita Bryant Turner. Also, in a court order dated 1809-1810 in Loudoun County, VA are the records of the family of Obed Harris to settle his estate. The list of Obed's children includes Euphany who married William Norman, Jane who married Shadrack Berkely, Elizabeth who married John Dennis, etc. There is a family group record at the Mormon Genealogical repository showing Euphany Harrison as the daughter of Obed Harrison and his wife Elizabeth. This record shows Euphany’s birth as 1760 in Virginia.Also, in the book "Wills and Administrations of Accomack County, VA 1663-1800, page 199 refers to Alexander Harrison's grandaughter, Euphamy Harrison. Page 278 is the will of William Tilney and makes reference to Ufamy Harrison. No record of William's marriages have been found, however the reference to "his wife, Uphanny" in the land transaction of 1814 and the court order is proof that William did marry Euphemia Harrison. The surnames Harrison and Harris were used interchangeably during that period. Also, Euphany was spelled several different ways. For ease of identification, we have chosen to use Euphany Harrison as her name.
We are certain that George Norman is the son of Mary Ross based on the will of his grandfather, William Ross, and writings of William Sheppard Norman as presented by Dr. Norman. Dr. Norman had determined that the Miss Sheppard could be an error of memory because the DAR records have erroneously listed Miss Sheppard as George Norman’s mother.
The fact that William's son was named William Harrison Norman seems to indicate that Euphany Harrison was his mother. Also, two of William's older daughters, Susannah and Elizabeth, named their daughters Euphany Harris. This is another clue that their mother was Euphany Harrison. Since the documents absolutely confirm that Euphany was William's wife, she had to be the wife who came with William to Georgia since Susannah Norman was born in Virginia in 1780 and William Harrison Norman was born in Virginia in 1784, years before the trek in 1793. Susannah's birth year and the birth of Euphany Harris Glaze is documented in the Glaze family bible. Also, there is the fact that William never lived in North Carolina.
The information about William's marriage to a Miss Sheppard is taken solely from a letter written on July 18, 1909 by Mary Norman Moore (McCoy) stating that William Norman married a Miss Sheppard, sister of Col. William Sheppard of North Carolina. "This is the line as I have it, and as I have had it from the lips of both my grandmother and my mother, supplemented by military records and Virginia legal documents. My grandmother well remembers her grandfather, William Norman, and has told me many interesting anecdotes of him."
It is likely that the Miss Sheppard referred to by Mary Norman Moore (McCoy) is Sarah Sheppard of North Carolina who was the wife of Jared Groce. George Norman married Sarah Groce, daughter of Jared Groce and Sarah Sheppard. This is the origin of the middle name of William Sheppard Norman, son of George Norman and Sarah Groce. Sarah Sheppard did have a brother named William who on page 154, "Normans of Normandy Hall," Dr. Norman states, "This William Sheppard has been confused with Colonel William Sheppard of Revolutionary War fame of Orange County; they were probably related." This is the same information that Dr. Norman says was given to D.A.R. showing Miss Sheppard as the mother of George Norman. Dr. Norman stated that she believed this to be in error since she had records that proved George was the son of Mary Ross. It is now believed that William was never married to a Miss Sheppard, but the Miss Sheppard of memory was Sarah Sheppard, wife of Jared Groce, since we now have records that prove William was married to Euphany Harrison. It is now the belief that William was married to Mary Ross and had George. The rest of the children were from the marriage of William Norman and Euphany Harrison.Another myth passed down has been questioned. Both Nellie Virginia Norman in "History of the Culpeper County Normans" and Dr. Lois Norman on page 131 of this book say that William Norman campaigned down to Augusta, GA and was so impressed with the land that he migrated to Lincoln County after the Revolutionary War. In a presentation by Michael Norman to the Arkansas Reunion in August of 1990, he states, "I take exception to the statement made by Cousin Lois in "The Normans of Normandy Hall" where she said ‘Having campaigned down to Augusta, Georgia, William Norman was so impressed by the beauty of the country that after the close of the war, he moved from Faquier County, Virginia to Georgia...’ I don’t believe that William Norman ever campaigned down south, as all of the southern campaigns were fought after William was wounded and left active duty. I am certain that he had cousins and neighbors who most probably did fight in the southern campaigns, and who surely came back with many stories of the kinds of lands to be found."
Myths and tales are often passed down from generation to generation and errors are perpetuated. When more information and documentation is presented, we must keep an open mind and be prepared to accept change. Family history is an ever changing story. That is what makes the search so challenging and rewarding.
William Norman's date of death is taken from an affidavit of William Harrison Norman.
Child of William Norman and Mary Ross is:
- GEORGE NORMAN, b. about 1775 in Virginia, d. October, 1817 in Lincoln County, GA. The book by Dr. Lois Norman, "The Normans of Normandy Hall" is primarily about George's descendants, but has thoroughly researched information about Isaac, Joseph and William.
Children of William Norman and Euphany Harrison are:
- SUSANNAH NORMAN, born March 9, 1780, died 1857.
- WILLIAM HARRISON NORMAN, born 1784, died June 7, 1863.
- ELEANOR NORMAN, born about 1786, died unknown.
- SARAH NORMAN, born June 25, 1794, died May 3, 1859
- ELIZABETH NORMAN, born abt. 1800, died before 1828.
William enlisted in the Virginia Continental Line on February 1, 1776, and served for a period of two years in the Revolutionary War. He was a private in Captain George Stubblefield's company, 5th Virginia Regiment, which was commanded by Lt. Colonel Josiah Parker. In June 1776, he was transferred to Captain Philip Richard Francis Lee's company, 3rd Virginia Regiment, commanded by Col. Thomas Marshall and in Brigadier General George Weeden's celebrated Virginia Brigade.
On September 11, 1777, William was dangerously wounded at the Battle of Brandywine. He was shot through both knees and was crippled for life as a result of these injuries. General LaFayette was wounded in the same battle. William Norman said that he was standing near the General when he received the wound, and that the Marquis had dismounted and was endeavoring to rally the troops at the time. By the intervention of General LaFayette in the military hospital, William Norman's legs were not amputated; the General's attention having been attracted "by the patient's stubborn resistance to the surgeons." The British bullet and a piece of bone from William's knee were kept as souvenirs in the Norman family for some 150 years. William C. Norman recalls seeing them in his grandfather's home (William Sheppard Norman, son of George Norman) in Hamburg, Arkansas. According to William's daughter Sarah, William Norman always observed the anniversary of the Battle of Brandywine and celebrated it. His name last appears on the payroll on February 16, 1778. From September 1777 to January 1778, he was reported as absent and wounded. The military records do not show the date of his separation from service.
Along with many Virginia families, William migrated from Fauquier County, Virginia to Georgia after the War. He settled in that part of Wilkes County that in 1796 became Lincoln County. A brother, possibly John, was said to have gone to Georgia also and may have settled in Liberty County. According to "The Normans of Normandy Hall," the exact time of his migration to Georgia was not known, but according to his grandson, William Sheppard Norman (the son of George Norman), it was soon after the Revolutionary War when George was a youth about 18 years of age. Thomas Dallis (Dallas) an orphan and nephew of William, having been partly raised by him, came with the Normans to Georgia. In an affidavit for John Matthews, Thomas Dallis states that the move was made in 1793.
William Sheppard Norman also stated that William and George were surveyors by profession. There is a record of William Norman receiving a headright warrant of 150 acres of land on August 6, 1787 (Re: Superior Court Land Warrants 1784 -1787, Washington County, GA.) He is listed on the tax rolls of Wilkes County in 1792-95. There are several land transactions in the Lincoln County records for William Norman. He owned land on Mill Creek in Lincoln County. The Tax Digest of 1802 lists him as having 400 acres of land, 8 slaves and 1 poll. He continued paying tax on 333 acres on Mill Creek until 1826. On March 30, 1805 he sold 333 acres on Mill Creek to his son, George Norman. The witnesses to the deed were his son, William Harrison Norman and his son-in-law, David Glaze. William is listed in the Georgia land lottery of 1805, but did not receive any land. In 1820, William paid a tax of $4.93 1/2 on 373 acres on Mill Creek and 13 slaves. At this time his wife was still living and their neighbors were David Glaze, the Stinsons, Stokes and Simmons.
When William died in 1827, he left his land on Mill Creek to two grandsons, John H. and Peyton Wyatt Norman, sons of William Harrison Norman, Jr., with their father as trustee. Descendants of Peyton Wyatt still own a small part of the original land.
William Norman was a part of the mass migration that made its way to Georgia after the war. He traveled south from Fauquier County, through Virginia and the Carolinas probably by horseback and oxen drawn wagons, stopping along the way for a season to grow crops. Adventuring into a new life, seeking new land, he established our Norman family in Georgia where many of his descendants still live. He did not acquire great wealth nor seek public office. Apparently he lived a comfortable life as a planter and gentleman.
William is buried near Lincolnton, GA along with his son, George, his son-in-law, David Glaze and daughter Susannah Norman Glaze. In 1977 a marker was placed at his gravesite by the Norman Family Association listing known persons, and giving honor to the unknown persons buried there. The gravesite is located deep in the woods accessible only by a logging road. The land is owned by a logging company who has given the Norman family of Lincoln County permission to go to the site.
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