This was sent to the profile managers but I feel it should be made into a discussion.
My name is Kimball Carter. I am a descendant of William and Susannah Norris of Lancaster Co., Va. I found this information on Geni for William's father whom I am currently researching. In the notes for William Norris no. 5 from "Harry Alexander Davis, The Norris Family of Maryland & Virginia; Genealogy of Thomas Norris 1361 - 1930 (4 vol. 1941 Washington D.C. Transcript), pg. 16-7" I have found a few items of conflict based on documents I have found.
These notes state "William Norris was a blacksmith & settled in Lancaster after his marriage. Martha appears to have inherited land from her father. There does not appear any record of William Norris purchasing or disposing of any real estate. In minutes of a Court 12 Nov. 1684; this Court orders paid to Martha Norris for attending a Court at James City as a witness for the State vs. Edward husband late of this county, for eight days with two days going & two days returning, a total of twelve days, same to be against the estate of Thomas Husband, etc. It further appears that sd. Martha Norris paid expenses of an additional witness & it is ordered to be reimbursed this amount, etc. In minutes of a court May 1685: One Thomas Shilling, servant to Mrs. Martha Norris, did appear in this Court & acknowledge he was freely willing to serve sd mistress for six years; which is recorded. On 5 Feb. 1689 Martha Norris deeded to Edward Herbert & Thomas Pursell 150 acres of land in Lancester co. for 12,000 pounds ot tobacco (Deeds Lib 7 fol. 24. On 13 Nov. 1695 Martha Deeded to Robert Carter a small parcel of land in Lancaster co. (Deeds Lib. 7 fol. 106). Martha died shortly after the birth of her daughter, Martha, & William married 2nd. the widow of Edward Brown. Her name, given or maiden, is not disclosed in the records."
1. Notice that there are no records that list William's name with Martha. Even if Martha inherited her land from her father, it was highly unusual for a married woman to sell land without her husband being named with her in the deed. Women, in this time period, when they married any land they owned was usually considered to be jointly owned after the marriage and the husband was almost always named in any deeds.
2. William Norris, Blacksmith, and his wife, Hannah, of St. Mary's White Chapel, Lancaster Co. sold 74 acres of land to Robert Mitchell in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County on 1 June 1714. Tracing this land backward we find a deed dated 23 April 1694 for William Norris, Blacksmith, and his wife, Elizabeth, of Northumberland Co., bought 100 acres of land in Richmond Co. from Thomas Dusin on branches of Totuskey Creek near Ridge Rd. (about 4 miles from where William Norris lived later in Lancaster Co. William and Elizabeth Norris sold 50 acres of this land on 1 Jun 1694 to Samuel Jones. A power of Attorney from Elizabeth Norris specifically states that the land was sold by "my husband William Norris."
3. William's widow, Hannah, was also identified in a court order regarding William's estate dated 13 Jun 1716 where she was ordered to not move from the county until the estate of Brown was administered; "...ordered that Hannah Norris Wido[sic] of Wm Norris decd doe not remove out of this County...the Estate deliverd to her as [browns] Estate Until she has given security to administer..."
From the above information the identity of William Norris' wife as Martha is in serious question. Who was Elizabeth? William clearly lived in Northumberland County in 1694. William's land was in Richmond County from 1694-1714 - did he live there? What year did William move to Lancaster County? There can be no doubt that the William Norris who died in Lancaster County in 1715 was married to Hannah [probably the widow of Edward Brown]. This same William Norris had land in Richmond County and was married to an Elizabeth prior to 1694 and was a blacksmith living in Northumberland County prior to 1694. There are no original records found for William Norris with Martha as his wife mentioned.
I continue to research this family.
Kimball Carter
