Payette-Washington County ID Archives Biographies.....Gorrie, Norval 1854 - 1900 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/id/idfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Patty Theurer seymour784@yahoo.com August 7, 2005, 12:27 pm Author: A. W. Bowen & Co. PROGRESSIVE MEN OF SOUTHERN IDAHO A. W. Bowen & Co. 1904 Page #931-932 NORVAL GORRIE This prosperous and enterprising ranchman and leading citizen, living on a fine place located two miles east of Weiser in Washington county of this state, was born in 1854, at Wellsboro, Pa. His parents were David and Cerissa (Griffin) Gorrie, the former a native of Delaware, born and reared on the historic Brandywine River, and the latter of New York, where she was reared, educated and married. She is still living at Wellsboro, Pa., at the age of seventy-three. The father moved to Pennsylvania when he was sixteen years old, and, settling near Wellsboro, engaged in farming. He was the last born of ten children of his parents and the only one born in America. They were natives of Scotland, who came to this country in 1820 and located in the state of Delaware, where they remained until about the year 1837, when they moved to Wellsboro, Pa., and there, at the same age, that of ninety-three years, both passed away from earth. The father was prominent in the councils of the Democratic party, to which he ever gave a firm and serviceable allegiance, and held a number of local offices in the counties of his respective residences. He died in May, 1900, at the age of eighty-one, and his remains were buried near those of his parents at Wellsboro. His family consisted of three sons and one daughter. Norval Gorrie was the second born of the children of his parents and was educated in the public schools of Wellsboro, remaining at the parental home until he was twenty-four years of age. The, in 1878, he moved to Kansas in company with his younger brother, David, and, after living in that state about a year and a half, they came to Idaho, arriving at Weiser in 1880. Soon thereafter the brothers, in partnership with John Cobb, took up a homestead on the land now covered in part by the town of Payette. Here, with a view to securing the permanent improvement of the section, they started the Payette ditch, making the first survey therefor and taking up land along the line until the whole region was occupied. In 1889 or 1890 Mr. Gorrie moved to the place he now occupies in the Weiser Valley, just above the city of Weiser, which he had previously purchased, and this has since been his home and the seat of his extensive and flourishing stock and farming industry. From the time of his arrival in this part of the country he has taken a great interest in its improvement and advancement, and has served the people well in several local offices. A Democrat in politics, as the candidate of that party Mr. Gorrie has held the office of county commissioner during the past four years. He is also an active and valued member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge at Weiser. In 1887 he was joined in marriage with Miss Emma Ashley, a native of Eugene, Ore., the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Curry) Ashley, who crossed the plains in 1852 to that state, and were among its honored pioneers, the father dying near Eugene, where his remains were laid to rest after years of useful citizenship in the new home which he dignified and improved by his commendable industry. The mother is still surviving and living at Weiser. Mrs. Gorrie concluded her education in the State University at Eugene, Ore., and for a number of years was a popular and successful teacher, in that capacity residing in Weiser for some time previous to her marriage. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/id/payette/bios/gorrie4gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/idfiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb