NORRIS BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== NORRIS, W. C. - b: 1862 Honey Creek Twp, Henry Co, MO source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 645 residence: Honey Creek Twp W. C. Norris, a prosperous and progressive farmer and stockman of Honey Creek township, comes from a family of Missouri pioneers on both his maternal and paternal sides. Mr. Norris is a native son of Henry County, and was born in Honey Creek township November 3, 1862. He is a son of W. A. and Nancy V. (Beck) Norris. W. A. Norris, the father, was born in Cumberland County, Kentucky, in 1831. His parents removed to Warren County, Kentucky, at an early day and here he was reared to manhood and educated. In 1860 he went to Cooper County, Missouri, and in 1861 came to Henry County, and located in Honey Creek township. He was a Democrat and during the Civil War served in the Home Guards. He was a prosperous farmer and stock raiser and at the time of his death owned about 400 acres of land. He died November 24, 1907, and his remains rest in the Norris Cemetery. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and a man of broad acquaintance and prominent in the county. He married Nancy Virginia Beck October 6, 1853, and his widow now resides on the old home place at the ripe old age of eighty-three, and is one of the noble pioneer women of Henry County. The Norris family experienced all the hardships and privations common to the lot of the early pioneers of Henry County. When they settled here trading points and grist mills were inexcessible and they frequently went as far as Holden to mill. They were among the very first to settle in that section of Henry County. To W. A. and Nancy V. Norris were born the following children: Perlina F., married S. O. Lotspiech, Yelton, Oklahoma; Nancy, married Noah Redford, Urich, Missouri; J. N. C., Urich, Missouri; W. C., the subject of this sketch; Anna, married J. W. Hendricks, Big Creek township, Henry County; Lucy, married L. C. Redford, Bates County, Missouri; S. C., Honey Creek township, Henry County, Missouri; Cora, now Mrs. C. A. Hendricks, Big Creek township; Effie, married George A. Moore, who resides on the home place. W. C. Norris spent his boyhood days on the home place with his parents and received his education in the district schools. When he reached the age of twenty-five years he located on the place where he now resides, which he bought from his father. At first he had forty acres. This he has increased from time to time until he now owns 165 acres. His place is located three and one-fourth miles east of Urich, and is one of the best improved places in that vicinity, which bespeaks the thrift, industry and prosperity of its owner. The place is well equipped with a good, modern residence, splendid barns and an up-to-date silo, and the general layout of the farm in so far as natural advantages are concerned makes of it an ideal stock farm. Mr. Norris is extensively engaged in raising cattle and hogs and has some registered stock. He is an up-to-date stockman and recognized as one of the leaders in his section of the county. Mr. Norris has been twice married, his first wife being Goldena Redford, of Bogard township, to whom he was married in 1887. She died in 1891. He was married to Miss Olive Ayers February 21, 1906. She is a daughter of H. S. and Martha J. (Keener) Ayers of Hartwell, Missouri. The following children have been born to this union of H. S.and Martha J. (Keener) Ayers; Olive, wife of W. C. Norris; Elmer E., deceased; Herschel L.; Clara Myrtle, deceased; Pearl, deceased; Lucy, deceased; W. G., Garden City, and Ruth, Hartwell. Mrs. Norris comes from a pioneer family. Her grandfather, Israel Keener, was a pioneer of Bourbon County, Kansas, and located in that section of the Territory of Kansas on Mill Creek, near what is now the Crawford County line, long before the Civil War. He died in 1895. His wife bore the maiden name of Hannah Decker, and she died at Mineral, Cherokee County, Kansas, in January, 1918. W. C. Norris and wife have one son, William Glen. Mr. Norris is one of the substantial citizens of Henry County and he and Mrs. Norris have an extensive acquaintance and many friends in this section of the State. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by the Henry County MOGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/henryco.html Contact the Henry County Coordinator for comments or corrections. ====================================================================