BIO: Ord L. NORRIS, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 788 - 790.
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  ORD L. NORRIS, a leading citizen of Pike township, residing on his farm of 340 
acres, which is situated two and one-half miles north of Curwensville, was born 
on this farm, the old homestead, September 29, 1860, and is a son of John Norris 
and a grandson of Moses Norris.
  Moses Norris was born and reared in Huntingdon county, Pa., and there was 
married to Sarah Reed, a native of that county, and they lived there until after 
the birth of their first child, John.  Then they moved to Lawrence township, 
Clearfield county, settling with a brother-in-law, on 500 acres of land near 
Glen Richey.  On that place three more children were born, Nancy, Ellen and 
James.  Moses Norris subsequently sold his first homestead and bought 160 acres 
of land near Bloomington and owned that property at the time of death.  He 
cleared his land and engaged in lumbering and at the age of sixty years retired, 
having accumulated a comfortable competency.  He and wife were charter members 
of the Center church and their ashes rest in the cemetery adjoining it.
  John Norris, son of Moses, was born in Huntingdon county in 1811 and was nine 
months old when his parents moved to Lawrence township, Clearfield county.  
Although he had few school advantages he was much better educated than the 
majority of his school mates and became a teacher, first in Lawrence and later 
in Pike and Penn townships.  After his marriage he engaged in farming for a time 
on the homestead and then moved to Hoyt's Mill, in Ferguson township, where he 
operated a saw-mill for a time, after which he came to Pike township and secured 
160 acres of wild and wooded land.  He erected log buildings and in the course 
of time cleared 100 acres of his land and subsequently added more to his 
original holding.  For many years he was a justice of the peace and almost 
always held some township office, both because he was better educated than the 
majority of his fellow citizens and because they had confidence in his honesty 
and integrity.  He was a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal church at 
Curwensville.  In his early manhood he was a Whig and later became a Republican.
  On September 11, 1834, John Norris married Priscilla E. Bloom, who was born in 
Pike township, Clearfield county, October 9, 1818, a daughter of Isaac Bloom, 
and sixteen children were born to them, as follows:  Sarah, born March 20, 1836, 
died July 5, 1865; Thomas S., born March 24, 1837, died in 1888, married Mary 
Jane Askey in 1858; Mary Jane, born May 30, 1838, was married January 29, 1863, 
to John Star; John H., born March 26, 1840, was married March 1, 1864, to 
Cecelia McCleary, born June 5, 1847; James R., born September 10, 1841, was 
married June 24, 1866, to Martha Ann Caldwell; Isaac B., born July 31, 1843, was 
married December 20, 1866, to Hannah Ann Caldwell; Moses, born March 22, 1845, 
was married July 7, 1867, to M. Hockman; Martha, born January 14, 1847, was 
married September 5, 1869, to Jonathan Kirk; Clark B., born September 2, 1848, 
was married March 10, 1872, to Sarah E. Waln; Elizabeth, born May 12, 1850, was 
married August 15, 1883, to James Cassidy; George L., born April 25, 1851, was 
married September 14, 1871, to Jane Gulick; Margaret H., born July 31, 1853, was 
married October 6, 1872, to Isaac M. Stage; Wesley, born May 21, 1855, married 
Bertha Brown; Levina H., born November 28, 1856, was married September 1, 1876, 
to Truman J. Wall; William W., born June 21, 1858, married Electa McNeel; and 
Ord L.  The father of this family died September 6, 1894, having survived his 
wife since February 24, 1882.  Their burial was in the Oak Hill Cemetery.
  Ord L. Norris attended the Chestnut Ridge school in his boyhood and afterward 
assisted in the cultivation of the home farm, on which he has always lived.  He 
has also a one-half interest in 100 acres of grazing land in Pike Township.  Mr. 
Norris carries on large farm industries and is much interested in raising cattle 
and has done a great deal to raise the standard in Pike Township.  He was one of 
the first to introduce Brown Swiss cattle in Clearfield County and now has a 
fine herd of these valuable animals.  Agricultural matters along every line have 
interested him greatly and he has studied the science of farming notably to his 
benefit.  He is a member of the Clearfield County Agricultural Society and has 
been very prominent in the Susquehannah Grange at Curwensville, of which he is 
the present master, having previously served as gate keeper and steward.
  Mr. Norris was married on October 5, 1881, to Miss Ella C. Way, who was born 
in Center County, Pa., in Half Moon Township, December 9, 1861, a daughter of 
Jacob B. and Julia M. (Downing) Way.  Jacob B. Way was born in Center County 
July 20, 1836.  On March 14, 1860, he married Julia M. Downing, who was born 
January 20, 1842, a daughter of John Downing, who came to Clearfield County with 
his family of five children.  Jacob B. Way continued to live in Center County 
for several years after his marriage and then settled in Clearfield town, where 
he was engaged as freight agent for four and one-half years.  He then moved to 
Girard Township and passed four years on a farm and from there came to a farm in 
Pike Township, where four more years were spent, following which he became 
freight and ticket agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad and also was postmaster 
until the time of his death, October 9, 1897, a period of five years.  His 
burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery.  Both he and his wife were members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church.  The latter survives and resides with her son, R. K. 
Way, at Curwensville.  Mr. Way was a Republican in politics and fraternally was 
connected with the Masons and Odd Fellows.  In 1895 Mr. Way started the book and 
stationery business which is continued at Curwensville by the firm of T. & R. K. 
Way.
  Jacob B. and Julia M. Way's children were:  Ella, who is the wife of Ord L. 
Norris; Ortensie, who was born April 1, 1863; Olive M., who was born December 
14, 1864, is the wife of W. P. Watson, of Clearfield, Pa.; W. Calder; Howard L., 
born August 8, 1866; Clara D., who was born September 9, 1867, is the wife of 
John N. Thompson; Ai Boynton, who was born August 5, 1872, died March 11, 1874; 
Gertie Belle, who was born April 25, 1875, is the wife of D. L. Powell; and R. 
K., who was born November 4, 1878.
  Mr. and Mrs. Norris have one son, Truman J., who is engaged in the dry 
cleaning business at Clearfield.  He was born in Pike Township, July 25, 1883.  
He married Miss Gussie Johnston, a daughter of Clayton Johnston, and they have 
one son, E. Edward.  Mr. and Mrs. Norris are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
church.  Politically he is a Republican and has held public office, serving two 
terms as overseer of the poor in Pike Township.  He has shown a public spirited 
and humane attitude in the establishment and proper management of the county 
home.  He is a stockholder in the Curwensville National Bank, and the 
Curwensville Rural Telephone Company of Pike Township.  He is identified with 
the lodge of Odd Fellows at Curwensville.  Mr. Norris is thus shown to be a 
capable business man and a broad minded, well intentioned citizen.