James Norvell

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor # A131360

   Grace Norvell states that James is the son of Captain Hugh Norvell. More than likely he was the son of Hugh's son, George Norvell, as Sara Hugh's wife is dead by 1705, as recorded in the "Record of Bruton Parish Church, " William R. Goodwin, 1941 Richmond, VA, p 164. James was born about 1712-13, which more properly fits the dates of George Norvell and Sarah Holdscroft his wife.

   James Norvel is believed to have been a farmer. In march 1756 James first appeared in Goochland records purchasing a tract of land that became the Norvell home. It was in northwest Goochland County, located on Peter's Creek, a branch of the little Byrd. After the Revolutionary War he owned seven or eight slaves and was probably a farmer. In 1782 he was paid twenty-five bushels of corn that he provided the cause during the Revolution. At his death he was living with son Benjamin Norvell.

   When James Norvell enlisted in the Colonial Wars he lived in Charles City, VA, was 23 years old, 5'9" tall and a carpenter by trade. He was described as brown and comely with black hair.

   Virginia Colonial Soldiers, French and Indian War, 1754-1763, p. 71.

   3. James Norvell, Sr. and his brood first appeared in the Goochland records in 1756 when, as James Norvell "of Hanover," he bought a tract of land in Goochland from Peter Massie. This land was in northwest Goochland County and became the Norvell home place. It was located on Peter's Creek, a branch of the Little Byrd, probably the creek that is now Mill Creek or one of its tributaries.

   James Norvell (later styled James Norvell, Sr., of Goochland), whose descendants used the given name Hugh, was born 1700-1713, probably in James City County or Charles City County, Virginia. He would not have been born much before 1700, as a birth date prior to that would have made him over ninety when he died, 1789-1790. Because his own children began to arrive at least by 1733, he probably would not have been born much after 1713. The date 1712-1713 for James' birth would be appropriate if his father was George Norvell, born 1693, son of Capt. Hugh Norvell of Williamsburg. Even though each man, James and George, would have been a very young father, this parentage for James is possible. An earlier birth date, 1700-1711, would be correct if James' father was, instead, Capt. Hugh Norvell. Hugh Norvell was signed as a witness with George Norvell in Charles City County in 1725 indicating that he, James, was at least fourteen, the legal age of discretion, in 1725.

   By using the Goochland and Albemarle County, personal property tax records, we can fix the death date for James Norvell as 1789 or early 1790. James Norvell (Sr.) was omitted in the Goochland County personal property tax rolls beginning in 1786. He was taxed one year in Albemarle County (1786) as a separate household, then listed jointly there with Benjamin Norvell in Benjamin's household in 1787. Though not named in the 1788 and 1789 Albemarle tax records, James Norvell, Sr., must have been the extra white male in Benjamin's household in those years. However, it is assumed that James Norvell, Sr., died in Albemarle in the tax year which ended in late March of 1790 when the tax list for that year was prepared, because in 1790, with his father dead and his sons, not yet old enough to be taxed Benjamin again had no extra tithes assessed to him. To support this inference, a careful match of all the other sons and grandsons of James Norvell shown in personal property tax records did not locate James living in any other Norvell household after 1789.

   Nothing certain is known about James Norvell's occupation, but, like his sons, he must have farmed. He owned seven or eight slaves after the Revolution who might have been employed in farming. In 1782 he was compensated for twenty-five bushels of corn which he supplied to the patriot cause in the Revolutionary War, further evidence that he was a farmer.

   James Norvell, Sr., may have married Anne or Anna Spencer, her namesake being her youngest child, Anna. The surname Spencer is assumed, since a younger son of this couple was named Spencer, a name not in use by the other Norvells at this time. Anne was probably the mother of most, if not all, of James' children because the name Spencer was carried on in naming their own children and grandchildren.

   Norvell, Grace; James Norvell of Goochland County, Virginia, With Some Indications of His Tidewater Ancestry; Magazine of Virginia Genealogy; p. 157-159

   In March 1756 James first appeared in Goochland records purchasing a tract of land that became the Norvell home. It was in northwest Goochland County, located on Peter's Creek, a branch of the little Bryd. After the Rev. War he owned seven or eight slaves and was probably a farmer. In 1782 he was paid for twenty-five bushels of corn that he provided the cause during the Revolution. By 1805, the Norvells, including James Sr., had moved to Sumner County, Tennessee from North Carolina. By 1808, they had settled in Bedford County, Tennessee. Bedford County was formed in 1807 and the early settlers included the Norvells, Wades, Bomars, Stallings. The Norvells bought adjoining property with the Knotts near the confluence of the Bell Buckle and Wartrace creeks, near Bell Buckle, Tennessee. The Salem Academy, the first school in Bell Buckle was built on Norvell land about 1820. James Norvell was a cooper, but it is unknown whether any of his sons continued the trade.

   According to Anne Norvell's estate account, she appears to have been an invalid from 1797 until her death 27 May 1803. Caretakers were hired for her and she was apparently supported during that time by the proceeds from Aggy's hire as a weaver. Anne must have been a member of the Benjamin Norvell household, just as her husband had been, because Aggy, Anne's slave, was included in the inventory of Benjamin's estate in September of 1803.

http://harlor.co.nz/getperson.php?personID=I16482&tree=Kromer-Schra...

Name James Norvell Born Abt 1715 James City, Virginia, U.S.A. Gender Male Died 20 Mar 1789 Albemarle, Virginia, U.S.A.

Father George Norvell, b. 1693, Williamsburg, James City, Virginia, U.S.A. , d. 05 Apr 1786, Hanover County, Virginia, U.S.A (Age 93 years) Relationship Natural Mother Sarah Holdcroft, b. 1698, Virginia, U.S.A. , d. 1780, Hanover County, Virginia, U.S.A (Age 82 years) Relationship Natural

Family Anne Spencer, b. 1715, Albemarle, Virginia, U.S.A. , d. 27 May 1803, Albemarle, Virginia, U.S.A. (Age 88 years) Married Abt 1740 New Kent, New Kent, Virginia, U.S.A.

Children

1. William Norvell, b. Bef 1739, Virginia, U.S.A. , d. 1807, Sumner, Tennessee, U.S.A. (Age 68 years)

	2. James Norvell,   b. Bef 1740, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. Abt 1792, Botentourt, County, Virginia, U.S.A.   (Age 52 years)

	3. Lucy Norvell,   b. Feb 1740, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. 1830, Amherst, Amherst, Virginia, U.S.A.   (Age ~ 89 years)

	4. John Norvell,   b. Abt 1742,   d. Aft 1792  (Age ~ 51 years)

	5. George Norvell,   b. 1744, Goochland, Goochland, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. 04 Jan 1828, Albemarle, Virginia, U.S.A.   (Age 84 years)

	6. Christiana Norvell,   b. Abt 1744, Goochland, Goochland, Virginia,  ,   d. Abt 1771  (Age ~ 27 years)

	7. Spencer Norvell,   b. 1747, Hanover, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. 02 Aug 1829, Amherst, Amherst, Virginia, U.S.A.   (Age 82 years)

	8. Thomas Norvell,   b. 1749, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. 1809, Goochland, Goochland, Virginia, U.S.A.   (Age 60 years)

	9. Maccarina (Mackie) Norvell,   b. 1750, Albemarle, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. 1823, Albemarle, Virginia, U.S.A.   (Age 73 years)

	10. Elizabeth (Bettie) Norvell,   b. Abt 1750, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. Abt 1830, Maury, Tennessee, U.S.A.   (Age ~ 80 years)

	11. Hugh Norvell,   b. 1755, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. 15 Oct 1814, Union, Union, South Carolina, U.S.A.   (Age 59 years)

	12. Benjamin Reuben Norvell,   b. 1756, Hanover, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. Jun 1803, Albemarle, Virginia, U.S.A.   (Age 47 years)

	13. Anna Norvell,   b. 1757, Nelson County, Virginia, U.S.A.  ,   d. Maury, Tennessee, U.S.A.