History of the Norris Family

The beautiful State of Tennessee is abundant with heavily wooded hills, lakes, and rivers. The town of Springfield, in the County of Robertson is 30 miles north of the State capitol, Nashville. Springfield, the county seat for Robertson, is a thriving town today but in 1784-1787, when Thomas Norris purchased a Military Land Grant, it was all wilderness. The military land grant read as follows: By virtue of a Military warrant from the secretary of State No 1463 located this 22 day of October 1785 I have surveyed for Thomas Norris assignee of William ONeal Assi. of Samuel Davis Three hundred and fifty seven acres of Land lying on the East Boundry of James Browns Survey beginning at a black oak, white oak and three dogwoods on said Browns line running east two hundred and forty poles to a Black oak and white oak then North two hundred and thirty eight poles to a black oak and tree. Then west two hundred and forty poles to stake then South two hundred and thirty eight poles to thc beginning. Survey 15th Sep 1786. (James Ninon) Witnesses (Signed) Robert Nihon Ds? (John Jones ) [JL3] The Land grant was officially issued, 15 Sept 1787, though it was signed over to Thomas Norris by William O Neal, 29 Dec. 1784. The Norris family in 1787 consisted of Thomas, about 41 years of age, his wife Jenny, about 37 years of age and their children, Thomas, James, John, Edmund, Jenny, Nancy, Mary (Polly), William and Nicholas. They were born approximately between 1771 and 1787. [JL8] Nicholas being bom in 1787 in Tennessee. With these nine children ranging from a baby to 16 years of age, Thomas and Jenny built their home in the beautiful wilds of Brown's Fork, Tennessee. It was a difficult task then to bring 357 acres into productivity and to provide shelter, food and the necessities of life. Mary, or Polly as she was known, was between 15 and 19 years of age when she married William Lowry. In Robertson County, Tennessee, John Lowry Sr. was born, 10 August 1799, the son of William and Polly Norris Lowry. [JL 1,4,5,35] According to tradition there were two brothers, James and Ira. In 1802, Polly's father, Thomas Norris, made the following last Will and Testament: (Original spelling and punctuation preserved.) I Thomas Norris of Robertson County and State of Tennessee being very sick and weak but of perfect mind and memory thanks be to God allowing it is for all men once to die do ordain this my last Will and Testament and principally and first of all I commend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my Body to the earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner and secondly I recommend that all my just debts be paid out of my Estate -- Thirdly. My dear beloved son Thomas Norris is to lake one hundred acres of land out of my tract that I live on Beginning on the South east line and running North for compliment and Fourthly I give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife Jenny Norris, William Norris my Son and Nicholas Norris my son my dwelling and Spring and all the clear ground adjacent to said house and spring, all my horses and marcs all my cows and calves and steers, and all my hogs and sows, all my furniture in said house, all my tools of Husbandry and when my two sons William and Nicholas comes of age they are to have an equal part with my wife during her life, Also, I give to my dearly beloved son James Norris eighty six acres of land out of my tract beginning on the Soulh line and running North for compliment, and then after they come of age, the remainder of my tract is lo be equally divided for land and water between my two sons William and Nicholas; and also I give lo my son John Norris and also my son Edmund Norris two hundred and twenty three acres of land lying on Duck River to be equally divided between them two for wood and water -- and also, I give unto Jenny Parker my daughter one cow and calf and one sow of size — and also I give unto Nancy Norris my daughter one cow and also I give unto Mary Lowry my daughter one cow seven years after my decease and die said James Norris is to have all the property that he has now in hand to himself without any further dispute- and I appoint my wife Jenny Norris and Thos. Norris my son to be my exectrix of this my last Will and Testament, and after my decease I wish my wife to let Elizabeth Chambers free after her decease if she should not be free by law. Where unto I have set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of February One Thousand Eight Hundred and two. (Signed) Thomas Norris Test.. Daniel Hogan - William Norris August Ten 1804, this will was proven in open Court by the oath of William Norris and ordered tobe recorded. [JL81

Since very little information has been found on the Lowry and Norris families, though much research has been done, a debt of gratitude is given to Sarah L. Reynolds, a granddaughter of John Lowry Sr. who recorded the following history as it was given to her. It must be remembered though that this was a history given from memory many years after the stories were told to John Lowry Jr. and those stories were told to him many years after the actual event took place:

Land Grant in TENNESSEE

LAND GRANT NO. 626 TENNESSEE COUNTY, DAVIDSON. NAME, NORRIS, THOMAS ASSIGNEE OF SAMUEL DAVIS ACRES, 357. GRANT NO. S98. ISSUE!) V ? Seot 178? V/ARRANT NO. D163 Book no . 63 Fkge No. 213 . LOCATION: U K . BOUNDARY OF JAMES BROWNS SURVEY. OBTAINED FROM NORTH CAROLINA STATE ARCHIVES IN RALTEGH, N.C. FRCM THE ORIGINAL. THE PAPER WAS VERY OLD AND BRITTLE WITH EDGES FIAKING OFF.

Source: ________________________

Triumphant banners - Higgins, Lowry, Tuttle, Gardner pages 186-187

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