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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: Bewnans on Saturday 24 March 12 17:32 GMT (UK)

Title: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: Bewnans on Saturday 24 March 12 17:32 GMT (UK)
On a side-branch of my family tree I have a man called Abraham Norris.  He was born in Poplar, London, UK, in 1832.  He married Isabelle MacLaren in 1853 in Poplar.  At his wedding he gave his occupation as "engineer".  By 1880 he was resident in New York City.  He died there in 1908.  The couple had 6 children; the first 4 born in the UK and the final 2 born in Brooklyn.  I would love to learn more about Abraham's lifestory; in particular was he invited to New York to help with an engineering project?
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: Genealiza on Sunday 25 March 12 15:31 BST (UK)
1870 Census:  NY, Kings County, Brooklyn, Ward 13
Norris, Abraham, 38, draughtsman, b. Eng, parents of foreign
                            birth
           Isabella, 38, b. Eng, pofb
           James, 16, clerk, b. Eng, pofb
           John, 13, b. Eng, pofb, attends school
           Isabella, 11, b. Eng, pofb
           Clara, 8, b. Eng, pofb
           Alfred, 6, b. Eng, pofb
           Annie, 2, b. NY, pofb

1880 Census:  NY, Kings, Brooklyn, Ward 19
84 Hayward St (appears to be a duplex)
Norris, Abram, 48, married, draughtsman, b. Eng, parents b. Eng
           Isabella, 48, wife, married, keeping house, b. Eng,
                         parents b. Scot
           John H, 23, son, single, draughtsman, b. Eng, Eng, Eng
           Isabella, 21, dau, single, at home,  b. Eng, Eng, Eng
           Clara, 18, dau, single, operator on shoes, b. Eng
           Alfred, 16, son, single, printer, b. Eng
           Alice L, 9, dau, single, at school, b. Brooklyn, NY
       *  Walter, 6, son, single, at home, b. Brooklyn, NY
Wyatt, Herbert, 6/12, b. Dec, boarder, single, at home,
                          b. Brooklyn, NY, parents b. North Carolina

*corrected and added


1900 Census:  New Jersey, Bergen, Rutherford
112 Prospect Place
Welch, Ellis, b. Aug 1867, 39, married 15 yrs, b. NY, Eng, Eng,
                    clothing cutter, can read, write, spks Eng, owns
                    home, mortgaged
           Clara, b. Apr 1861, 38, married 15 yrs, mother of 3
                    children, 3 children living, b. Eng, immig 1868, 32
                     yrs in US, can read, write, spks Eng
           Ellis W, son, b. Mar 1887, 13, b. NY
           Jessie W, dau, b. Oct 1890, 9, b. NJ
           Isabell M, b. Feb 1897, 3, b. NJ
           Gertrude, mother, b. Apr 1837, 63, widow, mother of
                     1 child, 1 child living, b. Eng, Eng, Eng, immigrated
                     1849, 51 yrs in US, can read, write, spks Eng
Norris, Abraham, fa-in-law, b. Jan 1832, 68, married 47 yrs, b.
                      Eng, Eng, Eng, immig 1868, 32 yrs in US,
                      naturalized, can read, write, spks Eng
           Isabella, mo-in-law, b. Feb 1832, 68, married 47 yrs,
                     mother of 10 children, 7 children living, b. Eng,
                     Scot, Scot, immig 1868, 32 yrs in US, can read,
                     write, spks Eng

               
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: Genealiza on Sunday 25 March 12 15:49 BST (UK)
1875 New York State Census:  Kings County, Brooklyn, Ward 19

William H Wyatt, 31, b. N Carolina, married, printer
Jennie                 32, wife, b. N Carolina, married
Isabella Norris, 16, niece, b. Eng
Jethroe Betts, 21, boarder, b. N Carolina, single, printer
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: Bewnans on Monday 26 March 12 18:37 BST (UK)
Thank you.  This is brilliant information.  I am working my way through it.
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: shellyesq on Monday 26 March 12 19:21 BST (UK)
He's in this directory - http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/Directory/1879/n.html

1884 Brooklyn city directory
Norris, Abraham, draughtsman, home 142 Heyward

There is a death notice on www.fultonhistory.com that says Abraham died 7 May 1908 and funeral services would be held at the residence  of his Mrs. Ellis G. Welch in Rutherford, New Jersey. 

I don't see a match for Abraham on the New York City death record index on www.italiangen.org, so maybe he actually died in New Jersey?

The 1909 Rutherford, New Jersey city directory has Isabella Norris, widow of Abraham, living at 112 Prospect place.
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: *Sandra* on Monday 26 March 12 19:26 BST (UK)
A few more snippets to fill the blanks.
Anc family tree shows - Abraham Norris Born 12 Feb 1832 in Tower Hamlets, Middlesex, England and died May 1908 in New York.

Isabella MacLaren - Born Feb 1832 in Middlesex, England and died 1918 in Ruthersford, NJ.

Son John Norris married Emma Renward June 11 th 1884

John H Norris   Jun  11  1884  Kings
Emma Renward   Jun  11  1884  Kings

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0l04/

1920 Census - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MJBW-9M6

John and Emma do not appear to have had any children.

Sandra
 
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: shellyesq on Monday 26 March 12 19:32 BST (UK)
1894 Rutherford, NJ city directory
Norris, Abraham, retired, 120 Prospect

1895 Rutherford, NJ city directory
Norris, Mrs. Isabella, home 112 Prospect

1897 Rutherford, NJ city directory
Norris, Abraham, retired, 120 Prospect

In the 1895 New Jersey state census, Abraham & Isabella are listed with Ellis G., Clara, Ellis W., Jessie, & Gertrude Welch.
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: *Sandra* on Monday 26 March 12 20:14 BST (UK)
James Norris with wife and child in Brooklyn, Kings, New York 1880

James Norris 26 Born England. Machinist.
Mary Norris 25 Born England.
Laura Norris 1 Born New York.


1900 - Jerome Street. New York City, Kings, New York - James, Mary and 2 daughters and a niece

James Born England. June 1854. Machinist. Married for 22 years
Mary E Born England. April 1854. Had 1 child and 1 survives  ???
Laura  - September 1879 NY. Daughter. Stenographer.
Maud  - August 1885. NY. Daughter
Martha - Born NY. May 1888. Niece

1910 Jerome Street. Brooklyn. - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M5QV-YPY

James Norris. Born England. Machinist. Printing Shop. Marriage 1 for 30 years. Immigrated 1868. NA.
Mary Born England. Immigrated 1862. Marriage 1 for 30 years. Had 1 child and 1 survived.  ???
Laura - Born New York and aged 29 years.  Correspondent. Office.

1920 - New York City. Kings. New York - James, Mary & Laura.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MJTS-NHX

1930 - Brooklyn Kings, New York  - James, Mary & Laura - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X4VT-PDV

Sandra
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: *Sandra* on Monday 26 March 12 20:29 BST (UK)
Family tree gives Ellis G Welch Born August 1861 in New York and died 10 March 1935 in Rutherford, New Jersey.
Clara Norris Born April 16 1862 in London, England and died March 17 1934 in Rutherford, NJ
Son - Ellis William Welch - Born 24 Mar 1887 in Rutherford, New York and died 25 Sep 1970 in Collingswood, NJ.
Daughter - Jessie Norris Welch - Born 16 October 1890 in Rutherford, New Jersey  and died 24 March 1961 in Hackensack, NJ.


Sandra 
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: *Sandra* on Monday 26 March 12 20:42 BST (UK)
There was also a son Walter Norris aged 6 years on the 1880 census. William appears on the 1900 Census with the Wyatt family in Prospect Place, Rutherford, Bergen, New Jersey. Ellis and Clara are just underneath on this census sheet.

William H Wyatt 56 Born NC. Compositor.
Isabella Wyatt 41 Born England. Married 18 years. Had 6 children and 3 survive  ???
Herbert S Wyatt 20 Born NY
Walter R Wyatt 14 Born NY
Alice M Wyatt 9 Born NJ
Edgar R Wyatt 5 Born NJ
Walter F Norris 26 Born NY .March 1874. Brother-in-law. Stenographer.

Sandra

Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: *Sandra* on Monday 26 March 12 20:51 BST (UK)
Bronx Assembly District 35, New York, in 1910
Elizabeth M Keller 65 Head.
Samuel D Davis 43 Son-In-Law.
Ione G Davis 42 Daughter
Elizabeth H Davis 9 Grand-Daughter
Effie E Davis 6 Grand-Daughter
Walter F Morris 37 Born 1873 NY. Son-in-law. Marriage 1 for 7 years. Book-Keeper. telephone Co.
Laura C Morris 40 Born NY. Daughter. Marriage 1 for 7 years.
Emily E Keller 35 Daughter
Bessie M Morron 18 Adopted Daughter


Sandra
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: *Sandra* on Monday 26 March 12 20:57 BST (UK)
Still with Elizabeth Keller (Mother-in-law) Bronx Assembly District 8, Bronx, New York in 1920.

Elizabeth Keller 75
Emily Keller 45
Walter F Norris 46 Born NY. Son-In-Law. Supt. Telephone Co.
Laura Norris 50 Born NY. Daughter.
Ione Davis 51  
Elizabeth Davis 19
Effie Davis 16

Sandra
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: *Sandra* on Monday 26 March 12 21:01 BST (UK)
Walter and Laura in 1930 Mount Vernon, Westchester, New York

Walter F Norris 56 Born NY. Married 30 years. Safety Supervisor. Telephone Co.
Laura C Norris 60 Born NY. Married 33 years.
Herbert Von Bernuth 34 Nephew. Born NY
Effie E Von Bernuth 26 Niece. Born NY.
Herbert Von Bernuth 2 yrs and 11 mths. Nephew. Born |NY
Effie E Von Bernuth 1yr and 1 mth.  Niece. Born NY
Fred Schierghofer 30 Lodger


Sandra
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: *Sandra* on Monday 26 March 12 21:05 BST (UK)
Marriage of Walter and Laura.

Walter F Norris   Oct   8  1902  Bronx
Laura Keller   Oct  8  1902  Bronx 

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0l06/


Sandra
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: Bewnans on Tuesday 27 March 12 20:08 BST (UK)
Big thanks to Shellyesq and Sandra.  Wow what a lot of information you have found.  Thank you. 
Title: Re: Abraham Norris, engineer, New York
Post by: hatofthecat on Sunday 10 February 13 08:09 GMT (UK)
Abraham Norris was the youngest sibling of my Great great great grandfather Henry Norris.  Henry was Clerk of Works for the construction/update of several lighthouses in England (including Eddystone Rock, Trevose Head and Whitby).  The company he worked for were civil engineers and specialised in this type of major project as well as railway bridges & viaducts and port harbours.  Its possible Abraham was of a similar slant as several railway projects in the US were won by English companies.  He was listed as an "engineer turner fitter" and then a "draughtsman" before emigrating to US.

Abraham's siblings were three pairs of twins:

Henry & Mary (1816)
Charlotte & Sarah Louise (1819)
Hannah & Richard (1826)

Their father Henry Richard Norris (1790) was born in Poplar and his wife Mary Larkin (1788) in the village of Aldenham in Hertfordshire.  There is a book of the registers of Aldenham readable online that shows the Larkins there for about a century before that. Henry Richard was a house carpenter & builder.

Henry Richard's father was Richard Norris (a carpenter) and Sarah.  I am currently stuck as regards their origins at present but Richard appears in Poplar on Land Tax records about 1786.

Pete Norris