Category Archives: Marine Corps History

Citizen Soldiers

Posted on September 30, 2014 by jenorv

  In teaching a course on Gettysburg this fall, I have come to think a lot about the citizen soldier. Several generations of the Norvells in my family served our nation, many finding themselves in the front lines: — Lipscomb … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Force, American History, Ancestry, Family History, Marine Corps History, Mexican War, Michigan History, Nashville History, Revolutionary War, Social History, Tennessee History, Texas, Texas History, Union Army, US Army, US Army Air Corps, Vietnam War, Virginia History, War of 1812, World War Ii | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

At Gettysburg – Part II

Posted on September 3, 2014 by jenorv

Freeman Norvell, son of U.S. Senator John Norvell of Michigan and his third wife, Isabella Hodgkiss Norvell,  had served in the Mexican War as a Marine 2nd Lt in the “Halls of Montezuma.”  He was breveted a 1st Lt. for … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Civil War, Detroit, Detroit Free Press, Detroit History, Gettysburg, Marine Corps History, Mexican War, Michigan History, Norvell Family History, PTSD Civil War, Union Army, US Army | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

From the Halls of Montezuma….

Posted on July 6, 2014 by jenorv

Mary Irene Norvell Fisher Masse, writing in her memoirs in 1960,  commented about  her grandmother Mary Dean Redfield Norvell this way:  She had married young, the son [Freeman Norvell] of wealthy and prominent people.   My grandmother had  riches, a social … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Civil War, Detroit, Detroit History, Family History, Genealogy, Marine Corps History, Mexican War, Michigan History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Civil War Mother

Posted on May 27, 2014 by jenorv

All but two of Isabella Hodgkiss Freeman Norvell’s eight sons served in the Union forces.  Isabella was the third wife of Michigan Senator John Norvell (1789-1850). Barry Norvell , a civil engineer, died of yellow fever in 1858, aboard the … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Canada, Civil War, Detroit, Detroit History, Genealogy, Marine Corps History, Mexican War, Michigan History, Nashville History, Norvell Family History, Social History, Tennessee History, US Army | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment