The Cast of Characters

An American Family

Capt Hugh Norvell –  Virginia Colonial militia, Vestryman Bruton Church, and Citizen of Williamsburg  (1665-1715)  (6th great grandfather)

George Norvell – Citizen of James City County Virginia (1693-1786) (5th great grandfather)

John Norvell – Citizen of Hanover County Virginia (1724-ca 1805) (4th great grandfather)  – Married Elizabeth Lipscomb daughter of Moses Lipscomb

Lt Lipscomb Norvell ( 1756-1843)

                    Revolutionary War Officer and Member of the Society of the Cincinnati  (3rd Great Grandfather)

Their Children

   Elizabeth Norvell died in infancy

   Mary Norvell (1802-1852)  married James Walker

                  Their son William Walker, Dictator of Nicaragua in 1857 – 1st cousin 3x removed  see My Cousin the Dictator of Nicaragua 

My Cousin the Dictator of Nicaragua

   Martha Norvell, died young of TB.

   Lipscomb Norvell jr (1795-1877)  –  War of 1812, Texas War of Independence, Politician, 

   William Norvell (1803-1875)  – Politician and Judge in Kentucky

   Moses Norvell (1786-1853) – Newspaper publisher, businessman in Nashville

 son Henry Laurance Norvell married Laura J Sevier — owned Leafy Lot in Nashville

   Joseph Norvell (1793-1847)  War of 1812,  Newspaper publisher, businessman in Nashville 

   Hendrick Norvell (1808-1837) Midshipman US Navy, died young of TB

   Joshua Norvell (1790-1821)  War of 1812,  Politician, US Consul to St. Barts.

son William Lawrence Norvell – Texas War of Independence  – Survived Goliad Massacre 

see Escape at Golidad

Escape at Goliad

   Thomas Norvell (1798-1843) Physician died of Yellow Fever in New Orleans

    Caleb C Norvell (1813-1891)  Newspaperman – Financial Editor of NY Times

John Norvell (1789-1850) married three times, third wife Isabella Hodgkiss Freeman Norvell (1804-1873) 

     War of 1812 , Founder of Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper and US Senator  (2nd Great Grandfather)

Children:

     Capt Spencer Norvell  (1814-1850)- Mexican War -great granduncle

     Lt Dallas Norvell (1825-1888) – Civil War -great  granduncle – staff of Gen Custer

     Major Edwin F. Norvell (1843-1876) – Civil War – great granduncle – Aide de camp of Gen Custer 

Daughter Emily Virginia Norvell married Dr. Edward O. Belt — two sons and Dr Belt died in train wreck in 1906.

     Lt Col John M. Norvell (1832-1982) – Civil War – great granduncle

To read his Account of the Civil War

John Mason Norvell’s Civil War Memoir 1

     Lt Alfred C. Norvell (1843-1883) – Civil War -great granduncle

     Col Stevens T. Norvell (1835- 1911) – Civil and Spanish American War, at San Juan Hill with Teddy Roosevelt – great granduncle

Col Freeman Norvell (1828-1881) – Marine officer Mexican War and  Civil War (Great grandfather) married

      Mary Dean Redfield (1843-1918) descendant of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins Alden, 3rd cousin 3x removed of Pres John Adams. – daughter of Alexander H. Redfield, Indian Agent to the Sioux

for Freeman Norvell’s service in the Mexican and Civil War see

From the Halls of Montezuma….

Hamilton Redfield Norvell (1863-1936) –Newspaperman and Head Printer Roycroft (Grandfather) 

Msgt Phil K. Norvell (1911-1989) – W.W. II and Korea (Father)

Lt Col John E. Norvell  Vietnam (author)