Key Facts

Snapshot:	farmer, Baptist minister
Parents:	unknown
Born:	roughly circa 1807 South Carolina
Last known record:	1860 Johnson County, Georgia
Buried:	unknown

156William Norris was born in South Carolina roughly circa 1807.1,2

Problem: Unresolved Who is 156William's father? Some suspect that 156William's father may have been a Revolutionary War veteran who was also named William Norris. Researcher Steven Norris has provided a quick overview of some records pertaining to the proposed father William, our 156William, and 156William's alleged siblings, but unfortunately the available evidence does not seem firm or conclusive.

Whatever his origins, by 1840 156William Norris had married and started a family in militia district 55 (map), Emanuel County, Georgia.3

1840: 156William's family in Emanuel County, Georgia. Full page.3

A record from Emanuel County, Georgia dated 6 September 1842 shows that 156William was acquiring 200 acres adjacent to the Little Ohoopee River and to land that he already owned there.4 On 5 January 1844 he sold 700 acres on the Little Ohoopee River,5 probably some of the same land he'd recently acquired.

1842: 156William acquires an additional 200 acres in Emanuel County, Georgia. Bigger copy.4

The 1850 census shows that 156William was a farmer in Emanuel County and shows that he had a wife named Delisen,1 but I know nothing else about her or their marriage. 156Williams' corresponding entry on the 1850 agriculture schedule (1, 2) shows that he owned 600 acres, of which 75 had been developed; that he owned 2 horses, 10 milk cows, 5 other cattle, and 30 pigs; and that he grew wheat, peas/beans, sweet potatoes, and molasses.6

1850: 78Jordan's family in Emanuel County, Georgia. Full pages: 1, 2.6

An 1851 tax digest shows again that 156William lived in militia district 55 (map) along/near the Ohoopee River, and also shows that he owned no slaves,7 consistent with the earlier records discussed above.

On 13 November 1858, 156William sold 263 acres, bounded on one side by Cypress Creek. A few weeks later this area became part of the newly created Johnson County.8

The 1860 census shows that he was a Baptist minister,2 but I have found no appertaining records.

156William's family in (the recently created) Johnson County, Georgia. Full page.2

The 1860 census is the last record I've found of 156William. I did not find him in the indices of these Johnson County estate record books:

•	Administrators' bonds book A (1859-1887)
•	Inventories & appraisements book A (1859-1887)
•	Letters of administration book A (1859-1914)
•	Ordinary court minutes book A (1859-1887)
•	Wills book A (1859-1923)

Sources Cited:

1: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). District 28, Emanuel County, Georgia. Pages 459B and 460A, dwelling 224, family 224, William Norris household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 68. Ancestry.com, accessed 25 July 2023. Although I used Ancestry.com, a (lower quality) image is on FamilySearch: <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6769-CR7?i=31> and <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6769-CV2?i=32&cc=1401638>.

2: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Johnson County, Georgia. Page 6, dwelling 36, family 36, William Norris household. NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 128. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBT-7RL>.

3: 1840 U.S. Federal Census. District 55, Emanuel County, Georgia. Page 6 (handwritten) or 193 (stamped), line 1, William Norris household. NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 40. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY5-T8?i=2>.

4: One of several loose records in a folder for William Norris' Georgia headright and bount documents. FamilySearch ("Georgia, Headright and Bounty Land Records, 1783-1909" / Edward Nichold - Samuel Nunn section / William Norris folder / image 278 of 371), <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-G199-N4P?i=277&cc=1914217&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AHVRV-86MM>, accessed 4 August 2023.

5: Emanuel County, Georgia. Grantor index to deeds and realty mortgages prior to 1 January 1917, L-Z grantors book, page 59. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-PS71-R>.

6: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). Emanuel County, Georgia. District 28, sheet 223(?), line 21, William Norris farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 2. You can see a scan of the relevant pages here: 1, 2. The NARA provides a helpful template.

7: Emanuel County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1851, militia district 55, entry for William Norris. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Emanuel / 1851 / images 41 and 42 of 106), accessed 3 August 2023.

8: Johnson County, Georgia. Deeds & mortgages book A (1859-1872), pages 31-32. FamilySearch, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-R9NL-Q et seq.