Claude Vernon NORRIS, Sr. (16 Aug 1883-May 1966) +
Lillie Gertrude KELLEY (12 Dec 1888-28 Oct 1958)

Lowe (3 Jan 1908-7 Jun 1914)

Vieron C. (17 Nov 1909-18 May 1928)

Myrtle (25 May 1915-4 Jan 2010) — m. Millard Morris Clark on 12 Apr 1937

Ida Marie (14 Feb 1922-15 Jun 2015) — m. William Overton “Bob” Boyce on 9 Feb 1942

Claude Vernon, Jr. “Curly” (29 Sep 1923-18 Jun 1990) — m. Alma Mae McAllister on 14 Aug 1948

William Thomas “Jack” (20 Jun 1928-11 Oct 1983) — m. Marjorie Marilyn Chaney in 1950

Claude and Gertrude were both born in Sharp County, Arkansas, and, if you trace them back, turn out to have been second cousins once removed: Claude was a great-grandson of Nicholas Norris, Sr. and Nancy Tucker from Tennessee through their son Nicholas Norris, Jr., while Gertrude was a great-great-granddaughter of the same couple through their son Billy Norris.

Claude was the eldest child of William Thomas J. “Little Tom” Norris and Sophronia Duncan, whom their grand-daughter Myrtle remembered hearing of as “Grandma Phronia”.

Gertrude, who went by both “Lillie” and “Gertie”, was the eldest child of William H. Kelley and Mary Ida Norris.

[Note that there was another Claude Norris from the same area and of similar age, a Claude E. Norris, who married Ella Goff in 1903. And a C.A. Norris too, who also married a Gertrude but was definitely a different person. They were apparently all related.]

Claude’s mother died in 1894. In the 1900 census, Claud V. Norris (17) was living in Sullivan Township (between Cave City and Sidney) in Sharp County, with his father Tom (age incorrectly listed as 42), younger twin brothers George & Jim (16), and sister Myrtle (14). Claude and his brothers were farm laborers.

Also in 1900, Lillie G. Kelley (11) was living with her parents and younger siblings in Lebanon Township, Sharp County, between Poughkeepsie and Smithville.

Claude (21) and Gertrude (barely 16) married on 18 Dec 1904 in Poughkeepsie. On the marriage license issued the day before, the security for the $100 fee was given by a G. R. McFarlin. This was probably George Riley McFarlin (~1873-1907), a first cousin to Claude’s father.

In the 1910 census, Claud (27) & Gertie (22) Norris were living in Big Rock Township, the area of Poughkeepsie, with sons “Law” (Lowe, 2) and “Lister” (Vieron, 11 months).

In a 12 Sep 1918 draft record, Claude was listed as a self-employed farmer living in “Reed”, Sharp County. This referred to Reed’s Creek in Washington Township. Reed’s Creek runs east across Sharp County and into Lawrence County north of Strawberry. He gave year of birth 1883 and middle name Vince – the only time this middle name appears. He was of medium height and build, with black hair and gray eyes.

The 1920 census found Claude (36) and Lilly (30) still in Big Rock Township, with children “Myrtal” (age 4¾) and “Veron” (10). Claude’s younger brother George was living next door with his family. Other near neighbors included Claude’s father Tom and stepmother Patsy, his uncle Jim, and his grandmother Martha.

The family moved to Imboden, Lawrence County in the 1920s. In the 1930 census, C. V. (45) and “Gertritude” (41) Norriss were living in Imboden with children Myrtle (14), Ida Marie (8), C. V. Jr. (Curly, 7), and Jack (9 months).

The 1940 census had Claude Norris (55) and wife Lillie G. (50) living in Black Rock with children Ida M. (age 18) and William (Jack, age 10). Claude was the marshal for Black Rock. Where was Curly? He was only 16; he should have been there.

The 1950 census for Black Rock listed Claud (66), L. Gertrude (60), and Jack (20). Claude was listed as deputy sheriff.

Gertrude died in 1958, and Claude died in Walnut Ridge in 1966. They’re buried in Hope Cemetery, Imboden along with their son Vieron, some other Norrises, and Gertrude’s parents. Claude’s gravestone says he was born in 1885, but multiple sources, including the gravestone dates for his younger twin brothers and their respective ages in the 1900 census, indicate that 1883 is the correct year.

[Spotts Cemetery in Poughkeepsie has many Norrises, including Claude’s brothers George and Jim. There are also Norrises at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, and a couple more at Evening Shade Cemetery. No doubt most are our relatives, however distant.]

Claude and Gertrude with their two eldest, about 1912

Children

Lowe Norris (1908-1914)

Lowe died at age 6 of a ten-day illness “with congestion of the brain and bowels”, according to the 12 Jun 1914 edition of the Sharp County Record. The death notice was accompanied by a message from his parents thanking their friends and neighbors in and around Poughkeepsie for their kindness during his illness. He was buried the day he died, in Lebanon Cemetery, Nelsonville, north of Strawberry, where many other Norrises are buried.

Vieron C. Norris (1909-1928)

In 1928, the second son, Vieron (18), was struck by lightning and killed while sheltering under a tree. He’s buried in Hope Cemetery, Imboden under a stone with the inscription, “Our loss is heaven’s gain”.

Myrtle Norris (1915-2010)

Myrtle has her own entry in the family tree.

Ida Marie Norris (1922-2015)

Ida married Bob Boyce (27 Jan 1923-20 Dec 1976) on 9 Feb 1942. They lived in Jonesboro, Craighead County, and had one child:

Paula Jo (195x-) — m. Dennis Kerry Tribble

Bob died in 1976. Ida died in 2015 and is buried with Bob in Lawrence Memorial Cemetery, Walnut Ridge. From Ida’s obituary:

“Ida Marie Boyce, 93 of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas died Monday, June 15, 2015 at Jonesboro. She was born February, 14, 1922 in Poughkeepsie, Arkansas to Claude and Gertrude Kelley Norris. She was a lifetime resident of Lawrence County. She was a retired bookkeeper and was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Walnut Ridge. She served as Worthy Matron of Rainbow Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star.

“She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dr. William O. Boyce; brothers, Lowe, Vieron, C.V. Jr., and Jack Norris; sister, Myrtle Clark.

“She is survived by her daughter Paula Tribble and husband Dennis Kerry Tribble of Walnut Ridge; grandsons, William Casey Tribble of Walnut Ridge, Christopher Tribble of Jonesboro; great-grandson, Charlie Tribble of Walnut Ridge. Graveside Service will be at 10:00a.m. Thursday, June 18, 2015 at Lawrence Memorial Park with Pastor Jeanne Williams officiating.

“Pallbearers: William Tribble, Christopher Tribble, Luther Tribble, Bill Tribble, Shelby Tribble, Boyce Vance Williams, Charlie Tribble.

“In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Walnut Ridge or Lawrence County Library.

“Under the direction of House-Gregg Funeral Home in Walnut Ridge and Lynn, Arkansas.”

Claude Vernon, Jr. “Curly” Norris (1923-1990)

Curly served in the Coast Guard during WWII, worked briefly for his brother-in-law Millard Clark, became an electrician, and moved to Paducah, Kentucky, where he worked at a nuclear power plant. He married Alma Mae McAllister (21 Feb 1931-14 May 2007) of Paducah in 1948, in Clay County, Arkansas. They had two children I know of:

Charles William “Chuck” (11 Sep 1950-1 Apr 2023)

Russell V. “Rusty” (15 Dec 1955-4 Nov 2006)

Curly died of lung cancer in 1990. Alma died in 2007. They’re buried at Mount Kenton Cemetery in Paducah. Rusty died in 2006, and is buried in Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, Lenexa, Kansas. Chuck, who remained in Paducah, was buried with his parents after his death in 2023.

Curly had two grandchildren, Jackie and Sarah Norris, who in 2007 were living in Kansas City, Missouri.

William Thomas “Jack” Norris (1928-1983)

Jack was named for his grandfather. In 1950, he married Marjorie Marilyn Chaney (24 Apr 1933-31 Mar 2024) from Imboden. They had two children:

Patricia Marie “Patty” (1951) — m. ??? Cannon

Kelley Jo (13 Jun 1962-18 Jul 1965)

They moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and later to Columbus, Ohio. After Kelley Jo died in an accident there in 1965, the family returned to Walnut Ridge, Arkansas.

Jack was, per Robert Clark’s account, “something of a rogue. A smooth-talking salesman, he did fairly well selling women’s clothing lines to stores across Arkansas and Missouri. He also was an accomplished blackjack player, and would travel to Las Vegas occasionally and come back with winnings. He was a smoker, and died of lung cancer.”

Jack is buried in Hope Cemetery, Imboden. His grave marker says he served in the Coast Guard in WWII, an apparent confusion with his brother Curly; Jack would have been too young. Marilyn moved to Memphis, where she worked for a bank, a law firm, and eventually the city of Memphis. She moved back to Arkansas to care for her mother. She died in 2024 in Paragould, Greene County, Arkansas.