Norman

 
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Doraville Whitney was the first Black settler in Isabella County in 1860.  The first documentation of an African-American settler in Mecosta County Michigan was James Guy.  His deed was signed by Abraham Lincoln.  He  obtained 160 acres in Wheatland Township on May 30, 1861.  Lloyd & Margaret Guy were the first Black settlers in Montcalm County in 1861. The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed each settler 160 acres in Michigan.  By 1873 African-Americans owned 1,392 acres in the three counties of Isabella, Mecosta and Montcalm.  In the 1860's most of the land in Remus was owned by the Old Settlers. 

 

SECTION 1

Grandison Norman

 

SECTION 2

George E. Norman

 

SECTION 3

Norman Family Pictures

 

SECTION 4

Marquis Norman

 

SECTION 5

George Lindley Norman

 

SECTION 6

George L. Norman Family

 

George Norman Pictures

Pictures Courtesy of

Marguerite Berry-Jackson

Deonna Todd-Green, Ione Todd

Dorothy Harris-Allen

Charlene Belcher-Sleet

 

George E. Norman

Son of Joe (Dow) & Seville (Harper) Norman

John (Cub) Norman

Son of Joe (Dow) & Seville (Harper) Norman

 

Eliza Norman - Daughter of George Norman

and Sister of Grandson II

Bertha Reed-Lett's Mother

 

Loretta Mason-Hackley

 

Sarah Johnson-Harris

(Wife of William Harris)

Daughter of Friley &

Minerva Norman-Johnson

 

Belle Hackley-Mitchell

Daughter of Elisha Reed

& Eliza Hackley Norman-Reed

 

George Hackley

Mother Eliza Norman

 

Front Row:   Minnie Norman, Emma Norman,

Addie Ceaser & Lucinda Norman  

Back Row:  L-R:  William Henderson & John Norman

 

BR: Lucinda (Norman) Todd, Emma (Norman) Todd,  Jesse Harper
FR: Grace Sleet, Addie Ceaser, Goldie Norman

 

Violet (Norman) Whitney, Goldie Norman

Mary-Molly (Norman) Harper-Lett

 

Molly Norman-Lett-Harper

 

Emma Norma-Todd (Painting)

 

Emma Norman-Todd

 

Front:  Lucinda Norman-Todd, Maude Hill

Back:  Emma Norman-Todd

 

Emma (Norman) Todd

 

Brief history - The Children of

George Norman

 

William married Mary Phillips.  He was in the Civil War.  There is no other information available.  Horace was born in Ohio in 1843 and died in the Civil War.  He was in Co. D, also the 5th USCT, corporal, died April 24, 1865.  He was buried in Hampton, VA, interred in National Cemetery, Row 8, Section F, Grave No. 44; enlisted at 20 years of age, on August 19, 1863, for three years, appointed corporal October 1, 1863.  Eliza married Ira Hackley.  There were no children born to this union.  She later married Elisha Reed.  Ellen (unknown). 

 

Grandison Norman was the first Norman homesteader in this community.  He was the oldest son of George and Mary (Stevens) Norman.  He was called to the Civil War and died there.  He was not married, and his homestead was left to his heirs, one sister Eliza (Norman) Reed, three brothers, Michael, Joseph and Marquis.

 

 

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Norman

 

There are "Old Settlers" who came from Canada via "The Underground Railroad."  It was the most dramatic nonviolent protest against slavery in the United States that began in the Colonial Era and reached its peak between 1830 and 1865. An estimated 30,000 to 100,000 slaves used the "railroad" to get to Canada; many others escaped to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe.