William Brown Norris (1803-1864)

Birth: May 20, 1803; Mifflin County, Pennsylvania

Death: March 22, 1864 (age 61); Memphis, Tennessee

Military Service: USA, 1861-64

Unit: Paymaster

Alma Mater: Dickinson College, B.A. (Class of 1824)

William Brown Norris received his bachelor of arts degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1824 and began to study law in Bellefonte. In 1826 he was admitted to the Centre County Bar and began to practice law. However, a loss of his voice forced Norris to abandon that profession; he then moved to Lewistown and became engaged in the iron industry. After several years in this trade, Norris was a surveyor from 1848 to 1852 and was a surveyor for the port of Philadelphia.

A jack-of-all-trades, Norris then entered the insurance business, in which capacity he served until being appointed paymaster of the United States Army. While serving in the army, Norris died in Memphis, Tennessee on March 22, 1864.

More information about other Dickinson war casualties can be found through the online project "In Remembrance" (see link for related entries below).