Norris, J.W. 1855-1936

NORRIS, CULLER, SLATER, MOOTS

Posted By: Marilyn Norris Holmes
Date: 2/2/2017 at 13:32:39

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register

J.W. NORRIS
IS CALLED
BY DEATH
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Veteran Grinnell Business Man
Succumbs To A Heart Attack
Sunday Morning.
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FUNERAL SERVICES
TUESDAY AT 2 P.M.
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Mr. Norris Had Been A Grinnell
Citizen Since 1881; Was 80
Years Of Age.
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Grinnell lost one of its old time citizens when James Wilson Norris passed away Sunday morning at about 6 o'clock as a result of a heart attack. Mr. Norris had apparently been in his usual rugged health up to Friday morning when he suffered a slight attack, the forerunner of the one which caused his death. He was up and about as usual Sunday morning when he was stricken. Mr. Norris would have been 81 years old had he lived until August 14.

Funeral service will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the home, 1234 West street, conducted by Rev. Charles R. Rowe. Pall bearers will be John and Charles Manly, E.O. Porter, Howard Edwards, H.H. Armstrong and F.F. Clindinin. Burial will be in Hazelwood.

Mr. Norris' connection with Grinnell dates back to 1881 when he came as a young man from Sheridan township, where he had grown up on a farm and started in the livery business, which he was to follow for many years. His first place of business was at Third and Main street. Later he had a barn back of the Colonial theater and also was located on Fourth Ave., where the River to River garage now is. In 1904 he bought the feed shed on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broad street and occupied it until 1912, when it was sold to the government and torn down to make a place for the post office.

At that time he and his sons, who had become associated with him in business, moved to the present location of J.W. Norris & Sons at the corner of State street and Fourth Avenue, where they have engaged in a general automobile storage and oil business.

Mr. Norris was also for a time engaged in the draying business in Grinnell and was in partnership with Mr. Miller in the ice business. For a few years also he was a horse buyer and shipped many loads out of Grinnell.

Mr. Norris was the second son [see note] of Samuel and Margaret Norris and was born August 14, 1855, in Holmes county, Ohio. When he was very young his parents moved to Illinois and in 1858 the family came to Iowa, settling on a farm in Sheridan township, where they made their home for many years.

October 1, 1884, he was united in marriage with Ida Lora Culler, who survives him. To this union were born five children. One daughter, Lela, died in 1897. The children surviving are Raymond and Paul of Grinnell, Mrs. Myrtle Slater of Davenport and Mrs. Katherine Moots of Lafayette, Ind. There is also one grandson, James Wilson Norris. All the children are now in Grinnell and will remain for the funeral.

Last year Mr. and Mrs. Norris celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. It was a joyful occasion marked by the heartfelt congratulations of their many friends on an occasion which it is granted to so few to observe.

Mr. Norris will be remembered for his sterling honesty, and for his shrewd business acumen which was combined with a genial friendly nature which drew friends to him and held them. He was never assertive but he entertained his own strong opinions and was always actively interested in the issues of the day. The little group of friends which gathered so often at the Norris office to talk things over will not forget the forceful comments and the kindly tolerence of Jim Norris.

He had to face misfortune in his life. Twice his place of business was destroyed by fire once in 1913 and once in 1925. Each time he came up smiling and built larger and better on the ruins of what had gone before.

Jim Norris was a Grinnell institution. He will be missed.

NOTE: J.W. Norris was the "3rd" son of Samuel Tuttle Norris and Margaret Harris Norris.