Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/573

Rh encroachments of the Penns, he would not support the proposition to convert Pennsylvania into a royal province, resigning his speakership wlien in 1764 a petition to that effect passed the assembly. He was returned at the next election, and again re- signed in 1764. Norris was an excellent French, Latin, and Hebrew scholar, collected a valuable library, and was active in educational and benevolent enterprises. See " Genealogical Record of the Norris Family," by J. Parker Norris (Philadelphia, 1865). — The first Isaac's great-grandson, George Washington, surgeon, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 6 Nov., 18U8 ; d. there, 4 March, 1875, was the son of Joseph Parker Norris, who for many years was jjresident of the Bank of Pennsylvania. He was graduated in letters in 1827 "nd in medicine in 1830 at the University of Pennsylvania, and sub- sequently studied in Paris, where he became a member of the Societe medicale d'observation. In 1836 he was elected one of the surgeons to the Pennsylvania hospital, and retained this post for twenty-seven years. In 1848 he was chosen clini- cal professor of surgery in the University of Penn- sylvania, which post he resigned in 1857, when he was elected a trustee of the university. His lec- tures delivered in the Pennsylvania hospital won for him renown throughout the United States as an admirable diagnostician and careful practitioner of surgery. In 1842 he published an essay " On the Occurrence of Non-Union after Fractures : its Causes and Treatment." This, with his papers on the ligature of arteries, secured for him foreign as well as home reputation, and have been widely quoted in books on surgery, both in this country and in Europe. He republished these papers, with other essays, in a volume entitled " Contributions to Practical Surgery" (Philadelphia, 1873). He was for many years vice-president of the College of physicians of Philadelphia, and in 1858-"9 was president of the State historical society. His '• Early History of Medicine in Philadelphia " was printed privately after his death (1886). — George Washington's son, William Francis, b. in Phila- delphia, 6 Jan., 1839, was graduated at the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania in 1858 and at its medical school in 1861, and in the latter year was appointed resident physician to the Pennsylvania hospital. He was assistant surgeon in the U. S. army in 1863-'5, and was brevetted captain for meritorious service. In 1865 he resigned and established him- self in practice in Philadelphia, making a specialty of diseases of the eyes. Since 1873 he has been pro- fessor of ophthalmic surgery in the University of Pennsylvania. He is one of the surgeons to Wills eye hospital, fellow of the College of physicians and of Pennsylvania academy of natural sciences, and a member of numerous medical societies. His pub- lications have been limited to contributions to pro- fessional periodicals and to the " Transactions " of the several societies of which he is a member.

NORRIS, John, benefactor, b. in Salem, Mass., 10 .June, 1748; d. in Salem, Mass., 22 Dec, 1808. He was for many years a merchant in Salem and a member of the Massachusetts senate. He was one of the founders of Andover theological semi- nary and a large contributor to benevolent and re- ligious enterprises. — His widow, Mary, bequeathed in 1811 $30,000 to Andover seminaiyand a similar sum to foreign missions.

NORRIS, Moses, senator, b. in Pittsfield, N. H., 8 Nov., 1799; d. in Washington, D. C, 11 Jan., 1855. He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1828, practised law in Barnstead, N. H., was in the state senate in 1830-'40, and was state solicitor for Mer- rimack county in 1843. He was elected to con- gress as a Democi'at in 1842, served in 1843-7, was speaker of the legislature in 1848, and the same year was chosen U. S. senator, which office he held until his death.

NORRIS, Thaddeus, author, b. in Warrenton, Va., 15 Aug., 1811; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 10 April, 1877. He removed to Philadelphia in 1829 and engaged in business. .From his boyhood he had been an ardent lover of angling, and in after- years he became an authority on the haunts, hab- its, and instincts of fish. He was also a successful manufacturer of rods and flies. He was largely concerned in the preliminary arrangements for the erecrtion of the aquaria at the Philadelphia Centennial exhibition in 1876. Mr. Norris con- tributed constantly to sporting papers and pub- lished " The American Angler's Book " (Philadel- phia, 1864) and "American Fish Culture" (1868).

NORTH, Caleb, soldier, b. in Chester county. Pa., 15 July, 1753; d. in Philadelphia, 7 Nov., 1840. He was a merchant at Coventry, Pa., at the beginning of the Revolution, at which time, it is said, he hired a British deserter to teach him the manual of arms. He was a captain in the 4th battalion and served in the Canada campaign, when on his return from Ticonderoga he was pro- moted major of the 10th regiment, and as such rendered important service. At Paoli, by the par- ticular exertions of Gen. Anthony Wayne, Maj. North, and Capt. Stout, a rear-guard was formed by which two pieces of cannon and the remainder of the brigade were saved. He was detached the same night to direct the retreat of Gen. William Smallwood, and a vidette was killed by his side. After taking part in the battle of Gei'mantown, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel of the 11th Penn- sylvania regiment and was in the battle of Mon- mouth. In July, 1778, he was transferred to the 9th Pennsyh'ania, and in January, 1781, to the 2d, with which he took part in the southern cam- paign. After the surrender of Cornwallis he had charge of the British prisoners on their march from Virginia to York and Lancaster, Pa., eon- ducting Tarleton's noted legion to Philadelphia. He retired from the army at the close of the war, resumed business at Coventry, and subsequently removed to Philadelphia, where in 1819 he was chosen high-sheriff. From 1828 until his death he was president of the Society of Cincinnati in Penn- sylvania, being the last survivor of the field-officers of the Pennsylvania line.

NORTH, Elisha, physician, b. in Goshen, Conn., 8 Jan., 1771; d. in New London, Conn., 29 Dec, 1843. He was the son and grandson of physicians, and early determined to follow that profession. For this purpose he studied in Hartford under Lemuel Hopkins, and then in Philadelphia under Benjamin Rush. After being admitted to practice he settled in Goshen, where he followed his profession until 1812, when he removed to New London, and in both places attained considerable reputation for his skill and judgment. Dr. North was always foremost in adapting improvements in medicine, and was among the earliest to practise vaccination in the United States. He was the first to introduce vaccine matter in New York, sending to Dr. Edward Miller, of that city, a person that had been vaccinated expressly for the purpose of supplying the physicians with genuine matter. Dr. North paid special attention to diseases of the eye, and estabhshed the first eye infirmary in the United States at New London in 1817. When the new and obscure dis- ease known as spotted fever raged in New England from 1806 till 1810, Dr. North treated it with marked success, and his publication on the subject