Abraham Norris, engineer, New York

[Bewnans]

On a side-branch of my family tree I have a man called Abraham Norris.  He was born in Poplar, London, UK, in 1832.  He married Isabelle MacLaren in 1853 in Poplar.  At his wedding he gave his occupation as "engineer".  By 1880 he was resident in New York City.  He died there in 1908.  The couple had 6 children; the first 4 born in the UK and the final 2 born in Brooklyn.  I would love to learn more about Abraham's lifestory; in particular was he invited to New York to help with an engineering project?

[Genealiza]

1870 Census:  NY, Kings County, Brooklyn, Ward 13
Norris, Abraham, 38, draughtsman, b. Eng, parents of foreign
                            birth
           Isabella, 38, b. Eng, pofb
           James, 16, clerk, b. Eng, pofb
           John, 13, b. Eng, pofb, attends school
           Isabella, 11, b. Eng, pofb
           Clara, 8, b. Eng, pofb
           Alfred, 6, b. Eng, pofb
           Annie, 2, b. NY, pofb

1880 Census:  NY, Kings, Brooklyn, Ward 19
84 Hayward St (appears to be a duplex)
Norris, Abram, 48, married, draughtsman, b. Eng, parents b. Eng
           Isabella, 48, wife, married, keeping house, b. Eng,
                         parents b. Scot
           John H, 23, son, single, draughtsman, b. Eng, Eng, Eng
           Isabella, 21, dau, single, at home,  b. Eng, Eng, Eng
           Clara, 18, dau, single, operator on shoes, b. Eng
           Alfred, 16, son, single, printer, b. Eng
           Alice L, 9, dau, single, at school, b. Brooklyn, NY
       *  Walter, 6, son, single, at home, b. Brooklyn, NY
Wyatt, Herbert, 6/12, b. Dec, boarder, single, at home,
                          b. Brooklyn, NY, parents b. North Carolina

*corrected and added


1900 Census:  New Jersey, Bergen, Rutherford
112 Prospect Place
Welch, Ellis, b. Aug 1867, 39, married 15 yrs, b. NY, Eng, Eng,
                    clothing cutter, can read, write, spks Eng, owns
                    home, mortgaged
           Clara, b. Apr 1861, 38, married 15 yrs, mother of 3
                    children, 3 children living, b. Eng, immig 1868, 32
                     yrs in US, can read, write, spks Eng
           Ellis W, son, b. Mar 1887, 13, b. NY
           Jessie W, dau, b. Oct 1890, 9, b. NJ
           Isabell M, b. Feb 1897, 3, b. NJ
           Gertrude, mother, b. Apr 1837, 63, widow, mother of
                     1 child, 1 child living, b. Eng, Eng, Eng, immigrated
                     1849, 51 yrs in US, can read, write, spks Eng
Norris, Abraham, fa-in-law, b. Jan 1832, 68, married 47 yrs, b.
                      Eng, Eng, Eng, immig 1868, 32 yrs in US,
                      naturalized, can read, write, spks Eng
           Isabella, mo-in-law, b. Feb 1832, 68, married 47 yrs,
                     mother of 10 children, 7 children living, b. Eng,
                     Scot, Scot, immig 1868, 32 yrs in US, can read,
                     write, spks Eng

               

[Genealiza]

1875 New York State Census:  Kings County, Brooklyn, Ward 19

William H Wyatt, 31, b. N Carolina, married, printer
Jennie                 32, wife, b. N Carolina, married
Isabella Norris, 16, niece, b. Eng
Jethroe Betts, 21, boarder, b. N Carolina, single, printer

[Bewnans]

Thank you.  This is brilliant information.  I am working my way through it.

[shellyesq]

He's in this directory - http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.com/Directory/1879/n.html

1884 Brooklyn city directory
Norris, Abraham, draughtsman, home 142 Heyward

There is a death notice on www.fultonhistory.com that says Abraham died 7 May 1908 and funeral services would be held at the residence  of his Mrs. Ellis G. Welch in Rutherford, New Jersey. 

I don't see a match for Abraham on the New York City death record index on www.italiangen.org, so maybe he actually died in New Jersey?

The 1909 Rutherford, New Jersey city directory has Isabella Norris, widow of Abraham, living at 112 Prospect place.

[*Sandra*]

A few more snippets to fill the blanks.
Anc family tree shows - Abraham Norris Born 12 Feb 1832 in Tower Hamlets, Middlesex, England and died May 1908 in New York.

Isabella MacLaren - Born Feb 1832 in Middlesex, England and died 1918 in Ruthersford, NJ.

Son John Norris married Emma Renward June 11 th 1884

John H Norris   Jun  11  1884  Kings
Emma Renward   Jun  11  1884  Kings

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0l04/

1920 Census - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MJBW-9M6

John and Emma do not appear to have had any children.

Sandra
 

[shellyesq]

1894 Rutherford, NJ city directory
Norris, Abraham, retired, 120 Prospect

1895 Rutherford, NJ city directory
Norris, Mrs. Isabella, home 112 Prospect

1897 Rutherford, NJ city directory
Norris, Abraham, retired, 120 Prospect

In the 1895 New Jersey state census, Abraham & Isabella are listed with Ellis G., Clara, Ellis W., Jessie, & Gertrude Welch.

[*Sandra*]

James Norris with wife and child in Brooklyn, Kings, New York 1880

James Norris 26 Born England. Machinist.
Mary Norris 25 Born England.
Laura Norris 1 Born New York.


1900 - Jerome Street. New York City, Kings, New York - James, Mary and 2 daughters and a niece

James Born England. June 1854. Machinist. Married for 22 years
Mary E Born England. April 1854. Had 1 child and 1 survives 
Laura  - September 1879 NY. Daughter. Stenographer.
Maud  - August 1885. NY. Daughter
Martha - Born NY. May 1888. Niece

1910 Jerome Street. Brooklyn. - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M5QV-YPY

James Norris. Born England. Machinist. Printing Shop. Marriage 1 for 30 years. Immigrated 1868. NA.
Mary Born England. Immigrated 1862. Marriage 1 for 30 years. Had 1 child and 1 survived. 
Laura - Born New York and aged 29 years.  Correspondent. Office.

1920 - New York City. Kings. New York - James, Mary & Laura.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MJTS-NHX

1930 - Brooklyn Kings, New York  - James, Mary & Laura - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X4VT-PDV

Sandra

[*Sandra*]

Family tree gives Ellis G Welch Born August 1861 in New York and died 10 March 1935 in Rutherford, New Jersey.
Clara Norris Born April 16 1862 in London, England and died March 17 1934 in Rutherford, NJ
Son - Ellis William Welch - Born 24 Mar 1887 in Rutherford, New York and died 25 Sep 1970 in Collingswood, NJ.
Daughter - Jessie Norris Welch - Born 16 October 1890 in Rutherford, New Jersey  and died 24 March 1961 in Hackensack, NJ.


Sandra