Legislator Details
Vital Records Information:
Marital Information:
married 3 times: married Miss Cone, dau. of Rev. Spencer Cone; children: 3 sons. Later married Isabella Hotchkins Freeman, dau. of Michael and Sarah (DeWeese) Hotchkins, and adopted dau. of Tristram B. Freeman, 11/7/1822; children: 2 daughters Isabella Gibson (Keith) and Emily Virginia (Walker) and 6 sons.
3 sons names were: Freeman, Dallas and Stevens Thompson
Number of Children: 0
Background
Education:
common school
Biographical Sketch:
Son of Lipsocomb and Mary (Hendrick) Norvell . Trained as a printer in Baltimore. Edited papers in Hagerstown, Md. & Philadelphia. Enlisted as a private in the War of 1812. Admitted to the bar in 1814; practiced in Baltimore, MD. Edited newspapers in Baltiomore later, the Franklin Gazette and then the Aurora and Franklin Gazette in Philadelphia until 1830. Moved to Michigan Terr.; postmaster of Detroit 1831-1836; acted as secretary of the legislative council and city recorder; delegate to the 1837 State constitutional convention at Detroit. U.S. district attorney of Michigan 1846-1849. He died the day that news came from Washington that he had been appointed US Consul to Turkey.
Notable Facts:
Edited an Anti-Federalist paper in Philadelphia 1816-1832. Worked on the resolution of the Michigan/Ohio boundary dispute blocking statehood.
Cofounder of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate & served from 1/26/1837, to 3/3/1841.
Norvell Township in Jackson County, Michigan is named for him.