1914 Biography - John Robert Norman

Norman, John Robert, a planter, was born in St. John the Baptist parish, Aug. 3, 1855, the son of Thomas Henderson Norman, a native of North Carolina, of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and Elida Meurice (Tregre) Norman, a native of St. John the Baptist parish, La. Thomas Henderson Norman was born in 1805 in North Carolina, near the Virginia line. Elida Meurice Tregre was the daughter of Louis and Marie (Charleville) Tregre. Louis Tregre was a descendant of Andres Tregre, who came with the early coast settlers to Louisiana. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Norman had the following children: John Robert, the subject of this sketch; Marie Louise, now the widow of Charles H. Byrne, and Thomas Louis Norman. John R. Norman spent his youth in St. John the Baptist parish and in New Orleans, having been reared largely by his grandmother. He attended both public and private schools in his youth and afterwards went to St. Stanislaus college at Bay St. Louis, Miss., for 2 years, after which he was taught by the celebrated De La Montluzin, who was a very learned man and kept an excellent school in New Orleans. This De La Montluzin was formerly a member of the French academy, but was expelled by Napoleon III for writing in opposition to him. John R. Norman spent 2 years in the school of De La Montluzin, leaving in 1874 to go to work. He was first employed in the office of Wallace & Co., a large dry goods house in New Orleans, afterwards going to Mississippi, where he bought land and remained until 1896, in which year he removed to Opelousas and purchased a large interest in a cotton seed oil mill at that place. In this Mr. Norman continued until 1900, when he removed to New Orleans, where he has since resided. Mr. Norman is a member of the Catholic church. In 1883 he married Miss Clementina Henderson of New Orleans, a daughter of William and Philomene (Briant) Henderson. Philomene Briant was a granddaughter of Judge Briant of St. Martinville, La., who came to Louisiana from St. Domingo after the revolution in that island. Judge Briant before coming to Louisiana was a captain in the French army and also held a similar commission under George III. He was appointed judge for the parish of St. Mary by Gov. Claiborne, and held this office for some 30 years. He was also member of the constitutional convention. Jr. and Mrs. Norman have the following children: Mary Marguerite, John Robert, Jr., Ernest Briant, Anita Jeane, William Henderson, Sylvia Agnes and Alexander Wilson Norman. Mr. Norman continues his interest in planting in the parish of Orleans and conducts a plantation a few miles below Algiers on the Mississippi river.

Extracted 2020 Nov 01 by Norma Hass, from Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, published in 1914, volume 3, pages 555-556.

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