My Genealogy Hound

R. J. Norman, another successful tiller of the soil, was born in Bedford County, Tenn., in 1845, and is the son of Reuben and Cynthia (McFarland) Norman. The father was born in Virginia; was a farmer by occupation, but was also engaged in teaching school some time. He moved to Tennessee in 1828, and was married in 1832, leaving Tennessee in 1850 to try his fortune out West. He located in Washington County, Ark., near Elm Spring, where he passed his last days, being killed by Federal scouts in February, 1865. His son, R. J. Norman, received rather a limited education, remaining on the farm with his father, and assisting him until August 22, 1863, when he enlisted in Brown’s company of Confederate Rangers, Confederate States Army, was captured at Huntsville. Ark., October 22, 1863, by the Second Wisconsin Cavalry, and part of the Sixth and Eighth Missouri Cavalry; was taken to Rock Island, Ill., by way of Springfield, St. Louis and Alton. Ill.; was released from prison in January,1865; was exchanged March 25, 1865; re-entered Confederate service in Company G, Fifteenth Arkansas, at Shreveport, La., and served with it until the close of the war, being discharged at Little Rock. Returning home, he remained one year, then went to Texas, remaining there three years, and coming back to Arkansas again was married to Miss Mary A. Truett in 1871. One child, James R., was born to them. Mr. Norman lost his wife in 1874. In 1876 he was married to a Miss Cynthia J. Aaron, and to this union one child, Nora, was also born, in 1877. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, is a Prohibitionist in political views, and he, his wife and son are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.