History of Fair Hill, (Bucks County) Pennsylvania United States of America

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Isaac Norris, party leader, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 3, 1707; son of Isaac and Mary (Lloyd) Norris. He engaged in the business of merchandising, principally with Great Britain, first as clerk for his father, then in partnership until his father's death, in 1735. He was a member of the Philadelphia common council, 1727-30; alderman, 1730-34, and member of the assembly with few interruptions, 1734-64. He was married in 1739, to Sarah, daughter of James Logan. He assumed the leadership of the peace party, which became known as the Norris party. When the assembly met in October, 1739, the measures for defence against threatened invasion by the French and Spanish troops recommended by Governor Thomas, were opposed by the Norris party as representatives of the Quakers, who conscientiously refrained from bearing arms or engaging in strife. The governor objected to the demands of the Quakers for compensation for the services of their indentured servants who were serving in the army, and Norris obtained from the assembly compensation to the masters for such service. In 1742 his seat in the assembly was unsuccessfully contested by Mr. Allen, the wealthy recorder of Philadelphia; but the contest called out a bitter controversy and charges of "fraud" and "bulldozing," and a riot in the streets which the recorder took no means to suppress. He was appointed by the governor in 1745, and again in 1755, to treat with the Indians at Albany, who were the owners of the large area of lands in southwestern Pennsylvania, and he secured several million acres by purchase. He succeeded John Kinsey, deceased, as speaker of the assembly in 1751. In the same year the bell for the state house was ordered from England, and Norris directed the inscription; "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," to be placed around it, and when the bell was cracked in 1752, it was recast with the same inscription, and became the historic liberty bell that proclaimed the signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. The pretty story, often repeated, to the effect that an aged sexton wailed impatiently in the belfry for the announcement that the Declaration was signed, and that at last a little boy, instructed for the purpose, came out to the sidewalk and, clapping his hands, shouted "Ring ! ring!" is purely imaginative. He resigned the speakership in 1764, when he found himself powerless to prevent the passage of a petition to transfer the government of the province from the Proprietors to the crown, and was succeeded by Benjamin Franklin, who signed the petition, but in the election of the same year, Franklin failing re-election, Norris was elected, and made speaker, but resigned Oct. 24, 1764. He was a man of liberal education, and possessed a library, 1500 volumes of which became the property of Dickinson college, by gift from John Dickinson. His daughter Mary, who inherited his estates, married John Dickinson . He died at Fair Hill, Pa., July 13, 1766.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Fair Hill, (Bucks County) Pennsylvania

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