“Driving a Ford Pinto and equipped with a thermos of water, some snacks, overnight bag, camera, tape recorder, paper and pencils; I began numerous trips into 14 counties in Ohio.” These are Madalene Jones Norris’s words describing her research for her maternal side of the family tree.
In 1985, she published her book, “A Genealogy of the Broady, Harris, Napper, Thacker and Trent Families.” Sourced and well documented, Ms. Norris’s book is valuable to those of us who are researching the Dorton, Napper and Thacker families.
She visited courthouses, libraries, health departments, newspaper offices, and cemeteries in Champaign, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Highland, Jackson, Madison, Miami, Montgomery, Pickaway, Pike, Ross,and Vinton Counties in Ohio. From January 3, 1981 through May 8, 1985, Mrs. Norris conducted 85 personal interviews. One of the most important of these was the one done on August 30, 1983 with Elizabeth Dorton of Chillicothe, Ohio. Lizzie recounted for Madalene the information given to her by her father, Beverly Dorton.
Beverly was the son of James Dorton and Virginia Napper. His grandparents were Malachi Dorton and Mahala Thacker.
Lizzie told Madalene that Mahala had seven girls and four boys. They included:
“My grandmother, Virginia Napper, who married James Dorton.
Patsy Napper
Ann Napper
Nancy Napper
Lucy Napper
Polly Napper
Peachie Napper
Wed Napper
Levi Napper
Pete Napper
Dick Napper
Though unable to document information for all 11 of the Napper siblings, Mrs. Norris has extensive information on most of them. As important, it gives researchers a framework for this family. Considering that this research was conducted pre Internet era, the depth of information is extraordinary.
The book has been filmed by the Family Search Library. The catalog lists the film as: FHL US/CAN Film 1597896 Item 1.
Note: Madalene Jones Norris is the great great granddaugher of Wetherfoot Napper and Mildred Jane Thacker. She is the researcher referred to in my Desktop Genealogist Unplugged post, Because the Boat Rocked.
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