JASON F. NORMAN. Special adaptability to any particular calling in life is the one necessary adjunct to success of a permanent kind. No matter what the vim and determination characterizing a man’s start in business, unless he is to the manner born, he will find to his sorrow that his line has been falsely cast, and the quicker he draws aside and takes up another, the better it will be for him. It has often been the case that a man will make a success of several different occupations, and this has been the experience of Jason F. Norman, who is not only engaged in general merchandising, but also in job printing and bookbinding at Romance, Missouri.
He was born in Fulton County, Arkansas, in 1854, a son of Abner S. and Charlotte (Orr) Norman, the former of whom was born in Georgia in 1811, and the latter in South Carolina in 1815, their marriage occurring in the former State in 1834. Their first removal was to Arkansas about 1852, and after a short residence in Conway County they removed to Fulton County in 1862, and later to Douglas County, Missouri April 9, 1864, Mr. Norman was killed in Marion County, Arkansas, while with the Federal Army, but of which he was not a member, being a cripple. He was a farmer and school teacher, was a justice of the peace for many years in different counties, and led an active, industrious and honest life. He was a recognized leader in social and business circles, took an active interest in all public matters, and he was ever a loyal citizen of the United States. His father, George Norman, is supposed to have been a native of Georgia, in which State he spent his entire life, dying when Abner was a lad. He was of French extraction. His eldest son, Charles, was a prominent lawyer and died in Alabama, when about ninety years of age. The maternal grandfather, Lodowick Orr, was of English and Scotch ancestry and by occupation was a Methodist minister and a school teacher. He was finely educated, was a man of much force of character, and was a leader in all enterprises pertaining to the advancement of the section in which he resided. His wife, Nancy Orr, died in Alabama. The mother of the subject of this sketch died in Polk County, Missouri, in 1880, having been a member of the Methodist Church since 1822. She became the mother of eleven children: George L., who died at Ozark, Missouri; William Clark, who died at Rome, Missouri; Abner J., who was killed at Ozark, Missouri, near the close of the war, having been a Federal soldier throughout the struggle; J. P. M., a teacher and farmer of Ava, Missouri, was at one time the tax collector of Douglas County, and also served two terms as tax assessor; Robert F., who has been engaged in farming and teaching, is at present a lumber dealer at Republic, Missouri; Jason F.; Nancy C. (Clements) of Cincinnati, Arkansas; Sarah A., who died in 1865, the wife of William Cooley; Eliza V., wife of J. A. Sagerser of John’s Mills, Missouri; Mary J., wife of John Hickman of Mt. Home, Arkansas; and C. Ann, wife of Taylor Lutts of Pottersville, Missouri.
Jason F. Norman made his home with his mother until he reached man’s estate, and received the principal part of his literary education at Mt. Home, Arkansas, after which he was engaged in teaching in Missouri and Arkansas for some ten years. In 1879 he was married in Ozark County, Missouri, to Sallie C., daughter of Barton and Mary J. Barnett, whose entire lives were spent in their native State of Tennessee. Mrs. Norman came to Missouri with her grandfather McGee, and here met and married Mr. Norman, by whom she has one daughter, Daisy. In 1880 Mr. Norman located in Romance and engaged in general merchandising, in which he has since done a prosperous business. He handles cotton and produce, and also does a binding and job printing business, which he has found to be profitable. He is a member of the Methodist Church, is an active worker in the Sunday-school, and is now president of the Ozark County Sunday-school Association. The first church that was ever dedicated in Ozark County was built on his land at Romance at a cost of $650, nearly half of which Mr. Norman gave. He has always been a stanch Republican in politics, and cast his first presidential vote for Hayes in 1876.
In August, 1894, he removed to Seymour, Missouri, and established a job printing office and bindery, having leased his mercantile business at Romance to another party, who continues there.