Nora Jane Freel was born September 8, 1871 in St. Derain,
Nebraska to Charles William & Nancy A. Ross Freel, according to her 1893 marriage record to Henry O'Neill. Nora's 1901 marriage record to Bill Senff gives her birthplace, Richardson County. The family was raised in Barada, Nebraska. After her mother died in 1883 Nora and her sister Della were listed as adopted daughters of George and Mary Ann Walker in the 1885 Census in Barada, Nebraska.

Nora and Henry Blanchett were married June 11, 1890 in Blue Springs, Gage County, Nebraska. Their daughter Geneva (known as Neva to the family) was born in Beatrice, Nebraska.

In the early 1890's, Nora, now a young widow, migrated with her daughter Neva, her father Charles Freel, stepmother Syrena, sister Rena and brother Omer to Orcas Island in San Juan County, Washington. Nora was married Apr 7, 1893 on Orcas Island to Henry O'Neill who had been granted a homestead on the hill northwest of Eastsound in 1893 after the five-year proving up period. Their children were Alfred O'Neill, Elizabeth (Bachert, Butters), Annie (Carlson) and Charles O'Neill.
Henry died June 22,1900 at Western State Hospital from a cerebral hemorrhage.

Nora married William Sherman Senff on Apr 18, 1901 in Blaine, Whatcom County, Washington. Bill had been married before to Jennie Olive Barker and they were divorced. He had sons Guy and Harry Senff, both of Washington.
Nora and Bill moved to Western North Dakota and had 4 more children, Edward Wilbur Senff, Clara Belle, Howard Senff who died in his first year, and Orval Burnet Senff.
Bill was killed in a farming accident in 1930. Nora then returned to Orcas Island where members of her family still lived. She died on Apr 21, 1949 in Anacortes, Skagit County, Washington. She is buried in Olga-Doe Bay Cemetery on Orcas Island in San Juan County, Washington where other family members are at rest.