Lafayette Norman Served in Mexican and Confederate War
Father of Lafayette Served in Revolutionary War
_______________________

Buried at Glenwood Cemetery

Lafayette Norman was born in Tennessee July 19, 1826. He was the son of William Norman, a native of Virginia.

William Norman served in the Revolutionary War, serving under his father. William and his father were among the ones who fought at Valley Forge. William died at the age of eighty three in Tennessee.

The mother of Lafayette was Mrs. Hannah (Larson) Oaks. By her first marriage she had two children. William and Hannah had two sons. Their son Fleming as killed in the Confederate Army. Hannah died in 1867.

Lafayette and his brother grew up in McMinn County, Tennessee. He learned the trade of saddle and harness making at an early age, working in Tennessee as a journeyman. In 1846 he joined the 3rd Infantry Volunteers of Tennessee when the Mexican War broke out. He did not see much action, and was not in any real battles, just a few minor skirmishes.

After the war was over in 1848, Mr. Norman returned to his home in Tennessee. There he remained for the next four years. He moved then to Tippah County, Mississippi and continued his trade of saddle and harness maker. In the year 1858 he moved to Arkansas where he farmed the land until the start of the War Between the States in 1861.

With the start of the Civil War once again Lafayette Norman answered the call for volunteers and joined the Confederate Army. He fist assignment was to be dispatched to the arsenal department. There he made cartridges boxes for soldiers. His harness making skills came in to use too during his stay in the Army.

Lafayette saw action at the Battle of Little Rock, and later was transfer to Shreveport, La where he stayed until the close of the war. When his stay was up in the Army and the war over it was a time for change for Lafayette and his family, so they moved to Johnson County, Texas settling in Alvarado.

Lafayette Normand and Miss Caroline Binyon, were married in 1850 in Tennessee. She was the daughter of I.S. and Susan (Reece) Binyon of Tennessee. The Norman's had three children; Susan H, who married J. Glass of Bowie County, Texas; W.B. of Alvarado; Thomas F. of Quanah, Texas. Caroline Norman died in 1856 in Mississippi. After the death of Caroline Lafayette married Miss Sallie Jones. She was the daughter of James P. and Lena (Wheeler) Jones. Together they had two children, James P of Texarkana and Lafayette. Sallie Norman died in 1864 in Shreveport during the Civil War.

After the war in 1866 Lafayette married for the third time. He married Julia B. Heath, of Cass County, Texas, she was the daughter of Adam and Martha (Christian) Heath. They had the following children, Adam, Mattie, Ludie, Maggie and John. Julia who was born July 5, 1839 died September 17, 1908 in Alvarado. Lafayette died May 5, 1904. Both are buried at Glenwood Cemetery in Alvarado.

It was not that uncommon for men to serve in more than one war, but Alvarado did not seem to have a lot. At least there were not that many records showing this.

Article written by Beverly Short and appeared in the Alvarado Post, 1996