Biography

1842 - 05/21/1888

Captain Alexander Wilson Norris (R6) Philadelphia County 1881-1882

Early Life: 

Captain Alexander Wilson “A. Wilson” Norris, born 1842, Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania; Georgetown College (University), Washington, D.C.; Captain, Civil War, 1861-1865; University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1867; admitted, Philadelphia bar, attorney until 1872; appointment, Governor Hartranft, personal secretary, 1872; first Recorder of the Board of Pardons, 1873; Inspector General, Grand Army, Republic the Potomac, commander, Department of Pennsylvania 1873; Reporter, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1876-1880; aide-de-camp for Governor Hartranft, 1877; secretary, Republican State Committee, six years; appointed, Judge Advocate General, Pennsylvania, 1879-1881; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1881-1882; appointed, Judge Advocate General, Pennsylvania, Governor Henry Martyn Hoyt staff, 1881- 1883; appointed, United States Pension Agent, Philadelphia, 1884; elected, Republican, Auditor General, Commonwealth 1887–1888; died in office, May 21, 1888. Unknown interment.

Early Career:

Enlisted, lieutenant, 107th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, November 1861. He was captured and exchanged at 1^st Manassas; recaptured at Gettysburg, 1863; remained a prisoner for 20 months, Staunton and Libby Prisons, Virginia; exchanged, re-joined old unit and mustered out as captain, 1865.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Appointed, Governor John Frederick Hartranft, personal secretary, 1872.

First Recorder, Board of Pardons, 1873.

Inspector General, Grand Army, Republic the Potomac, commander, Department of Pennsylvania 1873.

Reporter, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1876-1880.

Aide-de-camp, Governor John Frederick Hartranft, 1877.

Secretary, Republican State Committee, six years;

Appointed, Judge Advocate General, Pennsylvania, Governor Henry Martyn Hoyt staff, 1879-1881.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 6^th district, Philadelphia County, 1881-1882, chair, Military Affairs Committee; member, Banks, Centennial Affairs, Judiciary General, Judiciary Local and Legislative, Congressional and Judicial Apportionment Committees.

Elected, Auditor General of the Commonwealth 1887–1888; died in office.

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Appointed, President Chester A. Arthur, United States Pension Agent, Philadelphia, 1884

Cited

Smull, W.P., (1881) Smull’s Legislative Hand Book, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 673, 680-682, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 646.

Smull’s Legislative Hand Book, (1888) Miller, Biographical Sketches of Principal State Officers, page xxi.