The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-19
Samuel Norris Passes Away
After a Lingering Illness.
AN INVENTOR OF ABILITY
Was Prominently Identified With the Man
ufaeluTs OF Firearms, and Sold Than
10 Many Countries.

In the death OF Samuel Norris Bristol
loses one OF her foremost and best known
citizens. man famous far beyond tha
limits OF Rhode Island and one who haf
inquired largely I'm the military affairs OF
me me country having manufactured
large percentage OF the small 6re arrs
used In the United States army and navy
re had been falling long time.
re was porn IN Boston, July 26 fs27
aIlu aIlu was the son of Captain John Norris
re came to Bristol with his parents when
elgnt years old. He associated himself
with Horace NJ. Barnes In the West In
oia trade and did an extensive business.
In 1850 the firm became Interested I'm
the Bristol sugar refinery. but this ven
ture was not a success and Mr. Norris
turned his attention 10 mechanical ideas.
tion.
AT the beginning OF the civil war Mr.
Norris saw the great need OF small arms
by the government and. conceived the
ldea OF manufacturing them by having
the dlHerent parts made interchangeable
ana manufactured at different places and
assembled at some central plant. He had
the parts made at 81 different factories
and all put together at Middletown.
conn. He filled large orders for the gov
ernment
Latter. he manufactured Remington
rifles for the government and Represent
eo tne femlngtons In Europe from 1865
TO 1873. securing large contracts for the
arms from Egypt, Spain and Denmark
lie was presented To the emperor OF
austria In Vienna on the occasion OF the
trial OF the Remington gun. He conclud-
ed one contract with the government OF
Egypt at buckingham palace. where the
viceroy OF Egypt was then visiting lust
before the Franco-Prusssn war he had
an audience with Napoleon III. and the
Empress Eugenie. at which interview the
empress herself fired OF the Remington
gun and showed herself to be an expert
In handling firearms.
During that war when he was at The
Hague standing I'm front OF Pawlez hotel
King William OF Holland, 10 whom ne
had previously been presented, rode up
on horseback and, greeting him pleasant-
ly. shook hands and said: This is "A
good time for you, Mr., Norris" To this
Mr.. Norris replied: Possibly. your ma
jesty, but regret the cause"
During the Carlist uprising In Spain hs
travelled through that country and sold
many arms TO the Spanish government
He was decorated by King Amadens with
Order OF Isabella Catholica. During the
Russo-Turkish war Mr.. Norris spent
much time In Constantinople. Athens.
Belgrade and Bucharest
Not long before the French war, Mr..
Norris when In Austria learned OF gun
invented by the Mauser brothers. who
were employed at a government factory
at Obendorff, Wurtenberg. He at once
appreciated the merits OF this gun and
went To Obendorff and there met the two
brothers. For two years he assisted
them I'm the development OF their arm,
but later, through various causes, his in
terest I'm this remarkable gun was lost.
and yet he always took pride In having
been the first TO appreciate the real merit
OF one OF the most marked Improvements
made In small arms
Mr.. Norris invested the first money put
into the Hotchkiss revolving cannon. but
withdrew before the gun was perfected.
He then became interested in the Nichol-
son wood pavement and introduced 1t into
several foreign cities.
Since returning TO Bristol he made sew
eral trips TO Europe In the interests OF
inventions.
lie was married In 1916 when only 10
years old. to Julia Griswold Holmes. She
died In ls47, leaving a daughter who fol-
lower her mother soon after. In 1850 ns
married Isabella Eust!s Dimond. three
children being born TO them, Maria Di-
mond. Samuel. Jr., and Isabella Eustis,
The latter died in infancy.