Joseph Norman

Fourteen generations back from my grandchildren makes his numeric designation (14)

(15) Isaac Norman ( 5 Oct 1682 - 7 Apr 1748)
(14) Joseph Norman (1708-16 Feb 1784)
(13) Isaac Norman II (1735 - 1776)

 He lived his whole life in Culpeper, VA, though the name of the town was first Fairfax, Culpeper County, VA.  And the county even changed it's name in early Virginia as it became necessary to divide the original counties up into smaller ones.

Wikipedia states:

In 1795, the town received a post office under the name Culpeper Court House, although most maps continued to show the Fairfax name. The confusion resulting from the difference in official and postal names, coupled with the existence of Fairfax Court House and Fairfax Station post offices in Fairfax County, was finally resolved when the Virginia Assembly formally renamed the town Culpeper in 1869.

During the American Revolutionary War, the Culpeper Minutemen, a pro-Independence militia, formed in the town of Culpeper, in 1775, and fought in at least 2 battles against the British (Hampton and Battle of Great Bridge) in that year before its members joined the Continental Army.

Note: Joseph would have been too old to fight in that war, but I imagine some of his sons did.  I haven't looked into their history at this time, but my ancestor Isaac Norman II apparently died in 1776.  At least one of his brothers did die after serving in the Revolution, as substantiated by his wife having received a pension.

The Museum of Culpeper History gives this time line:

May, 1714

A band of German immigrants establish the first European settlement near Culpeper, not far from the confluence of the Rapidan and Rappahannock rivers. Their community comes to be known as Germanna.

May 18, 1749

An act of the Virginia General Assembly establishes Culpeper County.

July 20, 1749

George Washington, 17 years old, arrives in Culpeper to survey the new county.

February 22, 1759

An act of the General Assembly establishes the county seat, officially known as the town of "Fairfax". It is more commonly called Culpeper Court House.

April, 1759

Daniel Boone establishes a residence near present-day Stevensburg. He later explores Kentucky.

This museum site (HERE) also shows a photo of the oldest house in town, the Burgendine House, a log structure with clapboard over it, standing already in 1749.

With permission from Museum of Culpeper History

The following information comes from a publication about the Norman family. (Link here.)  The primary person on this publication is (15) Isaac Norman ( 5 Oct 1682 - 7 Apr 1748), Joseph's father. It uses a lot of material that is from original sources.  At this point I find most of it accurate, except the date of Joseph's death is listed as the date of his will.  (Italics mine)
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JOSEPH NORMAN 
Son of Isaac Norman and Frances Courtney

Joseph Norman (Isaac², Joseph¹) was born Abt. 1708 in Culpeper County, VA, and died November 20, 1783 in Culpeper County, VA. He married (1) Mary Read Bef. 1732, daughter of John Read and Winifred Favior. He married (2) Sarah Everett Bef. 1750. She was born Abt. 1723, and died Aft. 1783.

Notes for Joseph Norman:

There is documented proof of Joseph's parentage in the Deed of Gift which he received from his parents in 1740.

In Orange County, Va Deed book 4, page239, in a deed dated September 25, 1740, Isaac Norman and Frances Norman, his wife, conveyed to their son, Joseph Norman 100 acres, part of the tract of land on which Isaac then lived bounded by the land of James Turner, Nathaniel Hillen, John Roberts and Flat Run. This land was described as being on the south side of Flat Run.

Joseph Norman's second wife was named Sarah and according to the family traditions her last name was Everett. They were married in 1751, or earlier as Sarah's name appeared on a deed with Joseph on September 19, 1751. She was also named in his will dated November 20, 1783.

Joseph's will mentioned his wife Sarah and eleven children as well as his deceased son Isaac's wife Sarah and their son Isaac.

Copy of the will of Joseph Norman, Culpeper County, VA, Recorded in Culpeper County Circuit Court, Will Book C, Page 117.

The children of Joseph Norman were all mentioned in his will of 1783 but apparently not according to age. We cannot be sure which of the children belonged to the first marriage except James who was the oldest son, and Mary who was named in her grandfather John Read's will in 1765. It is very likely that the children who were living at home in 1783 were of the second marriage.

Land grant: November 1, 1752, Culpeper Co., VA Thomas Lord Fairfax granted 238 acres to Joseph Norman in the Little Fork of the Rappahannock River near Hickman's Mtn.
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I published an excerpt of Joseph's will HERE, when talking about his grandson.

The children of Joseph were (as given on Ancestry at this time)

Jemima Norman (Born: 1730)
Peggy Norman Calvert (Born: 1730)
Sally Norman (Born: 1730)
James Norman (Born: 1732)
Isaac Norman II (Born: 1735)
Mary Norman (Born: 1736)
Winifred Norman Bywaters (Born: 1739)
Margaret Norman (Born: 1742)
William Norman (Born: 1746)
Kesiah Norman (Born: 1755)
Fanny Francis NORMAN (Born: 1756)
Thomas Norman (Born: 1760)