 Although this work focuses primarily on the Norwood and French lineages, it also highlights many of their related families. When this project began, almost no written record of these individuals existed, save for a few stories passed down through generations. This website is the result of years of dedicated research that started in 1998 with Thomas Jefferson Norwood.
Initially, the goal was to discover where these families came from and when they arrived. The families who settled West Tennessee—particularly Carroll and Benton counties—arrived around the same time, though they traveled by different routes from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia.
As the research uncovered the "when" and "where," it also it also revealed a complex history of stories spanning over 250 years. These families helped shape history by fighting in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. They acquired land, established settlements, started churches, and formed counties.
However, the research also uncovered darker truths. The records reveal families suing each other, owning slaves, fathers disinheriting their sons, and households divided by the Civil War. While these accounts may not show the families at their best, they are vital pieces of their true history and define who they ultimately became.
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