In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1839, Waldo County
From The history of Buchanan County, Missouri (1881)
C. B. NORRIS, foreman, Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs Railroad Company, is well known among railroad officials and employes. He was born in Waldo County, Maine, August 19, 1839, and was reared in the town of Searsport. His father, Cyrus B., was a blacksmith, and the subject adopted and learned that profession. For several years he was a seafaring man, and was second mate on a brig. In 1862 he enlisted in Company E, Nineteenth Maine Volunteer Infantry, and was transferred to the navy and served until 1864, when he was honorably discharged. In 1867 he came West, and for a few years was engaged in mining in Montana, and after that he came to St. Joseph, engaging with the Kansas City Company as blacksmith, afterwards was fireman on the road, and eventually engineer. In 1879 he took charge of the round-house. Few railroad men are more familiar with the general detail of the business than Mr. Norris. He was married in the autumn of 1866 to Miss Hattie J. Patterson, of Maine. They have two children, Hattie L. and Clara E. He is a Mason, belongs to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandry.
As printed in The history of Buchanan County, Missouri (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1881. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.