Southern Claim of David Norris, July 29, 1876

Southern Claim of David Norris, July 29, 1876

David Norris was called as a witness for the southern claim of John Horton. He testified of Horton’s loyalty to the union throughout the Civil War. He assured the interrogator that Horton never supported the confederacy in any way, and used only the most “abusive” and explicit language when discussing the confederates. Norris also stated that Horton did not help his son buy his confederate outfit, and Horton even wished that the first union soldier his son came across would shoot him dead.

United States Government

David Norris, “Witness for John Horton,” Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871- 1880, July 29, 1876, 1-4.

1876-07-02

Haslam, Miranda

Document

North Carolina

Watauga County, North Carolina

Government Document

I heard that a rebel command...took property from [John Horton] on account of his being reported as a union man.

I have heard of [John Horton] doing all he could for the union cause, but nothing against it. I heard when his son James W. Horton went into the confederate service that he refused to a[i]de him in any way in his outfit, and that he was so much opposed to his [son] going that he said that he hoped the first union soldier he came up with, would shoot him down.