Bazabeel Norman

Basil Norman (12 July 1750 - 17 July 1830). Basil was his birth name according to the 1750 court records but, due to the lack of 18th century English spelling conformity, he was also known as Bazabeel, Bazaleel, Bazel, Bazil, Bazael, Bazzell and Bazlo. Basil was a free mulatto (biracial) Revolutionary War soldier serving in the 7th Maryland Regiment under the command of Colonel John Gunby from June 6, 1777 until July 31, 1783.^[1] His mother was a mulatto indentured servant of British and African ancestry named Jane and his grandmother, Elizabeth, arrived in America as an indentured servant from Great Britain.^[2] Basil also served an indenture until age 21 but was never enslaved, nor were his descendants. He was the second landowner of color (after, obviously, the indigenous population of Indians), in the state of Ohio. The first was Richard Fisher whose daughter, Mary Anne Fisher, married Basil's son Aquila. ^[3]

Grave Headstone of Basil's son Aquila Norman (11 July 1797 - 12 January 1852) in Rainbow Cemetery. Photo by Wilbur Norman.

His direct descendant Major was a Tuskegee Airman who fought in World War II. Basil is a great-great-great-grandfather of American opera singer Maria Ewing, four times great-grandfather of her daughter, actress Rebecca Hall^[4][5] and sixth generation ancestor of jazz musician Wilbur L. Norman (5 March 1926 - 8 January 2016).

At least three of Norman's descendants served in the U.S. Civil War, Azariah Norman (1827 - 24 September 1864, buried Arlington National Cemetery), Henry L. Norman (4 April 1834 - died Andersonville Prison, 4 July 1864) and Horace Norman (1843 - 24 April 1865, buried Hampton National Cemetery). A bronze plaque in Mound Cemetery in Marietta, Ohio, set by the Daughters of the American Revolution, commemorates Basil Norman and his Revolutionary War service.^{[citation needed]}

Basil Norman fought in at least five major military battles/campaigns. He wrote: "I was in the Battles of Monmouth [28 June 1778], Campden [sic: Battle of Camden SC, 16 Aug 1780], Cowpens [17 Jan 1781] Gilford Courthouse [sic: Guilford Courthouse NC, 15 Mar 1781] & the Eutaw springs [SC, 8 Sep 1781]".^[6] He is one of Maryland's veterans who received land in western Allegheny County by lottery for service during the Revolutionary War. His allotment, Lot #1281, contained a stream with a waterfall and is now a State Park. ^[7]

Norman's obituary was published in the American Friend & Marietta Gazette newspaper on Saturday, July 24, 1830:

"Casualty. – On Saturday evening last Mr. Bazil Norman, of Roxbury Township, a man of color, left his house to go to watch a deer lick, and not returning in the course of the night, the next day a search was commenced under the belief that some accident had befallen him; after a diligent search by his family and neighbors, he was found dead hav-ing fallen from a precipice about twelve feet From appearances he had been to the lick and stayed the usual time, and late in the evening attempted to return, by the aid of a torch light; having a narrow pass to descend between some rocks about a half mile from the house, he missed his way a few yards, fell, and broke his neck. Mr. Norman was aged about 73 years – was a soldier in the revolutionary war, and at the time of his death received a pension from the United States."^[8]

His wife Fortune Stevens Norman applied for (14 April 1837), and received, his $9.00 military pension seven years after his death.^[9]

References[]

External links[]

• Bazabeel Norman at Find a Grave

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