Delf Norona

Delf Norona (April 14, 1895 – April 12, 1974) of West Virginia, was an archaeologist, historian, and student of philately who wrote on subjects of Mound Builders, in particular the Grave Creek Mound of West Virginia, and postal history, including postal history of the state of West Virginia.[1]

Delf Norona
Born(1895-04-14)April 14, 1895
DiedApril 12, 1974(1974-04-12) (aged 78)
NationalityAmerican
OccupationEngineer
Engineering career
InstitutionsOhio Valley Stamp Club
American Philatelic Congress
Projectsstudent of postal history of the United States and an expert on postal history of West Virginia
AwardsAPS Hall of Fame

Early life

Norona was born in Hong Kong as a British subject, but spent much of his early life in the Philippines. As a young man he immigrated first to Canada, and then in 1921 to West Virginia.[2] in the United States where he became a court reporter after teaching himself shorthand.[3] Norona's son, Delf A. Norona, was born in 1922 in West Virginia.[4] Norona became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. in 1927.[5] While the West Virginia Encyclopedia indicates Norona served in the U.S. Army during World War I, Norona reported he was not a veteran in the 1930 US census.[6][7]

Archaeological career

Norona is best known for his study of the Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, West Virginia, of which he wrote the definitive history. Norona was instrumental in the creation of the Mound Museum in 1952.[8] He was the museum's curator from its founding until his death in 1974. The modern museum built in the late 1970s at Grave Creek Mound opened in 1978 and is named in Norona's honor [9]

In 1949 Norona and others founded the West Virginia Archaeological Society.[10] He wrote numerous articles which appeared in the journals West Virginia History and West Virginia Archeologist and served as editor of the West Virginia Archeologist.

Philatelic activity

Norona was very active in stamp collecting in the Ohio Valley area of West Virginia, founding the Ohio Valley Stamp Club in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1935. He was a student of postal history of the United States and especially West Virginia. Because of his interest in West Virginia postal history, he worked with West Virginia historical societies, such as the West Virginia Historical Society, the West Virginia Archeological Society, and the West Virginia Civil War Centennial Commission.

Philatelic literature

At the American Philatelic Congress Norona presented his paper Preparation of Technical Philatelic Articles at the first meeting of the society in December 1935. In 1933 he edited the first volume of Cyclopedia of United States Postmarks and Postal History, and in 1935 he edited the second volume of the series. Norona wrote numerous articles on various aspects of United States postal history, and, in 1935, he published his General Catalogue of United States Postmarks.

Honors and awards

Norona was named to the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame in 1975. Norona was awarded the inaugural Sigfus Olafson Award by the West Virginia Archaeological Society for his outstanding contributions to West Virginia archeology.[11]

Archives and papers

Some of Norona's correspondence is held by the West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.[12]

See also

References

  1. "Delf Norona". Archived from the original on 2006-03-01. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  2. "West Virginia Naturalization Records, 1814-1991," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRXF-NHD : accessed 24 February 2022), Delf Norona, 1927; citing Raleigh, West Virginia, United States, Petition Records, 1925-1927, v. 4, nos. 1-346, West Virginia State Archives, Charleston; FHL microfilm 1,738,217.
  3. Trader, Patrick D. "Delf Norona." e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. 08 December 2015. https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1689 Accessed 24 February 2022.
  4. "West Virginia Naturalization Records, 1814-1991," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRXF-NHD : accessed 24 February 2022), Delf Norona, 1927; citing Raleigh, West Virginia, United States, Petition Records, 1925-1927, v. 4, nos. 1-346, West Virginia State Archives, Charleston; FHL microfilm 1,738,217.
  5. "West Virginia Naturalization Records, 1814-1991," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRXF-NHD : accessed 24 February 2022), Delf Norona, 1927; citing Raleigh, West Virginia, United States, Petition Records, 1925-1927, v. 4, nos. 1-346, West Virginia State Archives, Charleston; FHL microfilm 1,738,217.
  6. Trader, Patrick D. "Delf Norona." e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. 08 December 2015. https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1689 Accessed 24 February 2022.
  7. "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMHZ-RJ7 : accessed 24 February 2022), Delf A Norona in household of Delf Norona, Moundsville, Marshall, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 6, sheet 7B, line 90, family 192, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2543; FHL microfilm 2,342,277.
  8. Trader, Patrick D. "Delf Norona." e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. 08 December 2015. https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1689 Accessed 24 February 2022.
  9. Society of Architectural Historians, "Grave Creek Mound and Delf Norona Museum," SAH Archipedia https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/WV-01-MH1Accessed%5B%5D 24 February 2022.
  10. Spencer, Darla S. "West Virginia Archaeological Society" e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia.https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/print/Article/1019 Accessed 24 February 2022.
  11. Trader, Patrick D. "Delf Norona." e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. 08 December 2015. https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1689 Accessed 24 February 2022.
  12. "Collection: Delf Norona, Historian, Correspondence | West Virginia University Archivesspace". archives.lib.wvu.edu. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
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