The Norcross Family Tree	People Index Home Page
	James Atkinson Norcross, 1830 to 1903 Mary Ellen Pinkham, 1835 to 1914

James A. Norcross was born in Winslow, Maine on 24 March, 1830.

James married early in life at the age of twenty-one, his wife being Mary Ellen Pinkham of Peabody, Massachusetts eminently well filled for her share in the sacred contract. Nine children have blessed their union.

Mr. Norcross took a live interest in the affairs of the day and is, as his brother, a strict and consistent friend of temperance. He was a member of the City Council in 1877.

At an early age, however, by the death of the father (James was the second child, oldest son, and 20 years old), the family was left dependent upon their own resources, and for a time the family was thrown upon the exertions of the oldest of these brothers, James Atkinson.

Through early self-dependence, the brothers James and Orlando found their way to the calling of carpenters and builders, perusing their trade in the eastern part of this state, starting business together in Swampscott, Massachusetts in 1864, the association and its offerings at first affording nothing more than ordinary promise. But the beginnings of success were not far distant for in 1866 the Norcross Brothers were given the contract for building the Congregational Church at Leicester, Massachusetts, an undertaking of most modest proportions in the test of their later business, yet it seems to have proven the golden key of success and the Norcross Brothers still cherish with warmest remembrance the kindness and aid of Leicester friends who gave them their first strong assistance on the way to fortune. Worcester has begun a marked stage of improvements and the Norcross Brothers have found their opportunity.  The Norcross Brothers story became significant as they established a revolution in the building contracting business in the sixty years between 1864 and 1924.