Norman Vincent Randolph 1846-1903.

Note. All photos can be enlarged by pushing on them.

Norman V. Randolph.
Business Man.

Norman Vincent Randolph, was born in November 2, 1846, in the town of Warwick, in the county of Chesterfield Virginia. Father was Joseph Williamson Randolph (1815-1893) , Norman’s mother was Honoria Mary Tucker ( 1816-1891) It is not known if he had any other brothers or sisters. Norman Vincent Randolph, passed in 1903.

Norman Vincent Randolph would marry his first wife Louisa Whelan Reed, on April 16, 1873, Louisa was born around 1849 and would pass in 1877, at the age of 28, there are no known children?, from his union. His second wife was Janet Henderson Weaver ( 1846-1927), they married in 1880, there is no known children from this union.

Norman’s wife Janet was famous in her own right, as a child during the War Between the States, Janet helped feed and nurse Confederate troops around her home town of Warrenton, Virginia. The Weaver house was used as a field hospital on many occasions.

When she married Norman he was a member of the Executive Committee of the R.E. Lee Camp of United Confederate Veterans who helped build the Old Soldiers Home, and moved with him to Richmond. It was Mr. Randolph who traveled to Washington in 1886 to commission the taxidermist who did the work on the remains of Little Sorrel, the warhorse of Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson.

After her Norman’s death, Mrs. Randolph devoted her life to Confederate memorial and relief work. She was instrumental in obtaining the first appropriation from the General Assembly of Virginia to aid the widows and daughters of Confederate veterans. Her primary legacy to the UDC was the establishment of the fund now known as the Mrs. Norman V. Randolph Relief Fund, which continues to provide assistance to the surviving daughters of Confederate veterans, which is still going strong today.

Norman V. Randolph..

In the company of John S. Mosby.
Some researchers state he is in the top roll second to the right.
While others say he is the fifth?


Norman’s father, Joseph Williamson Randolph, had established his business as publisher, bookseller, and stationer in Richmond, Virginia, in 1831. By the early 1840s, he had formed a partnership with Joseph J. English, and the firm became one of the leading book dealers in the South by the time of the Civil War.

After Norman’s fathers death he operated the business until it passed into receivership. Norman was, at various times, president of the Randolph Paper Box Company, the Virginia State Insurance Company, and the Warwick Park Transportation Company. He also served as secretary-treasurer of the Virginia and North Carolina Wheel Company.

During the Civil War Norman Vincent Randolph, was of the 43rd., cavalry company E., he was in the command of John Mosby ( The Gray Ghost), the 43rd, was also known as the Partisan Rangers.


Updated February 15, 2010.

I received a nice letter from a Mr. George T. Reed, who give his insight into the Randolph Paper Box Company, and he states;

My name is George T. Reed. I live in Newark, Delaware.

In the year 1959, Albermarle Paper Mills, Mr. Gottwald, President, acquired, (or a little earlier), Randolph Paper Box Company, (Richmond, Virginia). Randolph was the oldest "paper box company in the United States. It was formed shortly before the Civil War. In the late 1950's, Albemarle wanted to get into the paperboard paperboard packaging business. I met Bruce Gottwald and his father. Bruce was indeed a young man...perhaps 19 or 20 (?) not certain, just now. I wish I could remember the street name. (Sourh Richmond). I hired a fellow by name of Richard Bottenus (?) to help me in the "Art Department" where we made (rendered) box sketches. One of the customers was a large ice cream company, in Richmond. (Eskimo Pie?) Somehow, Reynold's Metals, Richmond comes to mind. One day Bruce Gottwald announced that the Ethyl Corporation had bought out Albemarle Paper Mills, and Randolph. I don't recall any other details of this venture. I met Mr. Gottwald (Sr.) one time. Very courteous gentleman (so was his son, Bruce). When Randolph closed, I acquired a job as art director with the Westvaco Corp, and moved to Newark, Delaware. That was about 1961. I retired from Westvaco in 1989. We did the first Advil carton.

George T. Reed