Delf Norona
Delf Norona 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.
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. in the United States where he became a court reporter after teaching himself shorthand. Norona's son, Delf A. Norona, was born in 1922 in West Virginia. Norona became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. in 1927. 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.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. 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 honorIn 1949 Norona and others founded the West Virginia Archaeological Society. 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.