They left Scotland and settled in Caledon East, Peel, Upper Canada, with their family about the year 1834.

His first cousin Captain Charles H. Norris settled in Maitland, Nova Scotia, and by 1852 owned Norris & Sanderson, a large shipbuilder on Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie River and one of the world's largest sailing fleets.

James Norris was not directly related by blood to Dr. John Knox Blair (1873–1950), a Member of Parliament for the Wellington North Riding, Ontario.

Norris' family had amassed substantial wealth in the 19th century, owning mills and a fleet of ships, along with several tracts of land.

At that time, Norris and Stadium president Paddy Harmon had discussions with Frank Patrick about bringing another hockey team to Chicago, but under NHL rules, that would only be possible with McLaughlin's approval, which he would not give.

[2] Norris had an agreement to buy the financially struggling Ottawa Senators, and intended to move the team to Chicago or Toronto.

[4] In the fall of 1932, the NHL formally approved Norris' bid to acquire the team from the receiver.

Norris quickly cleared away the debt left over from past years and gave the Red Wings the financial backing they needed to become one of the most powerful teams in the NHL.

However, coach and general manager Jack Adams always called Norris after each game from the locker room.

Earlier in the decade, he had bought enough stock in Madison Square Garden to become its largest stockholder, and while he did not buy majority control (he was forbidden from doing so by the NHL constitution), he had enough support from the board that he effectively controlled the New York Rangers as well.

[8] There was also a James Norris Memorial Trophy in the International Hockey League which was awarded to the top goaltender.