Profile Text
Birth Name: Robert Norton Noyce
Date of Birth: December 12, 1927
Place of Birth: Burlington Township, Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Date of Death: June 3, 1990
Place of Death: Austin, Texas, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, smaller amounts of Scottish and Manx, distant Northern Irish, remote French
Robert Noyce was an American physicist and entrepreneur. He co-founded Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel Corporation. He was nicknamed “the Mayor of Silicon Valley,” and was credited with the realization of the first monolithic integrated circuit or microchip made with silicon, which fueled the personal computer revolution and gave Silicon Valley its name.
Robert was the son of Harriet May (Norton) and The Rev. Ralph Brewster Noyce. His father was born in Irvington, Douglas, Nebraska. His mother was born in Grandin, Carter, Missouri. He had recent immigrant ancestors, as well as considerable New England ancestry. Robert was married to business executive and philanthropist Ann Bowers, until his death. He had four children with his former wife, philanthropist Elizabeth (Bottomley) Noyce.
Robert’s paternal grandfather was The Rev. George Thomas Noyce (the son of Charles William Noyce and Adelaide Louise Souter). The Rev. George was born in Irvington, Douglas, Nebraska, to English parents, from London. Charles was born in Marylebone, City of Westminster, the son of William Noyce and Mary Ann Boyington. Robert’s great-grandmother Adelaide was born in Finsbury, the daughter of John William Souter and Louisa Alice Constantine.
Robert’s paternal grandmother was Harriet Louisa Brewster (the daughter of Sardius Clark Brewster and Sarah Abia Gaylord). Harriet was born in Irvington, Douglas, Nebraska. Sardius was born in Mexico, Oswego, New York, and was a farmer and stock-raiser. He was the son of Judge, Elias Brewster, whose father fought in the Revolutionary War; and of Harriet Clark. Robert’s great-grandmother Sarah was born in Mt. Pleasant, Henry, Iowa. Her father, The Rev. Reuben Gaylord, was a Congregationalist pastor, and whose paternal grandfather had fought in the Revolutionary War. Her mother was Sarah B. Burton.
Robert’s maternal grandfather was The Rev. Milton James Norton (the son of George Henry Norton and Nancy A. Taitt). The Rev. Milton was born in Berlin Heights, Erie, Ohio, and was a Congregationalist clergyman. George was born in Lanesborough, Berkshire, Massachusetts, the son of Milton Gideon Norton and Marilla E. Foster. Robert’s great-grandmother Nancy was born in Rossie, St. Lawrence, New York, the daughter of James Taitt, who was from Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland; and of Allison/Elsey Elizabeth Douglas, who was born on Douglas, Isle of Man.
Robert’s maternal grandmother was Louise Augusta Hill (the daughter of Edwin Ingals Hill and Sally Bowler Peabody). Louise was born in Berlin Heights, Erie, Ohio. Edwin likely was born in North Madison, New Haven, Connecticut, the son of Noah Hill, Jr. and Sukey/Susan Butler. Robert’s great-grandmother Sally was born in Newport, Newport Co., Rhode Island, the daughter of George Alvin Peabody and Ann Spencer.
Sources: Genealogies of Robert Noyce – https://www.wikitree.com https://famouskin.com https://www.findagrave.com