norrie was prominent in new york society. he was a close friend of lispenard stewart, with whom he threw a 100-person dinner and evening of vaudeville before the two traveled to mexico on vacation in 1893. another close friend, john rhea barton willing (who was vincent astor's uncle), left norrie a stradivarius violin in his will. he was also a member of the union club, the calumet club, the racquet club, the metropolitan club, the downtown club, the riding club, and the tuxedo club.