Manchester, W. R.

MANCHESTER, ROSS, STUTEVILLE

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 7/2/2019 at 10:33:52

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.
Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith
Supervising Editors
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. p.300. Chicago. 1915

William Russell Manchester
William Russell Manchester, a well known and highly regarded farmer of New Buda township, was born in Holmes county, Ohio, on the 7th of March, 1856. His father, Isaac Manchester, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, of English and Holland Dutch ancestry and grew to manhood in Ohio, where he was taken when two years of age. He was married in Holmes county, Ohio, to Miss Emily Ross, who is a native of that county and is descended from Scotch and English stock. In 1866 they came west and located southeast of Leon in Decatur county, Iowa, where the father farmed for three years. At the end of that time a removal was made to New Buda township, where they resided for two years, after which they again located near Leon. In 1871,however, they went back to Ohio, where they continued to reside until 1878. In that year they returned to Iowa and located west of Lineville, where they remained for two decades. The father died near Mineral Springs, Missouri, March 21, 1915, but the mother is still living and makes her home with her son Hiram, who resides near Davis City. Mr. And Mrs. Isaac Manchester were the parents of seven children, namely: William Russell; Simon c., a resident of Alaska; Hiram, of Leon; Lydia, now Mrs. Samuel Stuteville, of Morgan township; John; Wylie; and Paul A., of Mercer county, Missouri.

William Russell Manchester attended district school in Holmes county, Ohio, and in Decatur county, Iowa. In his early manhood he taught school in Holmes county, Ohio, in Decatur county, Iowa, in Missouri and in Colorado, following that profession for fifteen terms in all. When twenty-three years of age he worked on the construction of the railroad between Corydon and Centerville, Iowa. In 1884 he located two miles west of Lineville, Iowa, and after farming there for two years removed to the vicinity of Ravenna, Missouri, where he followed agricultural pursuits for two years. At the end of that time he removed to Baca county, Colorado, where he rented land for about seven years. He was then for two years in the Ozark mountains in Missouri, but in 1896 returned to this county and operated a rented farm until 1901. In that year he purchased forty acres on section 15, New Buda township, and in 1908 he bought his present farm of a quarter section on section 16, New Buda township. He carries on general farming and stock-raising and in the conduct of his work displays foresight, initiative and good management.

On the 6th of April, 1884, Mr. Manchester married Miss Rosa De Long, a daughter of I. N. and Editha (Brooks) De Long. Her father, who was born in Indiana of Irish and French ancestry, removed to Ohio when a boy and in his early manhood came to Decatur county, Iowa, where he was numbered among the pioneer settlers. He was a farmer by occupation and was highly esteemed in his community. During the Civil war he served in a Missouri cavalry regiment. His wife, who was born in Kentucky of Yankee stock, was reared in Harrison county, Missouri, and there their marriage occurred. To this union were born ten children: Mrs. Manchester; Alonzo, of Texarkana, Texas; Marcellus, also of Texarkana; Hulda, who married Joseph Brady, now living in Harrison county, Missouri; John, of Lamoni, Iowa; Josephine, who married C. E. Weabel, of New Buda township; Fred O., of Bevier, Missouri; Blanche, who married William Dexter, of Lamoni, Iowa; Newton, of Lamar, Colorado; and Eunice, the wife of Roy Atterberry, of Blythedale, Missouri.

Mr. and Mrs. Manchester are the parents of eleven children: Stella L., who was born May 14, 1885, and is the wife of Ephraim McDaniel, a farmer of Blythedale, Missouri, by whom she has two children, Fern and Forrest; Garvin A., who birth occurred November 17, 1886, and who is at home; Grace, born September 8, 1888, who died then ten months old; Bertha M., born December 27, 1889, now the wife of Carl McDaniel, a farmer of New Buda township, by whom she has a son and daughter, Clarence and Opal; Ernest E., born September 16, 1891, who is at home; Claude W., born January 21, 1893, who is at home; Florence Belle, born February 22, 1895, at home; Dorcas, born February 20, 1897, who will graduate from the Davis City high school with the class of 1916; and Morris Maynard, born November 24, 1899, Marjorie B., born April 11, 1902, and Mark W., born December 18, 1904, all attending the district school.

Mr. Manchester is independent in politics, voting for the man whom he deems best suited for the office in question. For two years he served as assessor of New Buda township and for fifteen years he has been school director, doing much in that time to promote the advancement of the public schools. He was for many years a member of the Masonic blue lodge at Leon, but is not now affiliated with that body. Both he and his wife belong to the Church of Christ at Davis City and take a keen interest in the furtherance of its work and the spread of its influence.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2013