Manzer

MANZER HINDS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/21/2010 at 18:36:17

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Manzer Family
By Phyllis (Manzer) Fleck

Harvey Manzer was born June 14, 1837, in New York state of German and English descents. His parents operated a hotel while he and his brothers worked on the boats on the Erie Canal. He also learned the carpenter trade which he pursued after his marriage to Emily Louisa Hinds. They moved to Illinois where they lived in the little towns of Keithsburg and Niota. Here they gave birth to eight of their nine children. Eugene N was born October 4, 1861 in New York; then came Colonel Ellsworth; Artimas H, died in infancy; Frankie D; Leonard L; Cora B; Charles H; Arteena May; and Grace N.

On July 26, 1871, Harvey was killed while putting up hay at a nearby farm. This was a tremendous loss to his family and life became a struggle for them. Eugene and Colonel, at the ages of eleven and nine, worked for the neighboring farmers and with the help of friends, they carried on for the next five years. In 1877, Emily decided to carry out the family plans to homestead in Nebraska. She made the long journey by train with the six younger children while the two older boys traveled with the immigrant wagon train bringing their meager belongings for household and farming. They homesteaded on 160 acres of prairie in Adams County near Hastings where they built a sod house and a sod outbuilding and resided for a number of years.

Emily was the daughter of Silas Hinds and Sophia Emerson. Sophia was a cousin to the famous author, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emily was born March 27, 1843, in New York state. Although she married at the age of sixteen and was widowed before she was 30, she bravely assumed her responsibilities and reared her large family. In later years she took an active part in the fights for woman suffrage and against temperance. After her children were grown, she married J M Sanford and lived in Fairfield, Nebraska, until her death on January 16, 1903.

Eugene continued to help his mother raised his seven brothers and sisters in Adams County by farming and working for neighbors. He became a cowboy and rode the trails with herds. He learned the carpenter trade and built houses in Nebraska. He married Mary Ann Buck about 1890. Mary Buck was born about 8174. They had three children: Edna born October 2, 1891, died March 28, 1923; Ruben born 1892, died about 1945; and Elisha Emerson ‘Lawrence’ born July 2, 1896, died December 11, 1970. Mary left the family about 1900 and died in Omaha on July 18, 1909. Before her mother’s death, in about 1907. Edna married Henry Wilson. Eugene continued his carpenter work while his young sons were placed in an orphanage to be cared for. After two or three years, Ruben and Elisha ran away from the orphanage to live with relatives in Nebraska where they helped with farm work. They moved to Sioux City with their father about 1908. Ruben enlisted in the Army and served in World War I. Elisha lived and worked with his father learning the carpenter trade. By the age of twelve, he was helping build houses. Elisha left home when his father married his second wife, Ida Olmore. Eugene died in Sioux City on August 9, 1937.

On October 9, 1912, at the age of sixteen, Elisha married Lucy Bell Hay. Lucy, born July 16, 1891, died September 11, 1981, was the daughter of George A Hay and Eliza Cowell. (Reference: Andrew Hay Family.) Elisha and Lucy had eight children: Lucile P, born March 11, 1913, died November 13, 1914 of dysentery; Zella M born August 10, 1914, died November 7, 1914 of pneumonia just six days after Lucile’s death. George E was born September 3, 1915, and died three months later on December 15, 1915, of gastroenteritis. Elisha and Lucy, childless for the third time, started over with their family. Leo E was born on January 1, 1917, followed by: Donald C born January 15, 1918; Robert F born March 6, 1920; Phyllis E born October 23, 1922; and William L born August 6, 1925. Elisha changed his name to Lawrence in 1929. He was a cabinetmaker and worked for Curtis Sash and door for many years.

Leo served in the Army of World War II. He married Lois Ebel and they had three children. He married Lois Ebel and they had three children: Robert E born September 2, 1936; Bernadine J born July 16, 1939; and Carol J born September 12, 1943. When they divorced, Leo was left with three children. He married Pauline Parish and raised her young son, Ronald Gene Parish, with his family. Together, they had two children: Cherie born August 8, 1952 and Jerry born in October of 1954. Leo is a retired painter living in Denver, Colorado. He and Pauline are no longer married.

Donald married Helen C Duff and had one daughter, Donna Rae, born July 28, 1940. Robert served in the Air Force in World War II and was killed in action on December 2, 1944, just six weeks after Donald died of a brain tumor on October 12, 1944.

Phyllis married Vernon F Fleck on July 12, 1941. They have five children: Charlene A born July 4, 1942; Larry C born July 27, 1943 Stephen M born January 17, 1946; Linda L born June 9, 1948; and Donna R born June 27, 1950. (Reference: Vernon Fleck Family.)

William married Shirley Collins and had one son, John, born February 17, 1947. He served in the Navy during World War II. After many years, he and Shirley divorced. William now lives in Bailey, Colorado, with his wife, Inez, where they manage one of the Wellington Reservoirs in the Rocky Mountain Pike National Forest.

Both Lawrence and Lucy enjoyed cooking and family gatherings. They often fished after retiring. Lucy’s favorite pass-time was crocheting. Lawrence prided himself in mastering the intricacies of wood working. His trade was also his hobby. He enjoyed making toys, furniture, and finishing home interiors.