My Genealogy Hound

William Manning was born near the city of Cork, Ireland, on August 12, 1835. In 1844 his father and mother emigrated to the United States, and located in Dutchess County, N. Y., the subject of this sketch, with the other children, following in 1845. The family remained in New York, engaged in the nursery business and farming, until 1856, when all moved to Will County, Ill., and settled on a farm. There our subject continued till 1866, the time of his removal to Jasper County, Iowa, where he was engaged in the nursery business until 1874. Selling his nursery, he returned to Illinois, and remained on the homestead until 1876, when he moved to his present location in St. Francis County, Ark. He was married on April 8, 1863, to Miss A. D. Harrah, a native of Pennsylvania. In September, 1861, Mr. Manning enlisted in the band of the Thirty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged in June, 1862, when the band was mustered out of service. While in Illinois he served one term as commissioner of highways, and one year as collector of taxes. In 1888 he was elected representative from St. Francis County on the Fusion ticket. He is a Democrat in politics, but not of the ballot-box stuffing variety. In the legislature he upheld every measure that was in the interest of progress and development, and supported every local temperance measure, and was largely instrumental in securing the passage of the native wine bill. His family consists of seven boys and one girl, ranging in age from four to twenty-five years. Since coming to Arkansas Mr. Manning has been engaged in farming and stock-raising, and has been fairly successful.