A record of the families of William Manning of Cambridge, Mass., as well as Richard and Anstice Manning of Salem-Ipswich, Mass., approximately 17th through 19th century.

The ancestors of the present members of the Manning families early founded in this country were from England, where representatives of the general family had long been numerous. It is claimed that British records, published by order of Parliament, show that the name occurred in twenty-two counties in that kingdom as early as the year 1272. The predecessors of these early inhabitants went to England from what is now Germany. All Englishmen of the present time make this statement. The name is now common in Ireland, and by some of its possessors is supposed to be purely Irish, but in the course of an extensive correspondence the writer has found that all highly educated Irishmen agree on two points; first, that the name was there introduced by emigrants from England, and secondly, that at a more remote period the family was of the same origin as has been mentioned above. These accounts differ slightly as to the particular Continental province whence their ancestors came, but nine-tenths of them unite in saying that the family was of Saxon origin. Fortunately, we have something more definite and of a previous date to aid us. In Hasted's Kent (County of Kent, England), published in 1797, occurs the following reference to the Mannings: "They are said to be descended from an ancient and noble family which took its name from Manning, a town in Saxony, whence they came to England before the Conquest."

Simon de Manning was the earliest representative of the family mentioned by Hasted, and of him there is now general knowledge in England. His home was at Downe, County Kent.

He lived in the time of King Richard I, who reigned A.D. 1189-1199, and "was the first of the English barons to take up the cross and go with King Richard to the Holy Wars" in the Second Crusade, when he was knighted. This was considerably later than the Conquest, but in a subsequent part of this article will be found a statement tending to bridge this gap.

After the time of the above Simon the family steadily increased in numbers, and when this country was settled, it was, as before stated, numerous in England. Wills and other valuable papers are on record there, and the admirable work of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society, in having abstracts thereof made and printed in their "Register," makes it possible to learn of many different persons of the Manning name who lived and died prior to 1700. None of the ancient wills thus far examined mentions relatives in America, and until something of the kind is discovered it can only be said that we know the general race from which we have descended. The connection exists, but the connecting link has not been found. Despite this fact it is believed that interest will be felt in an account which mentions some of these early Mannings, and that, instead of resorting to selections from different publications, it may be well to quote what is said by Hasted. His mention of the family has the merit of age, and nowhere else has anything been found that is at once so conuected and comprehensive. It here follows:

DOWNE.--John Manning was of Cowdham, and died in the 14th year of King Henry IV [A.D. 1412], "leaving John Manning, his son, who by Juliana, daughter and heir of Richard Brockhill, had Hugh Manning of St. Mary's Cray, who married the daughter of Sir William Brandon, by whom he had two sons, of whom Richard, the youngest, settled at St. Mary's Cray, where his posterity continued until within these few years;" and John, the eldest, married Agnes, daughter of John Petley, of Downe, "who, on the division of the inheritance of the Petley heirs became entitled to the manor of Downe-court. He died possessed of it in the 35th year of King Henry VIII [1543], and lies buried with Agnes his wife in this church. His descendant, Peter Manning, Esq., of Trowmer, in the reign of King James I [1603-1625] alienated this manor, and in 1657 it was in possession of John Palmer;" but "the seat itself, since called Downe Court, was by his son, Henry Manning, Esq., of Greenwich, separated from the manor and sold to Sir Francis Carew. Downe is within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the diocese of Rochester. It is a peculiar of the archbishop of Canterbury, and as such is in the deanery of Shoreham. In the great chancel of the church, on the south side of the altar, is a gravestone and brass plate with inscription in black letter for John Manning and Agnes his wife; he died in 1543; above, a shield of arms, being a cross flory between four cinquefoils impaling two bends ingrailed and a canton. On the south side, a gravestone and memorial for Edward Manning, once of Prince Charles' household, youngest son of Peter Manning, Esq., of Trowmer, and Elizabeth his wife, daughter and coheir of Jacob Verzelini, lord of the manor of Downe, obt. 1622, 't. 20."

COWDHAM.--"Richard de Chersholt had property in the hamlet of Bertrey, or Bettred, and held the reeveship of the manor of Bertrey under Geoffrey de Say, who discharged him from this office in the 15th year of King Edward II [A. D. 1316]. He died without male issue, and his daughter and heir carried the estate, which he held in it, in marriage to William de Manning who died in the 17th year of King Edward III [A. D. 1343]. He was the son of Stephen de Manning, of whom there is mention in old deeds of the time of King Edward I [A. D. 1272-1302], who descended from Simon de Manning to whom John Silvester, of Westerham, demised land by deed in the 14th year of King Richard I [A. D. 1202], and who was engaged in the holy war against the Saracens under that king. They are said to be descended from an ancient and noble family which took its name from Manning, a town in Saxony, whence they came to England before the Conquest, and some of them are said to have settled in Friesland. They bore for their arms, Gules, a cross potence, or flory, between four cinquefoils or. From him it descended to Hugh Manning who settled at St. Mary's Cray and left two sons, of whom John, the elder, was of Downe, and Richard, the younger, of Kevington in St. Mary's Cray, where his posterity remained until within these few years. Kevington was for some generations the residence of the Mannings. In the reign of King Henry IV [A.D. 1399-1413] John Manning was settled in the parish of Cowdham. His son of the same name was also of that parish, and died 14 Henry VI [A. D. 1435], leaving by Juliana, his wife, daughter of Richard Brockhill, one son, Hugh Manning, who was of St. Mary's Cray and married the daughter of Sir William Brandon, kinswoman to Charles, duke of Suffolk, by whom he had two sons(???) John, who settled at Downe, from whom descended the Mannings of Downe, Halsted and Westerham; and Richard, who continued at St. Mary's Cray and had three sons; of whom Richard, [This sentence lacks clearness, but the meaning seems to be that the second Richard was son of Thomas, and that the latter was "the eldest son" of the first Richard] son of Thomas, the eldest, is said in his epitaph to have been of Manning's Hall, the old family seat. He lies buried in this church with the rest of his family. The Heraldrie Visitations of Kent, 1619, gives the arms of Manning--Gules, a cross potence between four cinquefoils or. Notwithstanding which it appears by their monuments and gravestones in this church, which was the burial place of the family for many generations, that the Mannings of this parish bore the cinquefoils in their coat of arms flipt; those of Westerham bore, a chevron between three cinquefoils flipt. John Manning, youngest son of Richard above mentioned, was of Kevington, and had two sons, Edward, who was bred to the law, and Richard; the former of whom succeeded to this manor in 1640. Edward Manning, great grandson of Edward, the youngest son of Edward above mentioned, succeeded at length to Kevington and married Anne, only daughter of Sir Henry Onslow. He died in 1703 and was buried in this church; on which Richard Manning, Esq., their eldest surviving son, succeeded to the manor and resided at Kevington, where he died 1753 without issue."

CHURCH AT ST. MARY'S CRAY.--"In the great chancel, within the rails of the altar, a mural monument for one of the Manning family, the arms at the top are defaced; on the south side, within the rails, an altar tomb, on which are the figures of a gentleman and lady finely engraved in brass, and over them an inscription for Richard, son of John Manning, gent., who married Rachael, one of the daughters and coheirs of William White of Hempsted, in Middlesex, with whom he lived thirty-nine years, and died in 1604, 't. 63, without issue, leaving her surviving; above are the arms of Manning, Gules, a cross potence between four cinquefoils flipt or, a cross for difference. On the north side, within the rails, opposite the above, is an altar tomb with a brass plate, with an inscription for Richard, son of Tho. Manning, who dwelt and died at Manning's Hall, the old homestead of the family. He died in 1605, 't. 72. On a gravestone without the rails, a memorial for Edward, son of Edward Manning, Esq., who married the only daughter of Sir Henry Onslow of Drungwick, in Sussex, by whom he had fifteen children, nine of whom are here buried, and Thomas was then living. ob. 1703, 't. 49; above are these arms, quarterly, 1st, Manning, as above; 2d, a cross between twelve eroslets fitchee impaling a fess between six rooks. A memorial for Edward, son of Edw. Manning, Esq., and Anne his wife, daughter of Geff. Nightingale, Esq., of Newport Pond, in Essex. He died in 1640, 't. 65; she died in 1659, 't. 79. Richard Manning, Esq., died in 1753, 't. 54; above are these arms, quarterly; 1st and 4th, Manning; 2d, a bend counter-changed; 3d, a cross between twelve cross croslet, fitchee; at the bottom, in a lozenge, the arms of Manning impaling per pale ermine a rose. On the hatchment against the screen, on the north side, are the arms of Manning, a crescent for difference, and over them an inscription shewing, that under a stone in this chancel lies buried Thomas Manning, of the exchequer office, gent. of Clifford's inn, second son of Edw. Manning, Esq., of this parish. He died unmarried in 1704. On the north side of the altar is a boarded pannel, shewing that the same was erected by Stephen Parker and Anne, his wife, daughter of Sir Henry Onslow, to the memory of her three children, Edward, Elizabeth and Anne Manning, who lie buried in this church by their father, Edward Manning, Esq."

THE HUNDRED OF WESTERHAM.--Hill Park, in the latter part of Queen Elizabeth's reign became the property of "Jacob Verzelini, Esq., of Downe, in this county, a Venetian born, and he died possessed of it in the 5th of King James I [A.D. 1607]. By his daughter Elizabeth it went in marriage to Peter Manning, Esq., of Trowmer, in the parish of Downe, one of whose descendants, in the next reign of Charles I, passed it away to Mr. Ranulph Manning of London, a branch of them, who bore for their arms, Argent, a chevron gules, between three cinquefoils of the second, in whose family it remained till the year 1718, when it was alienated." . . . . "Westerham is in the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the diocese of Rochester, and deanery of Malling." In the church "is an inscription to Nicholas Manning, gent., obt. 1723, and Mary his wife, daughter of Samuel Missenden, Esq.," and also the altar tombs of "Thomas Manning, Esq., of Valence, obt. 1695, and for Susan, his wife, daughter of Sir Thomas Dacas, obt. 1654."

Of the extracts here given from Hasted's Kent that relating to Downe has here been slightly recast, and the article on the Hundred of Westerham is abridged, while the accounts of Cowdham and the Church of St. Mary's Cray are given without any change.

Ten years ago an American gentleman sent an English photographer to the church, and the report of the latter is here given:

"We visited the church of St. Mary's Cray, Kent, on August 11, 1891, for the purpose of photographing the monuments which covered the walls of the church to various members of the Manning family from 1100 to 1640. Finding the walls of the church quite clear of memorial stones, etc., we made inquiries of the verger, who told us that the present church was rebuilt about 1650, and since that date has been restored several times. The monuments from 1100 to 1640 appear to have been destroyed at the time of building the present church in the year 1650. Nothing which referred to the Mannings could be found in the present church, except two monuments of slate with bronze figures on the floor of the sanctuary, one either side of the altar, and these being right in the corner of the church, it was impossible to take a photograph. The following are exact copies: 'Here Richard Manning lies, Son of Thomas Manning, he dwelt & died at Mannings' Hall. He departed Septr 22nd A.D. 1605 in the 72nd year of his age.' The second read: 'Here lyeth buryed the body of Richard Manning, Son of John Manning Gent. Who tooke to wife Rachael one of ey Daughters & Co heyres of Wm White of Hamsteed in Middlesex with whome having happily lyved to the service of God, & relief of the poore 39 yeares, in the 63d yeare of his age he dyed without issue the 18 Jany 1604 his wife yet surviving purposeth by God's permission to be here, interred by him at her death in whose fellowship she enjoyed ey comfort of her life.'"

These two stones are mentioned by Hasted. To one who has followed the evidence thus far several questions naturally arise, with a desire to have a confusion of statements removed. As it cannot now be done, the matter will not be enlarged upon here.

Cardinal Manning wrote, in 1884, as follows: "As to the family in England there were three branches, one in Kent, a second in Sussex, and a third in Norfolk, all bearing the same shield, a cross with four trefoils, the erests slightly varying, an eagle's head on a crown, with either two feathers or two palm branches; the motto the same in all cases I know of except one, viz, Malo mori quam foedari" [I would rather die than be disgraced].

It has been shown that the family name was at one time De Manning, but that the prefix was finally dropped. Mark Antony Lower, M.A., F.S.A., in his "Dictionary of the Family Names of the United Kingdom," showing the derivation of surnames, says:

"MANNING. An ancient personal name, still seen in Manningham, Mannington, Manningtree, etc. Mr. Ferguson derives it from the O. Norse manningi, a brave or valiant man."

About the year 1860 there was an English traveler in this country who passed under the name of Colonel St. George, but who, in private, declared himself to be a younger brother of Cardinal Manning. To several Americans whom he met he gave written accounts of the early English Mannings. Certain statements in these accounts cannot be accepted, but in the main they agree so well with what has been quoted from Hasted that it seems well to give an extract from his manuscript relating to an earlier date than appears in the preceding:

"The family of Manning came into England from Mannheim, German y, of which Ranulph de Mannheim was Count Palatine, in the year 940. He married Elgida, aunt to King Harold, and had large grants of land in the county of Kent, which included the towns of Downe, Cowdham, St. Mary's Cray, Crayford and Toots Cray." In another of this traveler's accounts there was a variation (unless some one misread his writing) whereby the above name was made "Rudolph de Manning, or Mannheim," and the year of emigration, 970. This second account states that Rudolph was grandfather of Simon de Manning; the same Simon mentioned by Hasted. The present writer has not found reference to Rudolph, otherwise Ranulph, in any old English work; perhaps it has been overlooked. In the lack of such corroboration the statements of this paragraph are given without comment.

It will be noticed that Hasted says that the Mannings went to England from "Manning, a town in Saxony." The present Mannheim, in Germany, however, lies some forty miles southwest of Frankfort, and considerably removed from the bounds of the Saxony of the year 1000. In view of this conflict of facts it may be useless to say more of the present Mannheim, yet two items will be given. It (Mannheim) is one of the comparatively modern cities of Germany, and it is only since the 17th century that it has been of any importance, while its early history is told in a German Encyclopedia thus: "On the site of Mannheim there lay since the 8th century, in the neighborhood of a former Roman settlement, the Villa Manniheim, belonging to the monastery of Larsch." The German word Mannheim is of two parts, Mann being the same as the English "man," and heim meaning "home." but, in the opinion of a German scholar, this does not appear to be a likely explanation of the name. He believes, rather, that "Mann" is merely the termination of some old German tribal name ending in (???) manni, as, for instance, the Alemanni.

The last three paragraphs are given for what they are worth.

[Ed. Note -- This 1902 book (see 'Bibliographic Information,' above) can be a tedious read by today's journalistic standards. But it is an essential reference tool for anyone researching the Manning family. The author says that information on 7,026 Manning settlers and descendants appear in the book. In that non-computer era, it was a gargantuan effort alone, simply to count them.]

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