Welcome Benjamin Manning Family!
​Our Story
The Manning family history search is in the beginning stage, as there remains much work to be done. So, the following information is spotty, and should not be considered conclusive.
The earliest ancestor that we know of is Benjamin Steven Manning. He was born in Charleston or St. Stephens, Berkeley County, South Carolina, about 1858. His parents are believed to be Theopolis Manning and Cotto Edwards Manning. It’s recorded Benjamin was eldest of thirteen children: Susan, Harriett, Amanda, George, William H. James, Andrew, Mary, Charles, Mose, Chatmon, and Sammie. Recordings also show he married to a lady named Mary. A 1900 US census report recorded him being married to Eliza Manning. Benjamin Manning died in Walton County, Florida in 1919.
His children were Thomas, Henry, Chatmon, Richard, Annie, Mary, and Mose. Thomas was born about 1874 in South Carolina. He moved his family to Polk County, Florida sometime after 1930. His first wif’e was Bessie. Their children were: James “Doc”, Blanche, Cleophous, and Elijah. His marriage to Sarah Pringle produced: Doretha, Annie Margaret, Andrew, and Bernice. Only his daughter, Doretha, remains alive. Many of his descendants reside in Polk County. He died in 1948 and rests at a small unmarked cemetery in Polk City. Benjamin’s second son, Henry also moved to Polk County around 1930. He was born about 1881 in South Carolina. He married Hattie Mae Terrell and had seven children: Eddie, Ben, Mary Alice, Willie Chester, Sr., Wm Henry, Sr., and Henrietta Marie. None of his children are living. Many of his descendants live in Bartow, Florida. James was born abt 1894 in Berkeley County, SC. He wed Fannie Addison in Walton County, Florida. The couple had no children. He died in 1950 and rests at Magnolia Cemetery. Richard Manning was born in Charleston, South Carolina on June 6, 1882 and moved to Florida around the age of seventeen. He married Emma Andrews June 30, 1900. Together they had ten children: Carry Bell (who died as a teenager of pneumonia), Sammie, Eunice, Katie, Zella, Leola, Basie S., Mae Carolyn, Mary and Marco. Of these children only Mary is living. Sammie, Eunice, Zella, Leola, Mary, and Marco have children throughout the United States. Richard died in 1947 and is buried at Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Walton County, Florida along with his wife Emma. Mose, a roadwork laborer, was born August 12, 1896. Along with his wife, Bessie Pinkman, children were Thelma, Berniece, PD, John Wallace, Otherola “Baby Sista”, and Eugene “Bay Buddy”. He died in 1950 and rests at Magnolia Cemetery. The descendants of Chatom, Annie and Mary are unknown at this time.
We are soliciting more help in gathering information on the Manning family. Please feel free to join in! @benmanningfam