Manor, Texas - Past and Present - Parts and Pieces : JAMES MANOR

James Manor was born November 17, 1804 in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Not long after that, his family moved to Murfreesborough, Rutherford County, Tennessee.

That was where 19 year old James married 17 year old Phebe Singleton Foster (born May 29, 1807) on June 26, 1824. According to family lore and tradition, in 1832 James left his family in Tennessee and came to Texas with Sam Houston. By this time his marriage to Phebe had produced 3 children:

Aaron Josiah Manor, born April 30, 1825; died July 26, 1829

Harriet Susan Manor, born August 26, 1827; died July 7, 1829

Malinda Jane Manor, born October 26, 1830; died December 21, 1903

A fourth child, Ann Elizabeth Manor was born on February 1, 1833, 3 months after James supposedly left Tennessee to come to Texas. She was said to have been born in Missouri where Phebe apparently had gone to stay with relatives while James is said to have been away in Texas.

Family lore goes on to say that James Manor remained away from his family for three years but in 1835 he went back to Tennessee to join Phebe and the children who had already returned there. In 1836 James Manor came back to Texas with his wife and two small daughters along with other members of his family including his brother, Joseph John Manor, his wife, Caroline and his sister Rhoda.

Historical documents seem to contradict the story told by family lore and tradition. Mississippi deed records seem to show James and Phebe Manor living in Yazoo County, MS from 1831 to 1836. They also indicate that Joseph J. Manor, as a single man, may have followed his brother to Texas a year or two later and that their sister, Rhoda, remained in Tennessee with her husband and family before finally moving to Texas in the early 1850's.

In 1838 he received 2 land grants and had survey’s made totaling 1920 acres of land on which he built a log cabin near Gilliland Creek in the area that would eventually become the city of Manor. In 1842 he built a more modern two story house, leaving the log cabin to be used as the kitchen. His house was used as the first post office in the area as well as the stop for the stage line between Houston and Austin. At that time this area was still considered to be a part of the Webberville community (also referred to as Webber’s Prairie).

James Manor's house built in 1842.

James Manor volunteered for military service and participated in the Indian wars for the Republic of Texas. Two of his military records are shown below, with transcripts.

"War Dept.
Houston, January 15, 1838

This certificate entitles James Manor to pay from the last payt made him to 13th Nov. 1837. J. Manor entered the service on the 18th day May 1837

Barnard E. Bee"

"War Dept.
Houston, January 17, 1838
I certify that the certificate given at my office to James Manor should have been as a Private in the Ranging Battalion, he is therefore entitled to receive pay as such.

Barnard E. Bee"

Five children were born to James and Phebe Manor after they arrived in Texas.
William Franklin Manor, born Sept. 12, 1836; died February, 1840

Elvira Tennessee Manor, born October 31, 1841 , died September 12, 1918
Lavina Henrietta Manor, born Dec. 6, 1843, died August 14, 1892
Mary Emeline Manor, born Aug. 9, 1846, died June 1, 1864

Catherine Georgia “Kitty” Manor, born Nov. 30, 1848, died January 3, 1882

Phebe Singleton Foster Manor, first wife of James Manor, died March 12, 1859 of Consumption at their home. She is buried in Rector Cemetery at Manor, TX. There are 2 stone markers on her grave. (shown below with inscriptions)

"Phebe S.

Wife of
JAMES MANOR

Born
May 29. 1807

Died
Mar. 12. 1859"

"Blessed are the dead

who die in the Lord."

"SACRED

THE MEMORY OF MRS. PHEBE S. MA

NOR, BORN IN VIRGINIA MAY THE

29, 1807 AND DIED MARCH 12, 1859.

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART

FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD. MATH. 5.8"

James married Missouri C. Parker Burditt (born in 1824 in South Carolina) on September 20, 1866.

Travis County Clerk Records: Marriage Record 2, page 267

They had no children together but she had at least 7 children by her marriage in 1939 to Newell Walton Burditt who died December 6, 1856.

The Southern Intelligencer Newspaper from Austin carried the following announcement on September 27, 1866:

Information is currently unavailable relating to the date of death for Missouri (Burditt) Manor, but Travis County deed records show that she sold some of her land in June of 1872. In July, 1872 W. H. Reynolds filed suit against M. C. Manor and James Manor for collection of a debt owed to him by her on a note dated January 22, 1866. (Travis County Deed Record W, page 629) Records also show that W. H. Reynolds was appointed by the court as the Administrator of her estate in June of 1874.

Weekly Democratic Statesman newspaper, January 21, 1875

James married 35 year old Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Davis on April 22, 1875 when he was 70 years old.

Travis County Clerk Records: Marriage Record 4, page 335

She was born July 22, 1840 in Manchester, England as Elizabeth Ann Stelfox and had previously been married, first to James F. Allen, and then to John B. Davis before marrying James Manor. After James Manors death, she married Marion C. Abrams and lived to be 101 years old, having been widowed 4 times. She died on November 3, 1941 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery Annex in Austin.

2 children were born to James and Elizabeth.
Lucile G. Manor - born May 6, 1876, died January 17, 1972
Elizabeth Beatrice Manor - born October 20, 1879, died August 25, 1959

Elizabeth Stelfox had several children by her previous husbands before she married James Manor. The 1880 U. S. Census shows 4 of them living in the household with James and Elizabeth.

James Manor died on May 17, 1881 and was buried in the City of Manor cemetery, for which he donated the land. His grave is about fifty feet inside the gate a little to the right surrounded by a chain fence.