THE RECTORS

When originally platted in 1872, the northern boundary of the newly-formed 80 block township of Manor was Rector Street. Named after one of the founding families of the town, it ran east to west covering half-blocks 74 through 80.

Various members of the Rector family were prominent and actively involved in the formation and growth of Manor. 

Judge Thomson Mason (T. M.) Rector, Sr., was born in 1801 in Sevier County, TN. About 1821 he married a Miss Wilson who died not long after that. After studying law, at the age of 21 he was admitted to the bar and opened an office in Bellefonte, AL. where he was later elected and served for a number of years as Jackson County Judge. In 1831 he married a widow, Lucy Ann Hudson Lancaster, with whom he had five children. In 1853, one of the last members of his family to leave Alabama, he moved to Texas, settling in Travis County, where he became a successful farmer; so successful that he never returned to practicing law.

In 1858, as a Master Mason, he was a founding member of Parsons Masonic Lodge #222 which met on the upper floor of the Parsons Female Seminary.

In 1863 he was appointed, along with 6 other leading citizens, to The Board of Trustees of the Parsons Female Seminary. Two years later he was listed as President of the Board.

Judge Rector died February 19, 1892 at the age of 90 and was buried in Rector Cemetery located on his plantation, along with Lucy Ann who had passed away in 1867 at the age of 64.

Judge Rector’s namesake, Thomson Mason Rector, Jr. was born October 10, 1838 in 

Jackson County, AL. and moved to Travis County with the family in 1853. 

He served as a member of Company D, Eighth Texas Cavalry, better known as Terry's Texas Rangers, during the Civil War and was active in reunions of the Terry's Texas Rangers Association as late as the year before he passed away. 

Unfortunately, since the newly-formed town of Manor had not yet organized a fire department, when his house caught fire on May 6, 1875, it burned to the ground. An Austin newspaper carried this story:

T. M. Rector Jr. was for many years actively involved in the Manor school systems. An 1892 newspaper reported his re-election to the school board;

In July 1906 when the Manor Independent School District was incorporated, T. M. 

Rector, Jr. was elected as one of the seven member board of trustees. 

T. M. Rector, Jr. married Lavinia Ann Norwood in 1866. Two of the children born to 

them were Walter B. Rector, born in 1872, and Stella Rector, born in 1874. 

T. M. Jr, died in 1925 at the age of 86 and was buried in Rector Cemetery alongside Lavinia Ann who preceded him by 4 years. 

In 1904 Walter opened a general store in downtown Manor. This made the news as far away as Houston where a newspaper said;

This early 1900's photograph shows the store located next to the bank. A 1905 map locates these buildings in the block where Duett's Tire and Automotive stand today.

Records seem to indicate that Walter B. Rector, Sr. along with his wife, the former Guy Wheeler, moved to Tucumcari, NM in early 1909 where he was active in business and politics, becoming mayor of Tucumcari around 1915. He died in 1967 at the age of 95 and was buried in Santa Fe, NM. alongside his wife. 

Stella Rector, born March 3, 1874, married Mr. Shirley Gregg in 1897 and together they owned and managed a large farm about half-way between Manor and Pflugerville in what was known as the Gregg community. Gregg Lane, part of which is still in existence today is said to have been named after Stella Gregg. She died in 1926 at the age of 51 from influenza pneumonia and was buried in the Rector Cemetery.

The photos above are labeled "T. M. Rector" and Mrs. T. M. Rector", "Manor". They are believed to be T. M. Jr. and Lavinia. 

Some Rector family members, their spouses and children are buried in the Rector Cemetery located just north of the Shadow Glen Golf Course, along with James Manor's first wife, Phebe.