DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the City of Manor — and friend, this one's got layers. Now, it all starts with one man. James Manor, born in 1804, came out of Tennessee in 1832 alongside Sam Houston himself.
That right there ought to tell you something about the kind of man we're dealing with. He made it to this Texas country, took stock of what he saw, and then — this is the part people forget — he turned right back around and went home to Tennessee to fetch his family and a sister and brother. That's not a man who was passing through.
That's a man who had decided. Of course, deciding to stay and staying comfortably are two different things. Until 1852, this area was subject to Indian raids.
The pioneer life out here wasn't a romantic notion — it was a daily negotiation with danger. James Manor and his neighbors held on anyway. And what a collection of neighbors they were: A.F., W.M., and James Boyce; Sterling Chamberlain; Dave Eppright; J.I.
Haynes; Ed Harrington; A.C. and W.H. Hill; W.B. Howse; N.A.
Rector; W.L. Shipp; E.D. Townes; and Joe, Bill, Sam, and Walter Vaughan.
Names that deserve saying out loud. By 1854, the community had its feet under it. A boys' school opened.
A Methodist church was organized. Then in 1857, a man named Isaac Wilbahn gave the site for something that would grow into a genuine point of pride — Parsons Female Academy, named for a leading contributor. Now, this wasn't some modest little schoolhouse scraping by.
Parsons Female Academy became one of the celebrated schools of 19th century Texas. The teachers included the Reverend and Mrs. D.H.
Bittle, and T.C. Bittle. And the students?
Well, the students are where this story gets interesting. T.B. Wheeler walked out of Parsons and into history.
Born in 1840, he became Mayor of Austin from 1872 to 1877, then Judge of the 12th District from 1880 to 1886, and then — Lieutenant Governor of Texas from 1887 to 1891. Not bad for a boy schooled out here on the frontier. And then there's John C.
Townes, born in 1852. He served as Judge of the 33rd District from 1882 to 1885, then Judge of the 26th District in 1888, and ultimately became Dean of the University of Texas Law School — serving from 1901 to 1902, and again from 1907 all the way to 1923. Two men.
One celebrated school. Careers that shaped the law and governance of this entire state. Now, back to James Manor himself.
In 1871, he donated the right of way for the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. The following year, 1872, a town was founded and named in his honor. Incorporated in 1913, the city of Manor has carried his name ever since.
For years, cotton was king out here — the economic heartbeat of everything. But time moves, and so does commerce. Cotton has since been supplanted by cattle raising as the base for the local economy.
A man comes from Tennessee with Sam Houston, goes back for his people, weathers the raids, donates the land for the railroad, and a whole city grows up wearing his name. James Manor, born 1804, died 1881 — and still very much present every time you pass the city limits sign.
What the marker says
In area first settled by James Manor (1804-81), who came from Tennessee with Sam Houston in 1832, later returning for his family and a sister and brother. Until 1852, area was subject to Indian raids. Other pioneers included A.F., W.M., and James Boyce, Sterling Chamberlain, Dave Eppright, J.I. Haynes, Ed Harrington, A.C. and W.H. Hill, W.B. Howse, N.A. Rector, W.L. Shipp, E. D. Townes, and Joe, Bill, Sam, and Walter Vaughan. In 1854 a boys' school was opened and a Methodist church organized. Isaac Wilbahn (1857) gave site, and Parsons Female Academy (named for a leading contributor) was established, to become one of the celebrated schools of 19th century Texas. Its teachers included the Rev.and Mrs. D.H. Bittle, and T.C. Bittle; its students, T.B. Wheeler (1840-1913), Mayor of Austin (1872-77), Judge of 12th District (1880-86), Lieutenant Governor of Texas (1887-91); and John C. Townes (1852-1923), Judge of 33rd District (1882-85), 26th District (1888), and Dean of the University of Texas Law School (1901-02, 1907-23). In 1871 James Manor donated right of way for the Houston & Texas Central Railroad. The town founded and named for him in 1872 was incorporated in 1913. Cotton, king here for years, has been supplanted by cattle raising as base for the local economy.