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JOHN4 MANNING (Saml.,3 Wm.,2 Wm.1) b. 1666, Aug. 30, at Billerica, where he lived for 30 years. He took the oath of fidelity 18, 3m, 1685. In 1691 the town records say, "john Manning was ordered to mend the meeting house windows;" and for one day's work and the necessary boards and nails furnished by him, he was paid 3 shillings gs. This is the first sign of the calling he followed throughout his life, that of a carpenter. Sometime between 18 Nov., 1696, and 2 Jan., '98, he removed to Cambridge, his subsequent home. In the latter year he furnished material to the town of Billerica, as the town's financial account shows: "John Manning received of Joseph Thompson for five staves at two shillings and fower pence per staff. the charge for procuring them 00.11.08. for fetching them up 00.03.04." He was witness to the will of Thomas Stearns in 1696, and to that of Samuel Andrews, 1698, where his scholarly autograph appears. He was elected to minor town offices in 1700 and 1708, and, 1712, as tithingman, but was excused. From this we may infer he was averse to holding office. The following paper (from Mass. Archives, v. 107, p. 133), is the first known step to his later military service: "To the honored Gouernor Counsill & representytes siting in counsill att Bostowne: we reseving ane order from youer Honors bareing daate the 14 of June 1689: that all the companise & reiementes within the masichusites Colony should meet together & nominate ther Cometyon offesers to be presented to youer Honors to be a loued and commisinatid in obediens unto this youer order: we that belong to that troop chiefly gathered in billdirica: Asembled ye 20 day of June instant did unanimously nominat Raph Hill Captain: Jerathmal Bowers Leftenant. John Lane Cornet: John Starnes quartermaster." This report is signed with 6 names, of which one is John Manning's, but they are not autographs, nor did he write the body of the paper. It refers to the local Billerica militia organization, but John was soon in different service, he being a soldier in the expedition to Canada led by Sir William Phips, in 1690, against the French, in King William's war. After being long delayed by waiting for promised supplies from England the expedition, consisting of a fleet of 32 vessels and upwards of 2,000 men, sailed from Boston, Aug. 9, and, after further delay on the way, arrived before Quebec, Oct. 5. Count Frontenac, the Governor, was summoned to surrender the next day, but refused, and an attack was made the 7th. A force of 1,300 men was disembarked to operate by land, going ashore "in ice and water knee deep," and "so cold was it that ice formed in one night of sufficient thickness to bear a man," and frozen hands and feet were common. Sir William bombarded the town, while the land force, remaining on shore some three or four days, fought well and "defended themselves as best they could against the combined force of the elements, and bullets of the French and Indians, but making no effectual advance toward the capture of the place." The enterprise failed, partly because the original delay brought them before Quebec in a season unfavorable for operations, and partly because the governors of New York and Connecticut, having promised to send a land force by way of Albany to aid, and to divide the French troops by such a demonstration, failed to keep their word, their own expedition giving up mid-way and returning home. To add to the troubles of Sir William, smallpox broke out in the fleet, and he reluctantly raised the siege and sailed for Boston, where, after a stormy voyage, he and most of his men arrived Nov. 19. The loss was 300 men, and sickness the chief cause. The leaders in this campaign have been adversely criticised; the men, never. There are no known rolls of the soldiers, but John Manning's service is proved by the Mass. Archives. The following petition to the General Court [Archives, 115-684] bears date 30 May, 1750: "A memorial of the Subscribers a Committee of Sundry of the Descendants of the Souldiers in the Expedition to Canada in the year 1690, whose names are herewith produced to your honors;--Humbly Shewing That the Honble Genll Court apointed a Comtee to Inspect the Lists of Canada Soldiers or there Descendants; (in sd. Expedition) and Divide them into Seperate lists by Sixty; that they might be allowed grants of Lands for Townshipps agreeable to the practice of the Honbl Court for Several years past; that the Said Comtee were pleased to Insert the names of your Petitioners to Gether with others named in one Seperate List making up the number of Sixty; which List was Lodged in Court (As we were Informed & burnt in Boston Town house; so that your Petrs are not able at this Time to produce the Same List to present the Same to your Honrs,) your Petitioners therefore Humbly pray your Honour & Honrs in your Great Wisdom Justice & goodness to Grant them with Such others your honrs shall please to Joyn to them to make up the number of Sixty (living as nigh to gether as may be) a Tract of the Unappropriated Lands of the province of Six miles Square, upon Such Conditions & under Such Limitations as to your Honr. & Honrs. Shall Seem meet and your Petitioners as in Duty bound Shall ever pray &c. [Signed] Saml. Whittemore, Saml. Whittemore, Jr. Comtee &c." Archives 115-685 begins thus: "The names of Sundrey persons Descendants of the Soldiers who were in the Expedition to Canada in the year 1690: Referred to in the petition to the Great & Genll Court for a grant of land &c by Saml Whittemore & Saml Whittemore, Jur &c, 30 May, 1750, as Followeth." Then comes a list in which the name of the claimant of 1750 is followed by that of the soldier upon whose service the claim is based. The claimants were, in most cases, sons, but sometimes grandsons, etc., of the soldiers. Edward Manning, second son of John, claimed under Wm. Blanchard (why, I find not; possibly he had purchased the claim) and John's own service was with his eldest son, John, as claimant. About 30 names appear in the list. Action was long delayed by the General Court, and it was not until 1771, June 11, that the grant was made. In the lapse of years death had been busy. In 1750 the claimant for the services of Sir William Phips had been Capt. William Phips (son of Spencer Phips, who was an adopted son of Sir William), but Capt. William had died before 1771, and, his claim descending by inheritance to his brother David, the grant was usually referred to as having been made to "David Phips and others." The second John Manning, too, was dead, and his brother Edward had succeeded to his claim. In the Boston Gazette, 1772, Aug. 8, appears, as an advertisement, a petition from the proprietors of the so-called township, which is described as "lying on both sides Amarascoggin [Androscoggin] River, in the county of Cumberland, in the late province of Main, granted by the Great and General Court of this Province, the 11th of June, A. D. 1771, to David Phips, Esq; and others, heirs and representatives of such as were in the expedition against Canada in 1690," praying for authority to call a legal meeting of said proprietors to elect necessary officers and transact other business. This petition was signed by "David Phips, Sam. Whittemore, Fra. Dana, Eben. Stedman, Edward Manning, Alex. Shepard, jun." Authority was given, and the meeting duly held. Settlement was long delayed, however, the chief cause being the troubles incidental to the growth and progress of the Revolution, and, in the meanwhile, the management of the township remained in the hands of the proprietors in and near Cambridge. Taxes were regularly assessed by the proprietors, and, as many of their number did not pay these dues, there were frequent advertisements in the Gazette, warning them that if said taxes were not paid their land would be sold to obtain the money. While the present writer has doubtless overlooked several of these notices, they are found in the Gazette in 1774, June 13; 1775, Feb. 13; 1779, Feb. 22 and Oct. 18; 1782, Dec. 30; 1784, Mch. 29; 1786, Feb. 13, and 1788, Dec. 1. In each case the grant is definitely described, and in that of 1779, Feb. 22, it has, for the first time, a name; that of Phips Canada. These assessments were, at different times, to defray the cost of "obtaining the grant and laying out the same;" to build a sawmill; to encourage settlers to locate on the township, etc. The amount was usually 20 or 30 shillings on each right, and the taxes became so burdensome that the original grantees in most cases sold their rights to others, few going to Phips Canada. The grant is now the town of Jay, Franklin Co., Maine. Edward Manning sold his father's right, 1774, Apr. 25, for �12.5. Another lot in his name, which he had somehow acquired on the right of one Siah Harris (of which, previously, I know nothing), was sold 1792, Apr. 5, for unpaid taxes. What became of the Wm. Blanchard right has not been learned. It is not probable that any of the Mannings went to Jay, for the town clerk thereof states that he fails to find the name on early records there, and that he has known of no person in the vicinity who bore the name. John Manning, subject of this sketch, and his wife Sarah were admitted to full communion in the Cambridge church, 1697-8, Jan. 2. His "minister's rate," or tax for the support of the church, is entered on the books thereof from 1698 to 1706, the amount varying from 8sh. 6d. to 11sh. 6. He bought of Richard Proctor, 1708-9, Jan. 27, for �52, "in Province Bills of Credit or Silver Money at the Rate of eight shillings pr ounce, a parcell of land Situate lying and being in the Township of Cambridge, containing by estimation about Twenty Rods, together with the housing." This was on the west side of Dunster st., "on or near which the first meeting-house was erected," and was his home until his death. He m. Sarah Spalding, of Chelmsford, sister of his brother Samuel's wife. She was probably b. about 1670, though the date has not been found on record, nor is it known when she died. She is not mentioned in papers relating to her husband's estate, which indicates that she d. before him. Her father left her �5 by will. John Manning d. 1718-19, Feb. 3, at Cambridge. Probably he was buried near the group of Manning graves, but no headstone has been found. He died intestate. He was not a money-maker, and the inventory of his estate was but �69.1.0, of which, �56 was the appraised value of the house and the shop. His son Edward was administrator, and the latter, purchasing the rights of his brothers and sister, became sole owner of the homestead. Children: John, Edward, William, Samuel, Benjamin, Sarah. [ref 13:135]
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Manning, John (Sam., Wm., Wm.) b. 30 Aug. 1666, carpenter, purchased estate of Richard Proctor, W. side Dunster, bet. Mount Auburn and Winthrop Sts., 1709, m. Sarah [Spalding (Edw., Edw.) of Chelmsford; d. 3 Feb. 1719, soldier Exped. to Canada 1690]. [ref 17:474]
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John Manning birth 30 Aug 1666 Billerica Middlesex /s Samuel and Elisabeth [ref 76]
John Manning death 3 FEb 1718-9 Cambridge Middlesex [ref 76]
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