George Washington Maness

My grandfather, George Washington Maness was born 8 Sep 1877 in Marion County, Alabama. He came with his family to Cache County, Utah in 1887/1888. There he met Harriet Celia Ward, born 31 Jan 1886 in McPherson County, Kansas. She is the daughter of Amos Pierce Ward and Hulda Ann Munyon. George W. Maness and Harriet Celia Ward were married 24 Dec 1913 in Logan, Utah.

The picture is of them as newlyweds.

He is the son of :

James Washington Maness who was born 31 Jul 1830 in Anson County, North Carolina, and died 30 Nov 1908 in Hyrum, Cache Co., Utah. He married Mary Ann (Polly) Jones on 28 Oct 1849 in Tishomingo County, Mississippi. She is the daughter of David Jones and Sarah Knox.

James and Mary Ann had a family of 11 children, as follows:

*Nancy, born about 1848-1849 in Georgia.

*Joseph/Josiah born about 1849 Booneville, Tishomingo County, Miss. Died 1867

*Sarah Jane, born 25 Nov 1850 in booneville, md Luke B. Coulton 10 Dec 1867, died 4 May 1931

*Thomas Norman, born 8 Aug 1852 in Booneville, md Sorena (Irene) Carpenter 3 Nov 1880, died 20 June 1936

*Martha Ann Elizabeth, born 28 Feb 1854 Hackleburg, Marion Co. Ala, md 1st 16 June 1869 George Washington Kelton, 2nd, 16 June 1873 William McCaig, died 11 Jan 1935

*"Infant" born & died 1855, Hackleburg

*Matilda Adeline, born 1857, Hackleburg, died 1862

*Margaret Emalline born 1859, Hackleburg, died 1863

*Newton, born 1860, Hackleburg, died 1861

*James Henry (Sr.), born 1862, Hackleburg, md 1) 18 Mar 1881 Jennie Carroll, md 2) 25 Sep 1882 Mary Carpenter

*Mary Ann (Molly) born 16 Sep 1868 Booneville, Tish. Co., Miss., md 3 Aug 1883 John Marion Ables, died 1950-1951

Mary Ann died in Aug 1872 in Tishomingo County, Mississipppi. On 10 July 1876, in Prentiss Co., Mississippi, James married Rebecca Ann Ricketts. She was born 21 Oct 1857 in Jacinto, Tishomingo Co., Miss., daughter of Drury Hearn Ricketts and Judah Jones.

James Washington Maness and Rebecca Ann Ricketts had 6 children in Marion Co., Alabama, and an additional five in Cache Co., Utah. They are:

*George Washington Maness, born 8 Sep 1877, Marion Co., Ala., md 24 Dec 1913 Harriet Celia Ward, died 9 Sep 1953

*Judah Malinda, born 28 Oct 1878, Marion Co., died 18 Nov 1878

*Amanda Adaline, born 8 Mar 1880, Marion Co, md_______ GeorgeThomas Gunn, died 31 Dec 1941

*William Ephraim, born 31 Dec 1881, Marion Co., died 28 Jan 1882

*John Calvin, born 5 Jun 1883, Marion Co., died 28 Jan 1885

*Mary Lucy, born 6 Mar 1887, Marion Co., md 21 aug 1904 William Stacey Goldsberry, died 5 Dec 1970

*Andrew Leslie, born 28 Oct 1888, Mendon, Cache, Utah, died 10 Aug 1889

*Alfred Lee, born 22 Aug 1890, Mendon, md _______Blanch Aleda Spencer, died 15 Mar 1929

*Phillip Franklin, born 3 Dec 1892, Hyrum, Cache, Utah, Never md, died 12 Nov 1956

*Sarah Ellen, born 14 Nov 1895, Hyrum, md 12 Apr 1913, William George Hall, died _____

*Anna Christina, born 16 Mar 1898, Hyrum, md 15 Aug 1917, Benjamin Alma Jones, died 26 Apr 1923

Twelve of James' children survived to adulthood. His numerous descendants are found in the Eastern and Western U.S. Descendants of his first family are mainly located in Marion and Franklin counties, Alabama. Descendants of the second family are located mainly in the Intermountain West.

James built and operated a mill on Bear Creek in Marion Co., Alabama. According to family stories he was very successful at this, in spite of a handicap created in childhood. Legend has it he and his siblings were playing Indians, with bows and arrows they'd fashioned themselves. James was supposed to have hidden behind a large tree in the area, but was looking through a knothole in the tree. One of his brothers had good aim, sent an arrow through the knothole, and damaged James' eye. In later life he lost almost all sight in his good eye, and gardened by feel.

Very little is known about James' siblings. Some of them may be as follows:

Salena B - md W A Smith 16 Nov 1848 - Tishomingo Co., Miss

Mary A - md Seth Stricklin 28 Feb 1854, "

Susan S - md James Rogers 15 Feb 1858, "

The only other information available is that his father is named William Maness, and mother is Mary Ann Winget/Wingate. William was listed as a "chairmaker" in the 1870 U.S. Census.

Anyone who has additional information on the family, of any generation, please let me know.

Thanks, Ruth