This well known pioneer, and successful stockman is now a leading business man of Lewiston, having in company with his son-in-law, Nathan Branch, rented a laundry, where they are doing a good business.
He was born in Milford, Maine, on June 8, 1858, being the son of George A. and Susan E. (Wilber) Manning. The father is a real estate dealer in Lewiston, and was born in Maine in 1838. The mother was born in Boston in 1839. Our subject came to Idaho with his parents in 1869 and the father took a preemption at Central Ferry, which he still owns and is known all over as the Manning homestead.
At the age of sixteen Fred M. started in the stock business for himself, which he has continued ever since. He keeps his stock wherever he finds the best range, in Kootenai County and other places. He was in company with George White on the start. At the breaking out of the Nez Perce war he went as scout for the government under General Gatley and Lieutenant Bowman. In the Bannock war of 1878 he was with General Howard when they chased the Indians all over the country. He was at the Malheur reservation when eighty surrendered and took the first gun from them. Mr. Manning considers Lieutenant Bowman one of the most able and faithful officers in the west at that time. Mr. Manning was in the heat of these struggles and did commendable and valiant service. He found the bodies of Monday, Grosgrove and Hailey, brother of Hon. John Hailey, whom the Indians had killed, and buried them, chiseling the name of each on a granite rock beneath which they were killed. He also found the bodies of Crook and the man with him, who were killed by the savages. Mr. Manning’s father organized the California Hundred during the Civil war, went east with them as their major and fought in that war, they being the only ones that went east for that purpose.
In the spring of 1879, in Nez Perces County, Mr. Manning married Miss Anna E. daughter of James and Katherine McGrane, of Lewiston and natives of Ireland. Mrs. Manning was born in Salem, Oregon, in 1859, and has the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. W. L. Boise, Frank, Thomas and James. Mr. Manning has brothers as follows: James A. and Charles F. To Mr. and Mrs. Manning there have been born six children: Nellie, wife of Nathan Branch, of Lewiston; Frank, Clara, Fred, Hattie and James.
Mr. Manning is a member of the W. of W. and the auxiliary. He has been deputy sheriff under Billy Martin, of Kootenai County, and deputy United States marshal under Fred Dubois, and is now marshal of Lewiston and deputy sheriff. Mr. Manning has a good home near the court house and is one of the leading and substantial men of the County.
Back to: Nez Perce Biographies
Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903