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Below is a family biography included in History of Union County, Iowa published by S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., in 1908.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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S. H. Manatrey, a representative of progressive farming, his home being on section 18, Douglas township, is numbered among the large landholders of the county. He has in his home place eighty acres and also has six hundred and fifty-six acres elsewhere in three well improved farms, one of which embraced four hundred acres, a second two hundred acres, while the third is a small farm of fifty-six acres near Cromwell, all three farms lying in Adams county. Mr. Manatrey is one of the old settlers of this part of the state, dating his residence in Iowa from 1857 and in Adams county from 1878.

A native of Ohio, his birth occurred in Toledo on the 22d of April, 1854. His father, Louis Manatrey, was born and reared in France and when a young man crossed the Atlantic to the new world, settling in Iowa. He was married in this state and his wife, Mrs. Mary Manatrey, is also of French birth. Both parents died during the early childhood of S. H. Manatrey, who is now the only surviving member of the family. The mother passed away in Ohio in 1857, after which the father came to Iowa, settling in Jefferson county near Fairfield. He was a carpenter by trade but turned his attention to agricultural pursuits in this state. He was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, however, as he died near Fairfield about 1860.

His son, S. H. Manatrey, was therefore reared by an uncle upon a farm and was given good common school advantages. Arriving at years of maturity he removed to Fairfield, Iowa, on the 27th of December, 1877, and on the 1st of March of the following year took up his abode in Adams county. He had previously visited the county and had purchased one hundred and sixty acres of partially improved land, which he began to cultivate and develop. From time to time he has purchased more property and he now owns four good farms, which are the visible proof of his life of industry and diligence. He erected good buildings upon his home place of four hundred acres, tilled the land, fenced the fields, set out two good orchards and also planted a grove of forest trees. He also enclosed one hundred and sixty acres of land in hog-tight woven wire fence, forty acres being in each tract. Mr. Mantarey continued farming upon that place until 1906, when he bought his present place of residence on section 18, Douglas township, Union county. He has made extensive repairs and improvements here and now has a good home. Moreover, in addition to the valuable farming property which he has acquired, he is a stockholder and director in the Cromwell Savings Bank.

Unto Mr., and Mrs. Manatrey have been born four children: Carrie now the wife of Charles Buxton, a resident farmer of Canada; Will, who is married and lives on the old home farm in Adams county; Guy, who is married and is with his brother on that farm; and Etha, a young lady at home with her parents. The family are well known in this part of the state and are much esteemed in social circles. Politically Mr. Manatrey is independent where no issue is involved, casting his ballot for the candidates whom he thinks best qualified for office rather than for party. On state and national questions, however, he votes with the democracy. While in Adams county he served as township clerk and also as secretary and treasurer of the school board. For a half century Mr. Manatrey has been a resident of Iowa and for thirty years has lived in this part of the state, assisting in developing and improving the district and largely promoting its agricultural progress. He has made a business of buying, breeding and shipping cattle and horses to eastern and to western markets and has also shipped horses to Canada, thus gaining an intimate knowledge of his native land. He is in this part of the state regarded as a capable, determined and successful business man and his valuable landed interests indicate his life of activity and well directed labor.

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This family biography is one of 247 biographies included in The History of Union County, Iowa published in 1908.  For the complete description, click here: Union County, Iowa History and Genealogy

View additional Union County, Iowa family biographies: Union County, Iowa Biographies

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