My Genealogy Hound

A. B. MANCHESTER, farmer and retired minister, P. O. Higginsport, was born near Providence, R. I., May 23, 1828, and is the son of Elder C. S. and Sophia (Brownell) Manchester. His paternal grandmother was a Miss Hilliard and a member of the John Rogers family. When eight years old, A. B. moved, with his father, to Massachusetts, and two years later they came west to Union Township, this county. The father of our subject was an active and faithful minister in the Christian or New Light Church from early manhood until old age called him from the field of service. He is now living a retired life in Clermont County, at the age of eighty-two years. A. B. engaged in agricultural pursuits early in life, and has always followed this calling. In 1858, he was received into conference and ordained in the Christian Church of Fleming County, Ky., and from that time until 1864, he preached regularly in Kentucky. Since then he has filled various pulpits in Southern Ohio, until within several years. A throat disease has affected him for some time and rendered his ministerial labors painful. At the Southern Ohio Christian Conference, which met at Russellville, October, 1880, his name was dropped from the ministers’ roll by a rule adopted two years before, that if a minister be unemployed for two years without satisfactory reason his letter of commendation should be withheld. It happened that Mr. Manchester did not attend the conference of 1878, the first he had missed in sixteen years, and the rule was not recorded. He remained in entire ignorance of it. In 1879, he reported his reasons for non-employment to Conference, and received his letter as usual. In 1880, he was absent, and was astounded at receiving notice that his name was dropped, together with several others, from the roll. He feels that he has been deeply wronged by the strict enforcement of this rule, if indeed the enforcement of it could reach his case, which is doubted, in his absence and without his knowledge or any opportunity of defense. He had labored incessantly in the church for many years, much of the time with little or no compensation. Politically, he was a Whig until the Know-Nothing party was organized. He then voted with the Democratic party four years, but, in 1859, became a pronounced Republican. During the war his home was in Fleming County, Ky., and his avowed political sentiments made him an object of hatred to the rebels in that vicinity. He was one of four men whom the rebels had threatened to kill for their advocacy of the Union cause. Two of the four, James Evans and William Gardner, fell victims of the assassin’s bullet, and two attempts were made upon Mr. Manchester’s life, but both were fortunately futile. He was married, July 22, 1849, to Olletha Muse, daughter of George and Mary Muse, of Kentucky. He had gone to Fleming County, Ky., several years prior, and remained there till his removal to his farm in Lewis Township, in 1864. Three children have blessed his marriage — George M., Charles W. and James D. The last was accidentally killed in 1877, from the effects of injuries received from the kick of a horse. He died, aged twenty-one years eight months and nine days. George M. married Mary C. Tatman, and has two children — Olletha Bell and Samuel Alexander. Charles W. married Lizzie Bolender, and has one child — Gracie Sissela. Both the boys are farming in this township.