TWO R. I. MANNINGS
Advance Sheets From Vol. XII, Dictionary of American
tfe. I|*2i2r&3 Biography.
Manning. Richard Irvine (May 1,
1789-May 1, 1836J, governor of South
Carolina, was feorn in Camden district
of that state. His father was. Laurence
Manning, who emigrated from Ireland
to Pennsylvania, served during the
Revolution as lieutenant of the Con
tinental legion commanded by "LighlHorse Harry" Lee, and after the war
settled in South Carolina. His mother
was Susannah Richardson, the daugh
ter of Gen. Richard Richardson, a
brigadier general in the Revolution,
who moved from Virginia to South
Carolina and became the ancestor of
six governors of the state.
Richard Manning waf graduated
from South Carolina toUege in 1811,
during the War of 1812 was captain
of a militia company called to the de
fense of Charleston, and after the war
became a planter in Sumter district
In 1814 he married his cousin, Eliza
beth Peyre Richardson, the daughter
of Floride Bonneau < Peyre t and John
Peter Richardron and the niece of
Governor James Burchill Richardson.
They had five sorts and four daugh
ters, of whom one son was John Lau
rence Manning. 1816-1889, who became
a political leader and governor of the
state, and another son was Richard
Irvine Manning, the father of Richard
Irvine Manning. 1859-1931.
In 1822 the Richard Manning of this
sketch entered politics and became
a member of the state house of rep
resentatives. From 1824 to 1826 he was
governor and when the Marquis de
Lafayette made his second visit to
America in 1825. it fell tc him to en
tertain this distinguished guest dur
ing his stay in South Carolina.
When the question of Nullification
divided the state into two well-defined
groups, he attached himself to the
Union party, which opposed the Nul
lification doctrines. In 1828 lie was
defeated as the Union candidate for
congress. In 1830 he was defeated for
the governorship by James Hamilton.
In the bitter struggle that ensued he
was one of the leaders of the opposi
tion to Nullification. He was one of
the few Unionists elected to the state
convention of 1832 and voted against
the Nullification ordinance. He was
one of the vice presidents of the
Union convention at Columbia in 1832
which adopted an official protest
against Nulification as contrary to
both state and national constitutions.
When the state convention reassem
bled in March. 1833, he was a member
of the committee chosen to consider
the mediation of Virginia's agent.
Benjamin Watkins Leigh.
After the death of James Blair in
April, 1934, Manning succeeded to his
seat in the federal house of represen
tatives. In November, 1834, he was
re-elected for the full term. When
Henry Laurens Pinckney introduced
the gag resolution in 1336 he support
ed it by speech and by vote. He died
in Philadelphia while attending con
gress, and is buried in Trinity church
yard. Columbia. S. C.
(Information from his grandson, the
late Richard I. Manning. Columbia,
S. C.; Journal of the Conventions of
the People of Soulh Carolina. . . . 1832
. . . 1833 '1833); T. D. Jervey. Robert Y.
Hayne (1909); Yates Snowden. History
of South Carolina (1920), Volumes 2,
3; Biographical Directory of the
American Congress (1928); J. C,
Hemphill. Men of Mark in South
Carolina <1907i ( volume 1.)
J. G. V-D.
Manning. Richard Irvine 'August 15,
Ift59-September 11, 193D, governor of
South Carolina, was the grandson of
Richard Irvine Manning and the son
of Eli?,abeth Alien (Sinkler) and Rich
ard Irvine Manning, a Confederate
colonel who died in service. HP was
born at Holmesiey plantation, Sumter
county, South Carolina. He v/ent to
school in the neighborhood, then in
Amherst. Va.. and entered the Uni
versity of Virginia, where he was a
student from 1877 to 1879. but was not
graduated. He married, February 10,
1881. Leila Bernard Meredith, daugh
ter of John A. Meredith of Richmond,
Va.
Farming on poor land, living in a
cottage, the husband could proudly
give his wife a buggy only after the
passage of several years. A capable
manager, he prospered, bought plan
tations, invested in industries, and
became president of a bank in the
town of Sumter. In 1892 he was elected
to the legislature and was one of the
small majority opposed to the Demo
cratic faction led by Governor B. R.
Tillman. A student, watchful of legis
lation, not active in debate, he was a
progressive in politics. In 1894, when
the Australian ballot was scarcely
heard of in South Carolina, he offered
a bill for its adoption, which was.
however, defeated, tnd he pressed for
improvements in education and re
forms in taxation. Aft^r three terms
he was elected state senator in 1898
and served until 1906. As an author of
a bill for the complete reform and re
building of the "state dispensary" or
liquor-traffic system, he defended his
plan in the campaign for the gover
norship in 1906. but he was defeated.
He spent the next years in caring
for his interests as planter and busi
ness man, as well as for the affairs
of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of
South Carolina, in which he was per
haps the most prominent layman. In
1914 he ran for governor against eight
candidates and was nominated by a
large majority in me second primary,
in a state where nomination was
equivalent to election. He was not an
adept politician but was a business
man of quiet manner, tenacious pur
pose, and real courage. Hi« adminis
trations were the most notable in
South Carolina since the regime of
Wade Hampton after the Reconstruc
tion period. He emphasized law en
forcement and the suppression of
lynching. He was especially concerned
for the rehabilitation of the Stale
hospital, which was accomplished at
cost of more than a million dol
lars without increasing the state
debt. A school for feeblc-rmndcd juris
and a hospital for tuberculous pa
tients were established, a tax commis
sion, a board of welfare, and a board
of labor conciliation were created. The
last grew out of textile strikes in,
which his attitude toward labor coat,
him the support of some of the cotton)
mill executives who had been his I
friends. A strenuous campaicn by the j
former governor. Coleman L. Blease.
was waged against him in 1916, but
he was renominated by a decisive ma
jority. During the World war he threw
himself into the American cause and
worked to administer the resources
of the state as effectively as possible.
His appointments were su'.'h as to
make it an honor to serve on a cnun- j
ty draft board under him. Six of nisi
own sons, all but the youngest, served
as soldiers. He moved from Sumter
to Columbia shortly after his retire
ment as governor and died there, sur
vived by his widow, six sons and a
daughter.
"Personal acquaintance; information
fiom his son, Wyndham Manning, Co
lumbia, S. C.; Yates Snowden, "His
tory of South Carolina" (1920), vol
umes 2, 3; J. C. Hemphill. "Men of
Mark in South Carolina" (1907, volume
I; New York Times. September 9. 12.
1931; News and Courier (Charleston*.
September 12. 1931.)
W. W. B.
SIXTH OF FAMIL Y
TO BE GOVERNOR
, and vestryman, member of the stand
ing committee board of missions and
- finance committee, as trustee of the
' Churrh Home and orphanage and from
, 18U"had been a member of fb« dio, ce'fHft'* councils and of the general
t> convention since 1892. He was chuir1 men of the diocesan committee and
member nf thf national committee in
Richard /. Manning Upheld Best Tradition of the
Episcopal nationwide campaign in
| 1919-10
Family Long Prominent in the Affairs of South
February 10, 1881. R t Richmond. Va.,
Carolina Served as Chief Executive During jf he married Lelia Bernard Meredith,
daughter of Judsje John A. nnd Sarah
Trying World War Days.
jBernard) Meredith. Brief mention of
their children In an follows: Sarah
firhools. in the Kanmorr university Bernard, only daughter, who mar
The following sketch of Mr. Man- High school, at Amherst. Va., and was ried the Rev. Alfred R. Barketey of
ninf is taken from Cutkr's history a student in the University of Vir the
Episcopal church; RtdNsird Irvme,
of South Carolina:
.
ginia until 1879, after which he took John Meredith. William Smkler, who
up th* study of law. However, he married
Barbara Brodie; Vivian
Richard Iryine Manning was th« naver entered the legal profession and Meredith, who married Adair Mci sixth ofTiis family wn6 had been gov- since 1880 his business has been farm Dowell; Bernard, who married Cath
1 ernors of South Carolina. His grand- ing fiivi banking in Sumter county. erine Burton; Wyndham Meredith,
i mother. Elizabeth Payrt Richardson, From time to time he became con who marr!«d Laura A- Stevens; Eliz
a niece of Governor James B. Rich nected with (jther business Interest* abeth Alien. Larlius Meredith, St.
ardson, a sister of John Peter Rich of growing magnitude and was presi George Sinkler. Burwell D., John
ardson. Sr., and an aunt of Governor dent and director nf the National Adger and Preston Cocke. Six of his
IJohn Peter Richardson, Jr., was the bank of Sumter. president and dirtc- sons served in the American expedi
wife of Governor Richard Irvine Man tor of the Bunk of Mayesville. preii. tionary forces in the war with Ger
ning, Sr., wss the mother of Governor dent of the Cotton Warehouse com many: Maj. William Sinkler Manning,
I John Laurence Manning and grand pany, director of the Telephone com- wh- wiis killed in action in the Mememother of Governor Richard Irvine pany. the Telephone Manufacturing Argonnc battle November 5.1918; First
Manning.
company, the Magneto Manufacturing Lieut. Vivian Meredith Manning. Mnj.
Doubtless always the major distinc compMny, Palmetto Fira Insurance Bernard Manning, Lieut. Col. Wyndtion will rest upon Richard Irvine
hnm Meredith Manning. Corp. Burwell
Manning the younger not only upon company, the Anderson Motor cow- Dens Manning, Battalion Sgt. Maj.
the high quality of his domestic ad
ministration marked by earnest re ance company
His home county sent him to the
forms and progressive handlings of
state institutions, but also because of house of representalives, where he
the extraordinary responsibilities de served from 1892 to 1898 and from 18*8
volving upon his leadership during the to 1906 he was a member of tha state
two years in which this country waj senate. He was also a candidate for
governor during that period but was
involved in : the war with Germany.
The first American Manning was defeated by the liquor issue.
In 1914 he was elected governor of
Laurence Manning, an Irish lad who
came with hin widowed mother to Smith Carolina and by ie-election
thi* country before th« Revolutionary served the two terms, I91">-J7 and
war. They settled in Pennsylvania and 1917-19. His first term was especially
from that province he emervH the notable for the restoration of the en
Continental army. He was wounded forcement of law; for the upholding
at Staten Island and after recovering of the decrees of courts and sustain
was transferred to Light Horse Harry ing the verdicts of juries; for the
Lee's legion in Virginia. He served in banishing of race track gambling and
the campnign in South Carolina and other forms of vice; return to the ra
after the Revolution settled in this sped of law and order; for the broad
tat*, where he married Susannah, ening of popular education for town
daughter of Gm. Richard Richardson and country, for mill and farm, for
of South Carolina. He was the first the inauguration of compulsory edu
cation; for shorter hours of labor, for
adjutant genera] of the state
One of hii sons was Richard Irvine the adoption of state board of arbi
Manning, the elder, who was governor tration anH conciliation- for the crea
of South Carolina from 1824 to 182* tion of a tax commission and the
and died in Philadelphia while a equalization of taxes; for the rein
member of congress. A son of this statement and reorganization of the
early fowrnnr was John Laurence Natlonn! Guard of South Carolina;
Manning", who filled the post of gov the reorganization in th« management
ernor from 1S52 to IBM sn-1 served as nf the State hospital: for the es
a colonel under General B*auregard tablishment of the state board of
charities ami corrections, the insti
of the Confederate States army.
Another son of the early governor tution for the feeble minded and
was Col. Richard Irvine Manning, who the opening of the state tubercu
was a successful planter in Sumter losis hospital. Soon after his sec
county, sjerved for some years in the ond inauguration America entered the
state senate and bffcnme colonel on war with Germany and he left office
the staff of Gen. Patrick Henry Nel- about three months after the armis
son of the Confederate States army.' tice. Governor Manning's only mili
He also raised and equipped a cavalry tary experience was ax a member of
company. He died during the war as the National Guard in 1078, , . .
Governor Manning attended every
a result of exposure. His wifp was
Elizabeth Alten Sinkler of Berkeley Democratic state convention since
county. '
'
1884, was one* a member of the Demo
cratic axecutive committee and was
Rich**4- farin**Manning, -their
and »«fd«ft oT the firsf' GovTtrtffer a delegate at large from South Caro- ;
Manning, was born on the Homesley lina to national conventions in 1912, I
plantation in Sumter county Auffust 1916 and 1920. H« wu a Mason and '
IS, 1859. The people of South Cam- Shriner, Knight of Pythias, Wood- i
line doubtless felt the greater confi man of the World, a member of the dence in Governor Manning HS their Cosmos club. Rotary club and Rirlffechief executive because throughout his wood club, is a Delta Kappa Cpsilon
mature lifetime he had been a practi and was M member of the state com.
cal farmer an4 B sound business man mittee of the Young Men's Christian
and the qualities that enabled him to association and on thp hoard nf th?
make R success as « tiller of th« soil national Red Cross. He was a lift
were the qualities needed in the di- trustee of Clemson college. Ha was
reetinn of the slat* affairs. He receiv. deeply interested in his rhurch. Proed his early education m .prlvata tentant Episcopal, served MR warden
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