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William Franklin Manning - Phebe Olivia Powell
My memory of Manning Mountain is of a beautiful place to play Tall
oak trees shaded almost the top of it My grandfather, William F Manning, had goats that
kept it clean; you could see all over it. We, as children, carried water from the spring.
I understand it has now been made into a lake (Ft. Hood area).
My grandmother, Olevia Powell Manning drove her horse and buggy down the east side to
church at Eliga. It was a rough road, with ledges of rock where you first started down.
Her horse had been that way so much it knew how to hold back, and made it down just fine.
The road went by Harmony school house, then on down by the dipping vat. They dipped cows
there every summer (for ticks).
About a mile northeast of the vat was where William Manning spent his last days The place
was the first land he owned; he traded his horse and saddle for the first 35 acres when he
was 16 years old.
Southwest of this place, and joining it, was where I lived all my childhood life except
about 6 years. My daddy, Craig Thomas worked land on both sides of the Cowhouse Creek We
girls helped him as we had no brothers. There were 5 of us daughters: Annie Olevia, Vada
Aleen, Marion Ardis, Lois Arlie, and Vella Cleone; we were a pretty good substitute for
sons. About the worst part was being in the fields with a good swimming hole just around
the corner.
We had a wonderful place to play. Mama and Daddy never said "Be quiet!'' or,
"Get out of the house!'' We had our friends and always had a good time If we had to
stay indoors, we played on Mama's piano. I still have it and the velvet scarf that came
with it when she bought it new when I was small. Mama is 97 years old now (1984).
The church house (Church of Christ) just down the road from our house was never locked
People no one in community knew would come from all over and camped there under the pecan
trees, and carried water from the springs In bad weather they slept in the church I don't
remember any damage ever being done; one time a window was broken, and that was the extent
of the damage.
My Daddy enjoyed, more than anything else, taking us all to the creek, frying a bunch of
fish which we ate with iced tea and coffee, the coffee being made on an open fire The more
people who came along, the better time we had.
Annie married Grady Hill and had 2 daughters, Norma Ruth and Lois Meryle, Aleen married
J.D. McBride and had 4 children, Mildred Ann, Sarah Mae, Dale, and Sue; Ardis married Life
Shelton and had one daughter, Shirley Nell who married Bill Stubblefield; Lois married
Chet Jilkison and had 3 children, Jan Alice, Donald and Charles; Cleone married Bert J
Engle and had 2 daughters, Suzanne and Rosemary.
-- Ardrs Thomas Shelton
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