History of Northeast Indiana
LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties
Editorial Supervisors: Ira Ford [LaGrange], Orville Stevens [Steuben],
William H. McEwen [Noble] & William H. McIntosh [DeKalb]
The Lewis Publishing Company
Chicago and New York City
1920

George M. Manahan has lived a life of unusual experience and has had his
home and work in a number of different environments. In early life he
was thrown upon his own responsibilities, had to work for himself and
others, too, but in the course of thirty years has accumulated a
generous prosperity and is now one of the leading farmers and land
owners in Jackson Township of Steuben County.
He was born in Ottawa County, Ohio, December 26, 1865. His parents
were Ira and Nancy [Weatherwax] Manahan. His paternal grandfather,
Samuel Manahan, was a farmer in Ottawa County, Ohio, and had a family of
children named Rebecca, Elizabeth, James, William, Samuel, Ira,
Jefferson, Thomas, and Joseph.
Ira Manahan was also born in Ottawa County, Ohio, October 9, 1836, and
on March 1, 1863, married Nancy Weatherwax. She was born August 28,
1842, a daughter of Lawrence and Nancy Maria [Weatherwax] Weatherwax.
Lawrence was born October 3, 1813, and Nancy Maria, March 1, 1821. In
the Weatherwax family were six children: Elizabeth, born June 13, 1838;
Lydia, born April 2, 1840; Nancy, born August 28, 1842; John, who died
in infancy; Maria Jane, born July 18, 1855; and Martha, born July 23,
1859.
Ira Manahan during his active life was a farmer in Ottawa County,
Ohio. He died there October 16, 1872, when his son George was only
seven years old. After his death his wife and children continued to
live on the home farm some eight or ten years. And the family then came
to Pleasant Township of Steuben County. Mrs. Manahan bought a farm of
fifty acres about two miles west of Angola, and lived on that place
until 1892. She then went west to Adams County, Nebraska, and kept
house for her two sone, Charles and Bert, and remained there until the
marriage of her son Charles, since which time she has resumed her
residence in Steuben County and now lives at Angola. She was the mother
of a family of five: Samuel L., born July 10, 1864; George M., whose
birth has above ben noted; Minnie Jane, born October 30, 1867, wife of
Edward Baker; Charles W., born October 24, 1869; and Bert I., born
Septermber 22, 1871.
George M. Manahan acquired most of his education in his native county
of Ohio, but also attended district schools in Pleasant Township. He
was only thirteen years old when he became a wage earner, working out at
$10 a month. His career as an independent farmer was begun in 1888 in
Pleasant Township on a rented farm. After a year and a half he moved to
Jackson Township, continued farming there until 1894, and then spent a
year as a farmer in Nebraska. After returning to Steuben County he
located in Pleasant Towhship and for fifteen years lived on various
places and made a number of moves, though most of the time he was a
farmer. He has owned several different farms and has been a permanent
resident of Jackson Township since 1911, when he bought his present
place. The prosperity gained by years of effort is represented in the
ownership of 265 acres, with building improvements of exceptional value.
Mr. Manahan married Nellie R. Moore, a daughter of Robert and Rachel
A. Moore. They have two children: Glenn L., who married Hilda Leese;
and Esther C.

Submitted by: Joey Pedigo